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Legal Advice for Locals

Townsville Community Law has provided free, accessible and holistic legal services to residents of Townsville and surrounding communities for over twenty-five years.

 

We recognise and respect difference and diversity within our community. We understand and address the social and welfare issues affecting our clients.

 

We want to reduce inequality through positive legal and social change, including by providing greater access to justice through our services. 

 

Our 2020-2024 Strategic Plan details our Purpose, Values, Approach and Goals.

 

Our Purpose

Promoting and protecting human rights in our community through access to justice.

 

We Value

  • Accessibility
  • Adaptability
  • Availability
  • Equity
  • Fairness
  • Inclusion
  • Participation
  • Quality

 

Our Approach

  • Human Rights
  • Access to Justice
  • Community Engagement
  • Client-centred

 

Our Goals

  1. Provide quality services to the community.
  2. Increase community engagement.
  3. Enhance our organisational profile.
  4. Advance organisational sustainability.

Service Guidelines

Townsville Community Law has a range of policies, procedures, and service guidelines detailing how we deliver our services.

We provide targeted assistance in priority areas of law for vulnerable and disadvantaged clients, as required by our funding agreements. Our service guidelines set out the services that we provide in different areas of law, and the way in which we provide those services.     

Client Rights Privacy

Flexible & Accessible Services

We recognise that a number of factors impact on our clients’ ability to obtain legal advice including distance, disability, transport, employment obligations, and family and childcare commitments.

 

We offer flexible and accessible options, including:
  • Providing legal advice and other services by telephone, particularly for clients in rural and remote areas who cannot attend our office in person,
  • After-hours appointments on Tuesday and Thursday evenings between 6pm and 8pm,
  • Home visits, where appropriate, for Seniors Legal and Support Service clients,
  • A baby change table, and
  • Children’s toys and books in our reception area.
Our office is accessible to people with disability, and features:
  • A disability parking space directly outside our office,
  • An accessibility ramp leading to our front door, and
  • A disability toilet.

Quality Services

We are accredited by our national peak body Community Legal Centres Australia (formerly known as the National Association of Community Legal Centres, or NACLC), and our state peak body Community Legal Centres Queensland.

The NACLC logo and trademark seen on our website identifies Townsville Community Law as an accredited community legal centre that complies with risk management, financial management, and other quality standards. We are subject to regular quality review.

This quality mark ensures that you can be confident about the quality of service that you receive from an accredited community legal centre.

Feedback & Complaints

Pay us a compliment, provide a suggestion or make a complaint

Ask to speak to us, email us or write to us using any of the contact methods on the Contact page. If you wish to make a complaint, please address your complaint to the Director.

Funding Acknowledgments

We are funded under the Community Legal Services Programme by the Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department and the Queensland Department of Justice and Attorney-General.

Our Seniors Legal and Support Service is funded by the Queensland Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services.

While those funds are central to our operations, we also operate through the goodwill and pro bono support of many volunteers and community members.

We also deliver a Clinical Legal Studies subject in conjunction with James Cook University, Townsville.

Memberships

Individuals can join Townsville Community Law as Ordinary Members of the Association and have rights, including voting rights.
Organisations can join as Associate Members but do not have voting rights.
If you would like to become a member of the Townsville Community Law, please

download, complete and return our membership application form. Memberships are now free and are renewable annually.
Townsville Community Law Membership Form
Townsville Community Law Inc Rules (including 11 November 2019 amendments)

Life Members

Under our Association’s Rules, life membership can be granted to any individual who has performed conspicuous service to Townsville Community Law.
  • 2001 Don Armit
  • 2001 Peter Bevan
  • 2004 Grant Riethmuller

  • 2007 Ken Taylor

  • 2007 Jayne Finlay

  • 2007 Margaret Chambers
  • 2009 Lucia Taylor
  • 2009 Chris Mills
  • 2009 Kerri Fretwell
  • 2009 Byron Leong
  • 2011 Virginia Hall
  • 2011 Warren Rowles
  • 2011 Jill Roberts
  • 2011 Angela Fortt
  • 2012 Melody Cornish
  • 2013 Arthur Schulz
  • 2016 Anne Lewis
  • 2017 Mary Wallace
  • 2017 Rowan Silva
  • 2020 Saskia ten Dam

Volunteering

Townsville Community Law has a strong history of volunteers providing free services to the local community.

We started in 1991 as an unfunded community legal centre entirely staffed by volunteers. Some of our volunteer lawyers and law firms have been on our evening legal advice service roster for more than twenty years. Our volunteers have been recognised for their efforts by receiving awards including the Queensland Law Society’s Community Service Award and the Commonwealth Government’s Australia Day Awards.

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