Aboriginal Family Legal Service Wa

Kimberley, Gascoyne, Midwest, Goldfields and Pilbara areas. Offices are located in Broome, Carnarvon, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Kununurra and Port Hedland. From these locations, outreach services extend to more than 30 remote townships and indigenous communities. The Perth Corporate Services Office provides strategic and management support to all regional offices, including finance, human resources, administration, quality assurance, policy, IT support and compliance functions. SAC`s Domestic Violence Prevention Service currently provides services in the Great Southern, South West and Southern Wheatbelt of Albany, Bunbury and Narrogin, while the AFLS operates in the Kimberley, Pilbara, Gascoyne and Goldfields-Esperance areas. In 2020-2021, more than 200 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Perth metropolitan area used legal and related services for victims of domestic violence through the current provider. After serving as AFLS` General Counsel for several years, I was very pleased to have been appointed CEO. I am dedicated to building the AFLS as a service of choice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people affected by domestic, domestic and sexual violence. I`m also very proud that the ochre ribbon, an awareness campaign launched by former CEO Mary Cowley, is gaining strength every year.

You can read more about the campaign here. “This is an important service that responds to domestic and domestic violence and must address the complex needs of vulnerable people while working with related service providers,” said Justice Department Director General Dr. Adam Tomonson. Southern Aboriginal Corporation (SAC) and Aboriginal Family Legal Services (AFLS) were selected from three bids to provide the service through a competitive bidding process conducted by the Department of Justice. The partnership between ISC and AFLS will provide culturally appropriate legal and related services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experiencing or recovering from domestic violence or sexual assault. AFLS provides legal and community education services to all Aboriginal people, including children who have been victims of family, family or sexual assault, including men, women and children. Aboriginal Family Legal Service WA is an independent, specialized domestic violence service provider operating under the Family Violence Prevention Legal Service programme and funded by the National Indigenous Australians Agency. The FVPLS program provides specialized legal services in family violence and aims to “prevent, reduce and respond to incidents of domestic violence and sexual assault among Aboriginal people.” We are part of the 14 national domestic violence prevention legal services and the largest service in Australia with regional offices in Western Australia. Both Aboriginal-controlled organizations currently provide legal advice on family violence prevention in the regions. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are safe and protected from domestic and domestic violence and sexual assault and are empowered to determine better life outcomes.

“They will be able to ensure a seamless transition of services for people entering or leaving Perth,” said Dr Tomison. Helping Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people affected by domestic, domestic and sexual violence access legal services and promoting family safety through community building, early intervention and advocacy to end the cycle of violence and improve life outcomes. The organisation integrates the regionalisation model with offices in Broome, Carnarvon, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Kununurra and Port Hedland. Each office employs a Regional Managing Counsel as well as appropriate legal and support staff. The six regional offices are supported by a Corporate Services Office based in Perth, which is responsible for the overall coordination of the various operations and financial management of the company as a whole. These services include advice, representation and/or assistance in areas such as family law, child protection, housing and rent, credit and debt, and injunctions. AFLS is committed to being a leader in providing legal services for domestic violence, non-legal support and education to Indigenous people in Western Australia who have experienced or are experiencing domestic and sexual violence. The municipal service of the partnership, funded by the state government, will be commissioned in July 2022 under a three-year contract after a transition of the existing service provider. The Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia Limited is registered as a public limited company and is governed by an Aboriginal Council.

The Board of Directors consists of five elected members and two co-opted members who work together to dedicate time, cultural and business expertise to providing leadership and governance. Western Australian Domestic Violence Prevention Legal Services, operating as Aboriginal Family Legal Services (AFLS-WA), was established in February 2010 under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 and is registered with the Office of the Registrar of Aboriginal Companies ICN 7333. My formal qualifications include a Bachelor of Marketing and a Bachelor of Laws. I was admitted as an attorney and solicitor to the Washington State Supreme Court in 2006. Since then, my career has spanned various areas of law, often advocating for systemic change to address Indigenous discrimination in the justice sector and society as a whole. I am a board member of the Community Legal Centres Association of WA and a board member of the Women`s Council for Domestic and Family Violence. The call for tenders was limited to partnerships run by organizations controlled by the Indigenous community, in accordance with the government`s principles of self-determination and Indigenous procurement policies. Community members interested in becoming a member of ALSWA may do so by completing this application form and sending it to the Company Secretary [JPoroch@als.org.au], with a membership payment of $10.00 attached or transferred to the next bank account. Corporate policy sets out definitions and processes for membership, regional representation and governance. It is governed by an elected council composed of a minimum of five and a maximum of ten members.

The day-to-day operations of the organization are delegated to the CEO. The Board of Directors is composed of individuals with a range of skills, knowledge and experience. Thank you to these dedicated volunteers who are committed to leading the strategic direction of the AFLS.