Legal Services Commission

The Hon. M. EL DANNAWI (14:56): My question is to the Attorney-General. Will the minister inform the council about the end of an era of leadership at the Legal Services Commission?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (14:56): I thank the honourable member for her question that's related to the state jurisdiction in particular. I will be very happy to inform the chamber about more than a decade of leadership, providing a steady hand and making sure equitable access to justice in South Australia is provided by Ms Gabrielle Canny, who will retire as the Director of the Legal Services Commission next week.

Ms Canny has been at the forefront of the provision of legal assistance in this state for almost a quarter of a century, having spent eight years working at the commission before being appointed deputy director and then, three years later, in 2011, being made director. Prior to her work in South Australia, Ms Canny worked at the legal aid commissions in Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory, as well as in private practice.

Throughout Ms Canny's tenure, the commission has established a reputation for innovation and modernisation, having expanded its physical presence across the state, now having six offices across metro Adelaide and regional SA. In addition, Ms Canny has chaired the National Legal Aid Family Law Working Group, which included heading the national project to create Amica, an AI-assisted resource to empower people to amicably navigate the settlement of family law disputes without initially requiring the assistance of a lawyer. This project rightly gained national attention and Ms Canny has even appeared on national television to talk about the program.

There is absolutely no denying that Ms Canny's innovative, perceptive and compassionate approach will be dearly missed at the LSC. The commission has progressed in leaps and bounds under her tenure, and I am sure it will be in safe hands with Ms Annmarie Lumsden, who has been appointed as her successor. Ms Lumsden comes to SA most recently from her role as the Chief Executive Officer of Legal Aid in the Northern Territory, before which she worked as Director of Criminal Law with Legal Aid in New South Wales and as Deputy Chief Executive of the ACT's Attorney-General's Department.

I very much look forward to working with the new leadership at the Legal Services Commission, and I certainly extend my heartfelt thanks to Ms Gabrielle Canny for a career served with distinction and wish her well in the next chapter of her life.