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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-06-05 Daily Xml
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LAW WEEK

The Hon. P. CAICA (Colton) (14:25): My question is to the Attorney-General. What is happening during this year's Law Week?

The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Planning, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Business Services and Consumers) (14:25): I thank the member for Colton for his question, and I know he is very much interested in this, as are many others. Every year across Australia, National Law Week is held to increase public awareness about the law, the legal system and the legal profession. As Attorney-General, it was a great opportunity to witness fantastic work being undertaken with the profession and the wider community.

The Attorney-General's Department and I joined thousands of other people—including, I might say, representatives of the opposition, including a gentleman from another place—who participated in the sixth annual Walk for Justice to raise funds for JusticeNet SA. The Walk for Justice has become a fixture of the legal calendar, and the funds raised are essential for sustaining the important work done by JusticeNet SA to help disadvantaged South Australians.

Despite reasonably inclement weather conditions—in fact, it rained from the moment we set off until the moment we finished, and that did assist me in being amongst the first peloton arriving at the Hilton Hotel that morning because it was a stimulus to keep moving—I am advised that the event raised over $39,000, exceeding the fundraising target set by JusticeNet.

Another great success of Law Week was the Courts Open Day, organised by a committee of volunteers from the Courts Administration Authority staff. Over 2,000 people attended the Samuel Way Building, providing a great opportunity for South Australians to get a better understanding of the work of the courts and also get information from a range of related justice agencies that were present on the day.

On Friday 17 May, I was given the valuable opportunity to speak to the legal profession at the Law Society of South Australia's inaugural Law Week luncheon. The topic of my address was how the legal profession can better engage with the government to assist in the development of good public policy.

I also attended the Safe Communities hub in the Rundle Mall during Law Week to launch the Legal Services Commission's Safe Communities mobile website. Indeed, there is a photograph of that there, with me standing between the head of the Legal Services Commission and the head of my department holding a balloon, which I am told is quite funny, as long as you are not me. The site provides the South Australian public with fast and easy access to information about community safety and where to go.

Overall, Law Week provided an opportunity for all of us to reflect on how we can better improve our legal system to make it fair and equitable for all South Australians, which is a great priority of this government.

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