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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2024-06-27 Daily Xml
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Churchill Fellowship

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (14:50): My question is to the Attorney-General in regard to the Churchill Fellowship Report launch. Will the minister inform the council about the report launch of Rebecca Plummer's Churchill Fellowship on Access to Justice in Communities Experiencing Isolation and Disadvantage?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (14:50): I thank the honourable member for his magnificent question—and the lack of phone calls so far today in question time.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: Why would someone do that? Sir, last Friday it was an honour to attend the launch of Rebecca Plummer's Churchill Fellowship Report on Access to Justice in Communities Experiencing Isolation and Disadvantage. Rebecca is currently the CEO and Principal Solicitor at JusticeNet SA, and first commenced the huge undertaking of this fellowship back in 2020, but was not able to really begin the ground research until 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the launch of the report, posted very appropriately and accessibly in the District Court, Rebecca generously shared the findings of research gathered from all over the world as it evaluated practical models for improving access to justice in communities experiencing isolation and disadvantage. The areas covered were justice centres in areas such as India, the Netherlands, the USA and Canada.

The findings observed from these very different legal jurisdictions were varied and insightful. For example, in Delhi, court complexes included many different facets, including cafeterias, sporting arenas, libraries and lawyers' chambers, making the courthouse feel much more collaborative and less intimidating.

In interviewing people who were working across these justice systems, Rebecca often focused on two questions: what role does the court play in access to justice, and how does a court service delivery expand outside its four walls? The report managed to distil these into five key findings: legal ecosystems; pre-court diversion, not faux court; egos and hubris; legal literacy and self-help; and money, law and the economy.

Throughout the report there were regular references to United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 16, which is about promoting just, peaceful and inclusive societies where there is trust in institutions and justice. The report's many recommendations targeted different players in the justice system and included the importance of having diversity in the courts and broader justice system—not just of demographics but also of varying experiences and views.

The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, being the organisation that facilitated this important report, was first established in 1965 and provides fellowships for interested people from different countries, particularly Australians, to travel internationally to conduct research in their chosen field. I commend the work undertaken by Rebecca in this Churchill Fellowship. We in the justice system in South Australia look forward to seeing how we can look at the views and make access more accessible here.

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