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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-06-13 Daily Xml
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Online Legal Services

The Hon. R.B. MARTIN (15:05): My question is for the Attorney-General. Will the Attorney-General please inform the chamber about the online legal services offered by the Legal Services Commission of South Australia?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (15:05): I thank the honourable member for his very important question and his interest in this area. While this Monday was a public holiday, South Australians continued to have access to quality legal information through the online initiatives of the Legal Services Commission. These areas of service include amica, amica one, 24Legal, and the online Law Handbook. I have previously mentioned in this place, on the occasion of the launch of amica one, the virtues of these virtual services.

Amica and amica one are secure digital services that have been developed by National Legal Aid, and legal aid commissions, including the Legal Services Commission of South Australia. These tools assist separating couples to navigate family law processes, including property settlement and parenting arrangements. Those using amica and amica one can seek information, education and assistance where needed, using artificial intelligence technology to suggest appropriate resolutions.

Amica one is a single-user version, while amica generates a proposed division based on the user's financials and an estimate of the partner's financial situation. Both of these, amica and amica one, have been valuable services for South Australians who are separating or separated, showcasing the best of what technology can achieve, but the assistance rendered to South Australians online from the Legal Services Commission isn't limited to these tools.

Through seed funding from the Law Foundation, the Legal Services Commission's 24Legal website has been providing South Australians with reliable legal information. The 24Legal project builds upon the Legal Services Commission's longstanding delivery of legal information to members of the South Australian public. 24Legal provides accurate information on over 60 areas of law about which inquiries are commonly made, including advance care directives, bankruptcy, community titles, strata titles, elder abuse, employment laws, issues to do with pets, family law, fencing and retaining walls, intervention orders, motor vehicle accidents, neighbour disputes, powers of attorney, unclaimed goods, wills, and consumer rights.

Individuals seeking help in relation to any of these topics are guided through a series of common questions and answers in plain English around the clock. Even more comprehensively, the Legal Services Commission publishes the Law Handbook, which covers off on many topics and is an invaluable guide in South Australia in relation to the application of our laws. These services are a crucial 24/7 supplement to the Legal Services Commission's free Legal Help Line, which provides a telephone advisory service on most legal matters. Links to these online resources can be found on the Legal Services Commission's webpage, which I would encourage all interested persons to visit.

Equitable access to justice has been an important part of the legal service's work over many decades, and access to our legal system should not be the preserve of only those who can afford it. I would like to thank everyone at the Legal Services Commission who works so hard behind the scenes to ensure all South Australians have access to vital legal information when they need it and commend them on their various online initiatives.

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