A key aspect of the Queensland Law Society’s advocacy work on behalf of the legal profession and the community are our calls to campaigning parties to consider and respond to priority issues identified by our members.
In the lead up to the 2024 Queensland election, QLS will be developing its Call to Parties Statement setting out key issues of concern to the state’s legal profession.
What is it?
The Call to Parties Statement is prepared by the QLS legal policy team in consultation with the Society’s policy committees, the broader membership of QLS and other legal stakeholders. It compiles key areas of legislative and policy reform that QLS and our members see as crucial to the future of Queensland.
Prior to an election, the Call to Parties Statement is released to political parties and independent candidates. QLS publishes any responses it receives on our dedicated webpage.
Why is it important?
The Call to Parties Statement outlines a range of reforms which we see as critical to the effective delivery of justice to the Queensland community and the betterment of the legal profession. It is a crucial aspect of the Society’s advocacy for good law, good lawyers and the public good.
This process ensures that candidates, parliamentarians, and government are aware of the issues affecting solicitors and their clients in their day-to-day practices.
Calls made in QLS Call to Parties Statements for previous elections have contributed to notable reforms such as:
- Retaining the use of electronic signatures for a range of documents, as introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, both in the Property Law Act 1974 and for Queensland court documents.
- The 2022 review of criminal procedure laws in Queensland’s Magistrates Courts.
- The review and modernisation of the Property Law Act 1974 culminating in the introduction of the Property Law Bill 2023, including the introduction of a seller disclosure framework for Queensland.
- Amendments to the Legal Profession Act 2007 to clarify the circumstances under which a law practice may destroy client documents, after a designated period of time, introduced in the Justice and Other Legislation Bill 2023.
- Progress towards electronic filing for all state courts.
- Legislative steps towards implementing electronic recording in the Mental Health Review Tribunal.
- The removal of 17-year-olds from adult correctional centres into the youth justice system in 2016.
- Progress towards a judicial commission in Queensland.
- A commitment by the Queensland Government and other state and territory governments to a set of nationally consistent fundraising principles, to be supported by state and territory-based implementation plans for legislative change to harmonise fundraising regulation for charities and not-for-profits across Australia.
- Amending section 311 of the Legal Profession Act 2007 to increase the prescribed amount for which disclosure of legal costs is not required under sections 308 or 309(1) of that Act, to more closely align with cost disclosure obligations under legal profession laws in New South Wales and Victoria
Timeline
August to October | April | June | October |
|---|---|---|---|
Member feedback sought | Consultation draft Call to Parties Statement to be approved by QLS Council and published for member input | Final Call to Parties Statement to be approved by Council, published and distributed to all Queensland political parties and independents | Saturday 26 Queensland State Election |
2023 | 2024 | ||
How to get involved
The input of our members is vital in ensuring that both long-standing and emerging issues faced by the legal profession are reflected in our advocacy.
QLS continues to welcome feedback from the Queensland legal profession on issues which should be included in the QLS Call to Parties Statement for the 2024 State Election.
A series of subject-specific, online focus groups were held in October. Read more about some of the issues identified by our members during these sessions in Proctor.
QLS members, and the broader Queensland legal profession can provide input until the end of the year by submitting their feedback via email directly to QLS
The next step will see members invited to provide input on a consultation draft of the Call to Parties Statement once it has been approved by Council early in 2024.
Following the draft consultation stage, the final Call to Parties Statement will be approved by Council for publication and distribution in or around June 2024.
If you have any general queries in relation to the Call to Parties, please get in touch via email to policy@qls.com.au.