Department of Justice QLD

A big thank you to ABC Brisbane for having our Department of Justice Harm Prevention and Regulation team on air to help Queenslanders navigate some of the most common pre-Christmas consumer questions. Craig Turner, Executive Director at the Office of Fair Trading, and Christopher McKenzie, Director of Complaints and Program Coordination, took live calls on buying second-hand cars, understanding warranties, using gift cards and booking holiday accommodation. They gave callers the practical advice they need to make informed decisions, understand their rights and seek help when something doesn’t feel right. Their key message? “Do your due diligence before you hand your money over.” It’s all part of helping Queenslanders stay safe, informed and confident heading into the festive season. Listen to the replay on ABC Brisbane here (from 2:08): https://ab.co/4pvmpnQ ------------------------ Alt text / Image description: In the ABC Brisbane studio. From left to right: Craig Turner and Christopher McKenzie stand side by side, both wearing white shirts. Sally Rope sits at the radio desk in front of a microphone boom, wearing a black top. Studio equipment, monitors and sound panels are visible in the background.

👏 Meet Queensland’s Future Mediators From Cairns to Toowoomba — and across the many communities they proudly represent — these five inspiring young professionals are the 2025 Jack Cranstoun Scholarship recipients. Each brings lived experience, insight, and a deep commitment to resolving conflict and strengthening their communities through mediation. 🎓 Congratulations to: • Lilliana Swainson – General (Open) category • Tegan Williams – First Nations category • Shawn Phua – Culturally and Linguistically Diverse category • Kristilee Cullen – Regional category • Naome Rusera – Culturally and Linguistically Diverse category 📲 Swipe through to meet them, then head to the Dispute Resolution Branch LinkedIn to read their full stories: https://bit.ly/4r6wqcZ #DeliveringForQueensland #JackCranstounScholarship #FutureMediators #CommunityLeadership #ConflictResolution

Still making a difference at 87: Wendy Gover’s story as a Community Visitor For more than a decade, Wendy Gover has been a strong and steady voice for some of Queensland’s most vulnerable residents. Wendy, who turns 87 this month, is a Community Visitor with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG). Her job is to promote and protect the rights of adults with impaired capacity who live in supported accommodation. She’s been in the role since 2013, and is still out in the community every week — visiting clients, speaking with service providers, and checking that people are safe, supported, and treated with dignity. “People with disability are often vulnerable and unable to speak for themselves. I can be their voice.” We asked Wendy to share a bit about her experience in the role, and why she continues to do this important work. You can read her story here: https://bit.ly/3LJC6cD 📷 Adrian Gover

Still making a difference at 87: Wendy Gover’s story as a Community Visitor For more than a decade, Wendy Gover has been a strong and steady voice for some of Queensland’s most vulnerable residents. Wendy, who turns 87 this month, is a Community Visitor with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG). Her job is to promote and protect the rights of adults with impaired capacity who live in supported accommodation. She’s been in the role since 2013, and is still out in the community every week — visiting clients, speaking with service providers, and checking that people are safe, supported, and treated with dignity. “People with disability are often vulnerable and unable to speak for themselves. I can be their voice.” We asked Wendy to share a bit about her experience in the role, and why she continues to do this important work. Read her story here: https://bit.ly/3LJC6cD

We’re delivering a new grants program to support early intervention and boost community safety. The Queensland Justice Reinvestment Grants are a $5 million commitment to support initiatives for First Nations communities. The program is all about community knowledge, lived experience, and cultural insight to help shape local solutions. ✔️ Early intervention ✔️Rehabilitation ✔️Safer and more resilient communities 📅 Applications open on Monday 24 November and close on Sunday 21 December 2025. 🔗 To learn more visit: https://lnkd.in/eKcpGKrQ

🎓 Celebrating the 2025 Jack Cranstoun Scholarship Recipients This week we gathered at the Dispute Resolution Branch in Brisbane to congratulate the 2025 recipients of the Jack Cranstoun Scholarship – an annual award created in memory of a much-loved former colleague at the Branch. The scholarship provides nationally recognised training in dispute resolution and is open to professionals aged 21–35 who want to build their mediation skills and make a difference in their communities. 👏 Congratulations to our 2025 recipients: Lilliana Swainson – General (Open) Tegan Williams – First Nations Shawn Phua – Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Kristilee Cullen – Regional Naome Rusera – Culturally and Linguistically Diverse A special thanks to Jack’s family for joining us, to his friend and DRB Training Officer John Campbell who presented the awards, and to past recipient Letticia Gooroovadoo, who shared how the scholarship helped her land her dream job.

Queensland’s first Specialist Domestic and Family Violence (DFV) Court has marked its 10th year of operation. The Southport Specialist DFV Court commenced following the Not Now, Not Ever report, which recognised the court system’s vital role in protecting victim-survivors. Since its beginnings in 2015, the Southport Specialist DFV Court has brought together magistrates, police, legal professionals, corrective services, and specialist DFV support providers to help deliver a coordinated, respectful, and trauma-informed justice response. Specialist DFV Courts now operate in Beenleigh, Mount Isa, Townsville, Palm Island, Brisbane, and Cairns — helping to ensure people affected by DFV have access to safer and more supportive court environments.

There are major changes to Queensland’s sentencing laws. ✅ Victim harm is recognised - Courts are now required to recognise the harm caused to a victim as a purpose of sentencing ✅ ‘Good bloke’ evidence is restricted - The use of ‘good character’ evidence can only be used in limited circumstances when sentencing sexual offenders ✅ Courts must now give greater weight to the seriousness of sexual offences committed against children aged 16 and 17   🗓️ Effective from Saturday, 1 November 2025 These reforms are designed to prioritise victims and better meet community expectations, and deliver on recommendations from the Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council. #JusticeMatters #QldLawReform #VictimSupport #QLDJustice #SentencingReform

Daniel’s Law has passed in Parliament. It means Queensland will soon have its first public child sex offender register — giving parents access to vital information to help keep their children safe. Under the new Community Protection and Child Sex Offender Public Register, Queenslanders will be able to: 🔹 View details of reportable offenders who’ve failed to comply with obligations and and whose whereabouts are unknown 🔹 Apply online to see photos of reportable offenders living in their local area 🔹 Apply online to check if a person with unsupervised contact with their child is a reportable offender Daniel’s Law is about protecting kids, empowering parents — and honouring Daniel Morcombe’s legacy. #DanielsLaw #QldJustice #CommunitySafety #ProtectingKids #ChildSafety #JusticeMatters #DeliveringForQueensland

“Every conversation makes a difference.” 💬 For Bob, those conversations happen every day — helping Queenslanders understand their rights and make fair, informed choices as consumers. Bob is a Community Engagement Officer with the Office of Fair Trading (OFT). His role says it all — engaging with the community. He delivers education and information sessions to consumers, community workers, businesses and schools, attends Seniors Expos and multicultural events, and visits traders to share information and advice. Whether he’s chatting with local traders, visiting a community hall or attending a community event, Bob’s goal is simple — to listen, offer guidance and support people to make better consumer choices. “Community engagement involves getting out of the office and meeting people face to face,” Bob said. “It gives Queenslanders the chance to see a human side to government services — not just websites and phone calls.” A big part of Bob’s work focuses on consumer education — from shopping rights to recognising scams — but his approach is always about empowerment. “Scams are a major concern for consumers, and we try to take the fear out of the equation,” Bob said. “We share examples of what people might encounter, explain where to get help, and provide resources to support different learning needs.” The OFT is regularly invited to attend Seniors Expos across Queensland to deliver presentations and host information stands. Since January 2023, Fair Trading officers have attended more than 390 events, connecting with over 21,000 seniors through presentations and outreach activities. “It’s rewarding when someone tells me they’ve learned something that helps them feel more confident,” Bob said. “That’s what it’s all about.” As Queensland celebrates Seniors Month, it’s a time to recognise the valuable contributions older Queenslanders make — and the importance of staying connected, informed and supported. Thank you, Bob, and the OFT officers throughout the state for helping Queenslanders understand their consumer rights and make informed decisions. 👏 👉 To learn more about your consumer rights and OFT’s community presentations, visit: www.qld.gov.au/fairtrading