ATSILS

26/08/2026

📢 KNOW YOUR RIGHTS: Police Wanding & Jack’s Law in QLD

Heading out to the clubs or catching a train? Police in QLD can use handheld metal detectors (wands) at transport hubs, Safe Night Precincts, and high-traffic areas without a warrant.

We want our Mob empowered, safe, and informed. Knowing your rights keeps you and the community safe.

🎥 Watch the full video below to stay informed and stay deadly! 👇

26/08/2026

Our Principal Legal Officer, Greg Shadbolt, spoke to the ABC about the alarming statistics highlighting how Queensland’s expanded “wanding” powers (under Jack’s Law) are disproportionately impacting First Nations communities across the state.

While these laws were introduced with the narrow goal of targeting knife crime, the operational reality tells a different story.

When powers allow police to search individuals without a warrant or reasonable suspicion, it risks becoming a broad-scale net-widening tool—funnelling more mob, especially young people, into the criminal justice system for non-violent offences.

At ATSILS, we continue to call for transparency, accountability, and the protection of fundamental human rights in policing. It is crucial that our community knows their rights when interacting with police in public spaces.

📞 Need legal help or representation?

Call ATSILS on 1800 012 255 (Free Call).

In Queensland, police have the power to randomly stop and search people for weapons. Statistics show who they have wanded.

21/08/2026

Community Legal Education Outreach on Quandamooka Country

Recently, ATSILS lawyers Pree Sharma and Natasha Goddard had the pleasure of visiting the Winnam Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanders Corporation on beautiful Quandamooka Country in Lota!

They met with local Elders to deliver an engaging session on essential life and estate planning topics:
📜 Wills
⚖️ Enduring Powers of Attorney
💰 Binding Nominations for Superannuation

The Elders shared fantastic questions and meaningful yarns about why getting your legal affairs in order early is so important for protecting family and country.

ATSILS provides free and confidential legal assistance with Wills, Enduring Powers of Attorney, and Binding Superannuation Nominations.

📞 Don't wait—give ATSILS a call today to speak with our team!

A huge, heartfelt thank you to Rochelle Bynon and the amazing team at Winnam for your warm hospitality and partnership in coordinating this wonderful session.

20/08/2026

Community Legal Education Outreach - Atherton Tablelands

We recently hosted a Community Legal Education outreach session in Far North Queensland in partnership with the Tablelands Community Justice Group (CJG) and the Queensland Human Rights Commission’s First Nations Unit (Yirmba).

The targeted group of locals that attended allowed for flexible, deep, and meaningful discussions with everyone in the room.

Key highlights from the session:

Cultural & Human Rights: Wayne Grant, Senior First Nations Community Engagement Officer with Yirmba, led an insightful discussion on human rights, placing a strong emphasis on cultural rights.

- Legal Support & Guidance: The ATSILS team delivered practical education covering key topics including:

The importance of having a valid Will and handling burial disputes

- Domestic and Family Violence (DFV) resources

- Child protection processes

- Navigating the coronial system

- Knowing your rights when interacting with the police

- Police Wanding (Jack’s Law).

A huge thank you to Julie and Margaret from the Tablelands CJG for doing a fantastic job facilitating, supporting the events, and bringing our community together as always! 🖤

19/08/2026

ATSILS Statewide Court Support Officer Gathering – Cohort 2!

Building on the incredible momentum of our first gathering, we recently brought together our second cohort of Court Support Officers (CSOs) and Field Officers in Meanjin (Brisbane) for another powerful two-day training experience!

With delegates joining us from across the state, this gathering provided a space for both our experienced and emerging CSOs to share their knowledge, stories, and local perspectives. From tackling practical scenarios to discussing the unique challenges and successes within different regions, the energy and commitment in the room were inspiring.

One of the greatest highlights was the opportunity for our team to connect on a personal level—strengthening relationships, sharing wisdom, and fostering an even deeper sense of unity and teamwork across our organisation.

The feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive, with staff highlighting just how valuable it was to learn from one another and build stronger connections across Queensland. Opportunities like this are vital for professional development and collaboration, ensuring we continue to strengthen the deadly support and service delivery we provide to our communities every single day.

A huge thank you and congratulations to our second cohort for their dedication, passion, and collaborative spirit!

07/08/2026

What an incredible turnout for Dorrie Day 2026 in Gladstone!

The day had 1200 students and 120 stall holders, which provided a wonderful opportunity to strengthen relationships, celebrate culture, and create meaningful connections with community members. We were delighted by the strong turnout and enthusiastic participation from Elders, families and community partners, all of whom helped make the event a memorable and inclusive occasion.

The positive feedback received from attendees highlighted how much the event was valued and appreciated. The event exemplified our values of community engagement, respect, collaboration, and inclusion while strengthening the trust and connections we continue to build with our community and Mob.

Thank you to everyone who made the day such a huge success. We’re already looking forward to the next one! 🙌

05/08/2026

🎬 Navigating the Coronial System Queensland 🎬

When one of our Mob passes away suddenly, it’s a heavy, sad time. On top of the grief and Sorry Business, families sometimes have to deal with the Coroners Court. It can feel confusing and overwhelming, but you don’t have to walk this path alone.
We’ve put together a video to help explain how the process works in QLD, how to protect your family’s cultural needs, and where to get support.

💡 A few key things to know:

• The Court isn't there to lay blame: A Coroner is a Magistrate whose job is simply to find out who passed away, what caused the person to pass, and when, where, and how it happened. They aren't pointing fingers—they just want to get the story straight and look for ways to protect other families in the future.

• You have a say in Cultural Ways: You can ask the Court to respect cultural protocols at any time. This includes getting your loved one home quickly for Sorry Business, having Elders involved, smoking ceremonies, or using the right cultural name.

• Support for Inquests: If a public hearing (inquest) happens—which is usual if someone passed away in care or in police custody—ATSILS can stand beside you, talk to the Coroner for you, and make sure your voice is heard.

🖤 Support is always here for you and your family:
Every family handles things their own way—there’s no right or wrong. Take your time and reach out to these free services whenever you're ready:

📞 Need legal support, advocacy, or a yarn?

ATSILS Legal Help- Free call on 1800 012 255
Coronial Family Services: Free call 1800 449 171
THIRRILI Sorry Business Support: Free call 1800 805 801
13 YARN Crisis Support: Free call 139276

🗣️Interpreters: Ask ATSILS or the Court for an interpreter (like Yumplatok / Torres Strait Creole) if English is tricky.

ATSILS has put together a page of comprehensive resources to assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families.

Visit: https://atsils.org.au/navigating-the-coronial-system-in-queensland/

31/07/2026

As July comes to an end, we’re reflecting on all the fantastic NAIDOC Family Fun Days that ATSILS staff attended right across the state!

Among them was the Logan NAIDOC Family Fun Day, where our Beenleigh office team was out in force representing ATSILS—a huge shoutout to Saran Kaur, Davina Riley, Brooklyn Holland, and Sam Walsh-McCormack pictured! It was an extra special milestone for us, marking the very first time ATSILS has hosted an information stall at this particular event.

It was an awesome, free community day dedicated to celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. From live entertainment and free food to incredible local Indigenous stallholders, there was so much to see, do, and experience.

A massive thank you to everyone who dropped by our stall to yarn with the team!

24/07/2026

🎉CONGRATULATIONS to our Bundy team! 🎉

We are beyond proud to announce that our Bundaberg Team has won the Community Organisation of the Year Award! 🏆✨

The award was presented by the Wide Bay Hospital & Health Service at the Celebrating Blak Excellence Awards in Hervey Bay on July 22nd. Jennie Walden and Natasha Thompson attended the ceremony to accept this incredible honour on behalf of the whole team.

This award is such a fitting recognition of the tireless dedication, passion, and heart our Bundy team puts into serving the community every single day and over many years. It’s amazing to see their hard work being recognised on such a special stage!

Once again, a massive congratulations to Gavin, Ian, Jennie, Natasha, Cheryl, and Sally—you make us all so proud! 👏