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FAMILY COURT OF AUSTRALIA<br />
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Link the respondent to Brisbane’s ‘buff form’. The litigant takes this to a<br />
service provider with information on where the client is in the process and<br />
authority for the service provider to contact the court.<br />
Avoid information overload – some documents have too much information.<br />
2.2.2 Guidelines for SRLs (see 4.2)<br />
2.2.3 Advice for SRLs<br />
■ SRLs prefer advice and information by face to face or phone.<br />
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Legal Aid Queensland has a 1300 number to provide advice all over the<br />
State. Has access to a database for referrals.<br />
Family Law hotline? CLC view that its lack of legal advice makes it less<br />
helpful than it might be. Prefer a legal advice line because this is what<br />
people want. If they don’t get this it can aggravate their first interaction<br />
with the system. FLA needs interpretation and this can’t be done effectively<br />
by phone. People need help with implementation of the advice they get.<br />
They need information at this point which helps them be better SRLs.<br />
People come to the Women’s Legal Service not knowing what to do. Forms<br />
are not self-explanatory. People need legal aid. Application forms are too<br />
big and legal language needs to be avoided.<br />
People don’t always want legal advice first.<br />
Client service areas in registries provide a similar service.<br />
Discussion of chamber magistrate role – service varies, at what point do<br />
they help people with forms? It is important that legal advice can help<br />
people get to the right place at the start. Good advice at the start can avoid<br />
getting off on the wrong footing.<br />
2.3 What collaboration is needed with community and other<br />
governmental organisations?<br />
2.3.1 Networking and relationship building<br />
■ The Family Court needs to network and build stronger working<br />
relationships with the Child Support Agency, Legal services, city, suburban<br />
and country community service agencies to participate in education<br />
programs for the wider community and community service workers.<br />
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The FCoA needs to take itself outside the CBD's into the suburbs and<br />
country, and with the cooperation of other stake holders conduct joint<br />
sessions on information in their respective areas and referrals on how to<br />
access legal resources. This would allow for a "one stop shop" for<br />
information that is locally based.