Vol 10 no 4 summer 13 14 by Queensland Justices Association

VOLUME 10 • NUMBER 4 • SUMMER 2013/2014

INSIDE

THIS ISSUE 2

BOARD OF DIRECTORS, COMPANY INFORMATION

PRESIDENT’S REPORT, NEWS IN BRIEF

AGM - PRESIDENT’S REPORT

AGM - MINUTES

STATE CONFERENCE SUMMARY

10 STATE CONFERENCE - KEYNOTE ADDRESS 12 IWD 2014 13 ROLL OF HONOUR 14 Q & A 14 REGIONAL ROUNDUP 16 REGIONAL CONTACTS Helpful Phone Numbers

INSERT MERCHANDISE FORM

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2013

The Annual General Meeting of the QJA was held on Saturday 9th November at 10:00am. There were over 70 Members represented at the meeting either in person or through proxies. The QJA’s external Auditor Raj Prabhu, of MSI Taylor Business Services Pty Ltd attended and answered questions relating to the QJA’s financial accounts. Raj pointed out that as the QJA is classified as a small business there is no legal requirement to have the accounts externally audited, but the Board has made it clear that it intends to maintain the highest standards of transparency and accountability and will continue to have its books externally and independently audited. Raj answered some questions from the floor and there being no dispute with the financial accounts, the motion to adopt the accounts was passed. Regular business was attended to, including confirmation of the election of the new Board (see below) plus discussion on the proposed minor updates to the Constitution. The constitution motion was carried, and has now been republished on the website Links and Downloads page. The new Board of the Queensland Justices Association for 2013-2015 is:President:

Keith Revell

Vice President:

2 positions - to be advised - Members of the newly elected Board are eligible to nominate for the Vice-President positions and will be elected by the Board at the first Board meeting.

Board Members: John Carpendale Doug Hull Chris Porter Marian Vierveyzer

Senior Vice President:

Ray Burrows

Ron Court Bob Pilkington Dave Read Raymond Young OAM

STATE CONFERENCE - BUNDABERG The 20th Annual State Conference was an excellent event, with over 120 JPs and C.Decs attending from surrounding areas and beyond. The Bundaberg Branch did a terrific job of hosting it and everybody left with a fabulous goodie bag, which included a small bottle of rum, from you guessed it, Bundaberg Rum, and a packet of Pacific Gold Macadamia Nuts.

Wilson who featured on the nightly news the day of the Conference. He had done his research thoroughly about QJA, referring to his colleagues who have spoken at our previous Conferences. He endorsed JPs being used to hear minor matters within QCAT and stated the pilot program has gone very well.

The speakers were excellent, including the keynote speaker, QCAT President Justice Alan

Congratulations to the Bundaberg team for an excellent conference.

Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918

Our Patron The Hon Paul de Jersey, AC, Chief Justice of Queensland

Board of Directors PRESIDENT

Mr Keith Revell JP (Qual)

Telephone: (07) 3803 4337 Mobile: 0411 134 841 Email: keith.revell@qja.com.au

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT Mr Ray Burrows JP (Qual)

Telephone: (07) 3822 1366 Mobile: 0409 499 016 Email: ray.burrows@qja.com.au

VICE PRESIDENT “2 positions - to be advised - Members of the newly elected Board are eligible to nominate for the Vice-President positions and will be elected by the Board at the first Board meeting”

DIRECTORS Mr Ron Court JP (Qual) Telephone: (07) 5499 0697 Mobile: 0419 679 619 Email: ron.court@qja.com.au

Mr John Carpendale JP (Qual) Telephone: (07) 3353 2927 Mobile: 0419 683 325 Email: john.carpendale@qja.com.au

Mr Bob Pilkington JP (Qual) Telephone: (07) 3812 1865 Mobile: 0438 121 865 Email: bob.pilkington@qja.com.au

Mr Doug Hull JP (Qual) Telephone: (07) 4128 0294 Email: doug.hull@qja.com.au

Mr David Read JP (Qual) Telephone: (07) 4152 3318 (AH) Mobile: 0405 252 135 Email: david.read@qja.com.au

Mr Christopher Porter JP (Qual) Mobile: Email:

0419 148 189 chris.porter@qja.com.au

Mr Raymond Young OAM JP (Qual) Telephone: (07) 4927 4155 Mobile: 0405 624 648 Email: ray.young@qja.com.au

Mrs Marian Vierveyzer JP (Qual) Telephone: (07) 3389 2481 Mobile: 0415 418 320 Email: marian.vierveyzer@qja.com.au

QUEENSLAND JUSTICES ASSOCIATION - ACN 009 666 559 – ISSN 1839-2784 The Queensland Justices Association (QJA) is a not-for-prot public company limited by guarantee operating under the Corporations Act 2001 and is governed by a Board of Directors. Registered Ofce: Postal Address: Ofce Hours: Contact: Email: Website: Registrar:

751 Stanley Street, Woolloongabba, Qld 4102. PO Box 8419, Woolloongabba, Qld 4102 Monday – Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm Free call: 1800 061 423 - Telephone: (07) 3392 2455 - Facsimile: (07) 3392 2955 admin@qja.com.au www.qja.com.au Q Angela Yin BA (Journalism), GradDipSocAdmin, MHumanServ, Cert IV TAE, Cert IV Fin Serv, JP (Qual)

The QJA Journal is compiled by an Editorial Board on behalf of the QJA.

Editor Mr Keith Revell

The views expressed in articles & advertisements published in the QJA Journal are not necessarily the views of the Queensland Justices Association or the Board of Directors.© Queensland Justices Association claims copyright to all material published in this Journal. No material may be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the QJA. All enquiries should be addressed to The Editor at editor@qja.com.au Printed by Zink Print. PO Box 236, Kallangur QLD 4503. Phone 0437 777 079 or visit us at www.zinkprint.com.au.

Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918

VOLUME 10 • NUMBER 4 • SUMMER 2013/2014

President’s Report Dear Colleagues The 2013 Annual General Meeting was held at State Office on Saturday 9th November at which the results of the Board election were declared. You have entrusted to me the honour of being your President for the next 2 years and I thank you for your support and confidence. I congratulate my fellow elected Board Members and thank them for their willingness to contribute to the future health and development of the QJA. We have a busy and challenging time ahead but I believe we have a Board committed to the improvement, growth, and financial health of your association and I look forward to the opportunities ahead. Many thanks to all who submitted ballot papers, to those who were able to attend the AGM in person, and for the proxies received from members giving their support. We acknowledge the contributions made by John Gordon who this year decided not to re-contest a position on the Board. We thank John for his valuable assistance over the last four years. I would like to take this opportunity to recognise and express my sincere appreciation to our honorary lawyers Hall Payne Lawyers and to John Payne in particular for agreeing to be the Returning Officer for this election. The new Constitution of the QJA imposed a more onerous election process by design, this was to position the QJA more in line with other larger professional organisations which ensured our election process was independent, vigorous, and transparent. In past years we usually receive about 200 or so ballots for the election, this year we received over 1,100 - this far exceeded our expectations and placed a larger work load on the office staff of the QJA and Hall Payne who had to verify, sort and count the ballots for each position.

I would also like to recognise the terrific support we received from our printers Zink Print and especially Zoe McInnes for the tremendous effort they put in to making sure the Journal, ballot papers, forms, envelopes, etc. were all printed correctly, and in the collation of the inserts for the Journal. Due to the nature of the election we had to ensure individual Members received just the paperwork they were entitled to. This required a lot of manual sorting and collating. The Board will be undertaking a review of the election process in the New Year and welcomes any feedback from our Members. This past quarter has been a very busy period for all of the Board Members with attendance at the Australasian Council of Justices Associations Conference in Darwin, the State Conference at Bundaberg, and a number of training courses and Branch Refreshers across Queensland. We are in the process of preparing the calendar of activities for 2014 and encourage all Branches that are contemplating local Refreshers or Workshops to contact the State Office so it can be published and promoted. QJA Members are urged to keep in touch with their local Branches and when local activities are available, to attend. Finally, may I take this opportunity to wish all Members and your families, our stakeholders, sponsors and supporters a very joyous Christmas, a safe festive season, and good health and happiness for the New Year.

Keith Revell - President

News in Brief A Special Note A Special Note from the outgoing President. As you know, a new Board of Directors was elected at the AGM recently and as such, having completed the maximum two terms as President, I have stood down as President. I would like to thank all Branch Chairs, Secretaries, Treasurers and Members for all of the support that I have received over the last four years; and also for the work that members have put into growing membership and developing signing centres in your regions. I am pleased that I leave the position with the knowledge that the QJA is in extremely good shape and hope the new Board of Directors will continue to maintain the equilibrium that has been established. I wish all our members a very merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year. Ray Burrows - Immediate Past President

Training By Linda Evans – Training Program Manager. As a successful 2013 draws to a close, we reflect on how far the QJA as a Registered Training Organisation has come. It is a little over four years since the QJA registered as a training organisation for Justices of the Peace (Qualified) and Commissioner for Declarations.

Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918

News in Brief Before this, the Department of Justice and Attorney General, JP Branch carried out the vast majority of training for Justices of the Peace (Qualified) and Commissioners for Declarations.

International Women’s Day 2014

The QJA has now become very active in Justices of the Peace (Qualified) and Commissioner for Declarations training courses. Today the QJA runs different courses in the form of face to face group training, and correspondence training. We have also run several corporate courses and have ventured into more rural areas such as Emerald and Capella, conducting face to face training courses

Save the Date! The ladies are back

With over 20 Trainers and Assessors spread across the State the management and co-ordination of courses is a constant challenge, but recent improvements to our procedures and processes are streamlining some of the work. Planned updates to our internal Membership system will also deliver further improvements and remove duplication. A major part of my role is ensuring adherence to procedures which is critical for us as a Registered Training Organisation. When we are audited for our compliance any failures risk our RTO status being revoked. Ray Burrows performs the role of “internal auditor” to check our compliance and this enables us to immediately remedy any areas of concern.

John Gordon Retiring Director John Gordon. John joined the Queensland Justices Association on 25th October 2004 and appointed as a Justice of the Peace (Qualified) on 28th June 2006. He was a certified Practising Account (CPA) for over 35 years before retiring. John moved to the Gold Coast in the early 1980s and had an active role in the accounting profession including executive committee membership of CPA Gold Coast. He organised monthly meetings, guest speakers and education forums. John has also participated in community groups that focussed on functions including Meals on Wheels, NZWA Association, Council of the Ageing (Gold Coast), Art of Seniors and University of the Third Age. He has also been Chairman and Treasurer of the Gold Coast QJA Branch and has personally formed two new JP signing centres on the southern Gold Coast at Elanora and Coolangatta. In September 2009, John nominated for a board director position with the QJA and was successfully appointed in October 2009 and again in 2011. However due to continuing health problems, John has decided not to nominate again for a board director position at the 2013 election. He has been an able director for the QJA over the last four years and the Board of Directors wish him well in the future years.

Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918

By Angela Yin (QJA Registrar) Preparations for International Women’s Day 2014 are well underway! A committee has been established, with Norma Liddle, Lucia Forman, Noelene Kidd, Sue Freeman-Brown, Gerry Polkinghorne, Vice-President Marian Vierveyzer and Registrar Angela Yin. Our theme is “Always Teaching, Always Learning”, which is fitting considering QJA has done a tremendous amount of teaching over the past 12-18 months and hopes to build upon the success in the future. QJA has always existed to provide professional development and support to members, which fosters a culture of continuous teaching and learning. And in many cases, un-learning, which can be the most difficult thing of all! Technology and evolving social mores have been a real gamechanger as the years pass, and as time goes by, the changes seem to happen more rapidly. This is why it is important to connect with us, to ensure you are always up-to-date. You may not have time to attend every branch meeting in your area, but maintaining membership, liking our Facebook page and checking our website occasionally is a must. Obviously, we encourage every woman to attend QJA IWD to reflect on the importance of the role of a JP. As 8 March 2014 falls on a Saturday, we have decided to change the format to a high tea on a Saturday afternoon. We hope members like the change of format and that more people are able to attend. We have planned one speaker already, our very own Cheryl Macnaught of Whittaker Macnaught. She is a member of QJA and a successful Queensland business woman. Our Sponsorship Kit is available on our website for any businesses who are interested in sponsoring our High Tea. A registration form is included with this Journal. Mark your diaries now! As always, we encourage branches to have an event of their own. Last year, Warwick, Cairns and Bundaberg held highly successful events. Yours might be a high tea, lunch, breakfast, brunch, coffee, forum, cocktail party or picnic. Just be sure to make a small profit for your branch, and as always relate the event to Justices of the Peace in some way.

Ron Court By Ron Court (newly elected QJA Director) Since my retirement from the workforce over four years ago my wife and I thought I would settle down a little and take things easy, that did not happen, some would know what I mean with the old saying “I don’t know how I had time to go to work”. Married with two sons and two daughters all with their own families now, and a total of six grandchildren, however we don’t get to see them that much due to geographical reasons. The difference is spending more time doing things you are passionate about, they include: as an Authorised Marriage Celebrant I just love creating a ceremony for couples to make their most important day a very memorable one.

VOLUME 10 • NUMBER 4 • SUMMER 2013/2014 When performing Funerals, this is about celebrating the life of a loved one and helping the family cope with the loss & grief, also being an ex-serviceman and member of the Caboolture, Morayfield & Districts Sub-Branch of the RSL it is with great pride I’m able to conduct Poppy Services for ex-service personnel and recognise what they have done for our country. I’m looking forward to my new role and working with a great and experienced team on the QJA Board. The less serious side of my life is that I just love to perform magic, and so we have a family business where we do just that, performing magic shows for young children and corporate events. My wife and I love to travel whenever we get the chance, the ultimate plan is one day to go and join the grey nomads and see this beautiful country we call home.

Vale It is with sadness that we recently received advice that a long time Committee Member of the Logan Branch - Bevan Faulkner has passed away. As well as being a stalwart of the Logan Branch, Bevan was also heavily involved in the local Lions clubs. Bevan was always willing to help other people and to be there if needed. He will be sadly missed. Our condolences to Bevan’s family and friends.

Website Updates A number of updates have been made recently to the QJA website which I would encourage you to check out. The content on several pages has been refreshed and updated. Menus The Menu structure has changed - all content has been moved to the top menu from the side “Main” menu, and the side “Main” menu has now been removed. It lays the framework which will make our website more accessible and easier to use on mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets.

Australasian Council of Justices Associations By Ray Burrows (QJA Delegate to the ACJA) I attended the Australasian Council of Justices’ Associations (ACJA) together with Director David Read as Councillor and Director Doug Hull as Observer held at Sky City Resort, Darwin Saturday 5th October 2013. Matters discussed at this year’s Conference included: 1 Future of ACJA There is a future for the Australasian Council of Justices’ Associations beyond a regular forum for exchange of information and experience. 2 Online Service SA’s Terry Wardle has been appointed Webmaster for the ACJA. 3 Social Media 4 Training Update A presentation on the current training body JP Training Organisation Inc - this does not affect QLD as the only State delivering training under licence from the Government. 5 Member Associations voting discussion 6 President 2013-2014 Cr Ray Burrows JP was congratulated as the incoming President for 2013/14 year. An information pack was subsequently distributed for the next annual ACJA meeting in Brisbane for 4 October 2014. 7 Registrar No nominations lodged at meeting but new Registrar to be appointed as soon as practicable. 8 Vice-President The ACT nominated Cr Rod Nicholas JP as Vice-President for 2014-15.

QJA Shop The QJA Shop now utilises Paypal to process credit/debit cards automatically. You do not need a Paypal account to use this service, so the manual credit card option has now been removed from our website. This is a more secure option and reduces the workload in our office. On-Line Automated Event Booking System We are delighted to announce the launch of the new QJA Automated Event Booking system. Refresher workshops and Training courses are now available to Register and Pay using the new system. When you look at the registration screen you will see: a location map, special dietary requirements, cut-off date, etc. When you login to the website your Membership details are automatically populated into the registration form. Payment is through the Paypal gateway (same process as the QJA Shop), but if you would prefer to pay by a different method the ability to download a manual registration form is still available. Smartphone app We have commissioned the development of a smartphone app which is close to being launched through the Apple and Android stores. This will be a free app available to everyone and will contain QJA contact information, find a JP searches, useful agencies contacts, access to the QJA shop, and Membership registration options. There will also be a Members Only area where once you login (and it will be the same credentials as the website) you will be able to access the latest version of the Guide (if you have previously purchased a copy) plus other Member specific content.

Left to right – Seated: Cr Glenda Frost JP (Vic), Cr Rod Nicholas JP - Deputy Registrar (ACT), Cr Charlie Parrott JP - President (NT), Hon. John Elferink MLA, Attorney-General Northern Territory, Cr Ray Burrows JP - Vice President (Qld), Cr Michael Cheshire JP Registrar (Vic), Cr Jane Zahra JP (NSW), Standing: Cr David Wright JP (NSW), Joe De Luca JP (NT), Cr Dave Read JP (Qld), Cr Ken Lysaght JP (NSW), Cr David Paton APM JP (Tas), Cr Rex Jordan JP (SA), Cr Paul Adams JP (ACT), Cr Christine Cordingley JP (NSW), Reverend Barry May OAM JP (WA), Cr Alan Sprigg JP (NT), Cr Errol Neale JP (Qld), Cr Greg Weake JP (NZ), Cr Graeme Kitto JP (NZ), Sharon Wilson JP (NT) and Cr John Carstairs JP (WA).

State Office will be closed over the Christmas break from 25th December to 1st January inclusive.

Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918

Annual General Meeting 2013 - President’s Report Ladies and Gentlemen Welcome to the 2013 Annual General Meeting of the Queensland Justices Association. This AGM marks the end of my tenure as the President of QJA, which I have held for the maximum two terms. I have thoroughly enjoyed the challenges and opportunities of the last four years. The Directors’ Report contained within the September issue of the Journal outlines the achievements of the last financial year. Over the last four years, new branches have been formed in Bowen, Brisbane South, Caboolture, Cairns South, Gympie, Hornibrook, Ingham, Mareeba, South Burnett and Warwick. The former Cairns Contact Group upgraded to the Cairns Central Branch. Contact Groups were formed in Maryborough, Rosedale, Rosewood and Tin Can Bay. This brings the total to 29 Branches and 8 Contact Groups. No branches or contact groups folded during my tenure as President. For the first time in many years, QJA has finally cracked the 6,000 member mark. After a net decline of members from 2010 to 2012, QJA finally turned a corner in 2013 with over 1,000 new students in the past 18 months completing our JP and C.Dec courses. However, the State Government’s decision to phase out JP (C.Decs) has also had an impact on the membership. Prior to the announcement, one in five of our members was a JP (C.Dec). It is now about 1 in 10, with some resigning, but some choosing to upgrade to either a C.Dec or a JP (Qual). It will be interesting to see what the final number is when the cessation of unfinancial members is finalised prior to the publication of the Summer 2013-2014 edition of The QJA Journal. We do not anticipate a larger than usual number of members lapsing and we do anticipate a net growth of about 200 members. The 2013-2015 Board of QJA to be confirmed at this AGM will make the final decision on Membership Fees for 2013-2014 at the November Board Meeting. You may not be aware, but QJA charged $55 for Regular Membership in 1994. This was nearly 20 years ago. I think everybody would agree that QJA offers more value for membership now than we did in 1994, so it is timely that the Board considers whether it is sustainable for QJA to charge the same amount for membership as we did 20 years ago. The deficit of 2011-2012 of $8012 has been turned around into a modest surplus of $15,332 in 2012-2013. This is due to the increase of activity in relation to training, which in turn has lifted sales of The Guide to JP Practice, Associate Memberships and other positive flow-on effects. Also the fact that we offer online ordering of merchandise now, has boosted sales significantly. We are aware that the increase in income has also been roughly commensurate with an increase in expenses, however, it has been necessary to invest in some infrastructure and ongoing spending, such as employing a Training Program Manager, extra admin support, maintaining a clean and presentable training space and some IT expenses. We have continually improved our website and have recently purchased www.qja.org.au, as we may have some market appeal as the only non-profit provider of training (apart from TAFE). We are going to make our website more tablet and phone friendly, to appeal to those on the move who want to find out more about becoming a JP, accessing support for JPs or finding a JP. We are also working on online training and an app. Social media will also feature as part of our online strategy, as we add YouTube to our Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. The last four years have seen a change of Government in Queensland and with it, changes in key policy areas which directly affect JPs in Queensland. QJA was instrumental in informing the then, incoming

Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918

Government in a number of policy areas, including the privatisation of training and improvements to the JP regime in Queensland. We have a position on the current JP Advisory Committee, which was reformed shortly after the new Government came in. A number of our members are also participating in the QCAT trial, which boosted the profile of JPs in the media. QJA fielded a number of media inquiries relating to this. We would like to thank the Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie for his ongoing support, especially in attending many events that QJA has hosted and launching the second edition of The Guide. Although I was unable to attend the 20th Annual State Conference in Bundaberg in 2013, I was told it was an excellent Conference, with the outgoing President of QCAT, Justice Alan Wilson as the keynote speaker. It was announced that my branch, Redland City will host the 21st Annual State Conference in 2014. Of course, I will play an integral role in that. The Training Program, of course, has expanded hugely in the last 1218 months, and will grow again by at least a third in 2014. I will still play a role in overseeing QJA’s Training Program into the future. The growth of the Training Program has seen the employment of a Training Program Manager, Mrs Linda Evans, a full-time Administration Assistant Mr Aaron Dunster and admin support Ms Sue Koenig. The Registrar Angela Yin continues to support the Board and manage a growing organisation. The Board has engaged a strategic planning facilitator, John Bellamy to assist us with refining our goals, values, mission and vision into the future. The current Board made an excellent start in 2011, however as QJA continues to evolve and professionalise in ways that we could not have imagined three and five years ago, it has become obvious that one of the challenges ahead is to maintain relevance and appeal to a more diverse demographic, particularly as we attempt to transition all our current students into voting members of QJA, with whom we hope to continue a long and happy association. The Board has to invest in itself to continue a robust and thriving organisation and we hope the members support us into this exciting new phase. After all, it is all for the benefit of the members in the end. Lastly, I would like to thank my colleagues on the Board for their ongoing encouragement and support over the last four years, as well as the staff and the members, who have had confidence in me for two terms. It has been an honour and a privilege to lead and serve QJA during this period as its 42nd President. As much as I will miss the challenges and opportunities that come with leading such an excellent Association, I am also confident that it is in competent hands going into the future. I will now be the President of the Australasian Council of Justices Associations in 2014 and QJA will host the Conference in October next year as well. To all members and their families, the Board of Directors and staff of the QJA wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Ray Burrows, President, Queensland Justices Association, 9 November 2013

VOLUME 10 • NUMBER 4 • SUMMER 2013/2014

Abridged Minutes of Proceedings at the 2013 AGM MINUTES – ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Saturday, 9 November 2013, 10am QJA House, 751 Stanley Street, Woolloongabba 1. Members present, proxies received and apologies. Chairman welcomed all to the AGM. Below were noted. 23 Members Present:

56 Proxies Received:

15 Apologies Received

2. Minutes of the annual General Meeting held on Saturday 10th November 2012 and business arising from the minutes. Member AC noted a correction to the minutes of the 2012 AGM. Where it talks about the Intangible Assets, the AASB standard should be 138 instead of 109. Chairman asked for the minutes as amended to be accepted as true and correct. Moved – JQ. Seconded – JG.

For – 77, Against – Nil,

Abstained – 2,

MOTION CARRIED

3. President’s Report 2012-13 as distributed at the meeting. Chairman asked for the President’s Report be accepted. Moved – PB. Seconded – RY:

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

4. Directors’ Report 2012-13 as published in the Journal, Spring Edition 2013. Chairman asked that the Directors’ Report, as published in the Spring Journal be received. Moved – DH. Seconded – SK:

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

5. Financial Statements 2012-13 as published in the Journal, Spring Edition 2013. Chairman asked Raj Prabhu, QJA’s company auditor to address the meeting. Raj thanked everybody for their attendance. Raj advised the Members that last year, ASIC gave QJA the option to have an external review, rather than an audit for the financials, because as QJA has a turnover of less than $1 million, a full audit is not required. The Board opted to continue with a full audit for greater transparency. Raj commended the Board for wanting great transparency and accountability for members and disclosing more information, rather than less. Non-Profit companies are not required to disclose as much as listed public companies. Chairman asked for any questions. Member AC stated that because QJA has opted for a higher level audit, rather than a review, then there is another disclosure that should be made. There is an accounting standard that relates to Related Party Disclosures. It covers Key Management Personnel and remuneration paid to them. It covers reimbursements made to them, as well as any payments made to members of their family. In this case, it would relate to members on the Board receiving reimbursement, which is essentially remuneration. Member AC raised the issue because members would have an interest in the fact that QJA is a small non-profit organisation and want to ensure maximum accountability for the fees they are paying. The nature of these things could be sensitive to members. Chairman stated the new Board would take the advice on notice. Member PB congratulated the Board and Registrar on the management of QJA. Memberships have increased as has income from Training. Member GC wanted to know what the projection was for the current year, given we are now five months into the next financial year. AY stated we are going to build and improve upon 2012-2013, but didn’t have any figures in front of her. We are on track for a small surplus. Member AC asked about the increase in the Marketing costs. KR noted it was a combination of more training, but more brochures have been printed and distributed to courthouses and the general public. Our goal is to keep growing our membership base through training. We have developed the Corporate Member package to gain access to that market as well. Chairman asked that Audited Financial Statements as published in the QJA Journal for the year ended 30 June 2013 be adopted. Moved – JQ. Seconded – GC:

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

6. Constitution be amended as previously published in the Spring Journal. Chairman asked KR to speak to this. KR drew the Members’ attention to the 2012 Special General Meeting and the rules adopted at the SGM. At this meeting, a Rule was adopted that we could make minor changes to the Constitution at an AGM, rather than convene a special meeting just to make minor changes to the Constitution. Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918

The Rules changes are minor in nature, but critical in that it left the issue open to interpretation, so it is important to provide clarity for Members. JC stated this was not introduced because there was a problem, just simply to clarify. It was just that the current Rules were silent on what the situation should be and the intention. John Payne commented at the 2011 AGM that the Constitution and By-Laws should answer questions and is a living document. If it doesn’t answer the question, then we need review it and make amendments, if necessary. Chairman asked for the Amendments to the Constitution as proposed in the Agenda by adopted. Moved – RC. Seconded – SK:

For – 77, Against – 2, Abstain – Nil:

MOTION CARRIED

7. Election of the Board for 2013-2015. Chairman reminded the Members of Returning Officer’s apology. AY assumed the Chair to announce the new Board. She reminded the Members her role is to read the Returning Officer’s Report. Any questions should be put to him. AY would note any questions of Members and put it to the Returning Officer. The Returning Officers report was read aloud. (Due to limited space the detailed results of the election have not been listed here as they have already been summarised on the front page of this Journal – Ed) Chairman asked if there were any questions. KR wished to thank John Payne and his staff for their efforts and the efforts of the staff members AD and AY for conducting a more rigorous ballot process. We normally have a couple hundred votes for elections, so to get over 1000, is phenomenal. KR stated it was the first time we have conducted an election this way. It was done internally previously. If anybody has any feedback, please give it to us before the next meeting. This might have cost us $7.5K-$10K normally. 8. General Business - as required by section 250S of the Corporations Act 2001, the chair of the AGM must allow a reasonable opportunity for the members to ask questions about or make comments on the management of the company. Chairman noted the previous topic of the Honour Board. AY stated ed-Director GF had originally agreed to organise it, but he has been busy over the past few years. Member PB noted that the attendance of the Board Meetings are nearly 100%, which is to be commended. Chairman thanked Member PB. Outgoing Director John Gordon was presented with a plaque for his service to the Board from the Chairman and Outgoing President. John Gordon paid tribute to the Members and the previous Board. He wished the new Board well. Chairman thanked the outgoing Board for working together so well. Ron Court was congratulated for being elected to the Board, as well as the existing Directors who re-nominated. MV stated that it is good to have a stable Board and we have the same goals and vision. Meeting Closed at 10:50AM Note: A full copy of the minutes and election results can be downloaded from the QJA website or from State Office on request - Ed

Volunteers urgently needed at signing centres Local Branches of the QJA are urgently seeking JP(Qual) and C.Dec volunteers to undertake volunteering roles within Signing Centres. Only a small fraction of the 80,000+ JPs in Queensland are volunteering for signing Centres and we need more. JPs and C.Decs provide a vital role in the community by signing and witnessing legal and court documents for the general public. An example of some of these documents are as follows: • Witnessing people signing documents as prescribed by law, • Certifying copies of documents as true copies, • Taking Statutory Declarations, • Taking Sworn Affidavits, • Assessing capacity and witnessing Powers of Attorney, Enduring Powers of Attorney and Advance Health Directives, Refer to the back page of this Journal for contact information for your local Branch or Contact Group.

Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918

VOLUME 10 • NUMBER 4 • SUMMER 2013/2014

State Conference 2013 - Bundaberg By Conference Committee Secretary, David Dempster. QJA Members and visitors travelled from the far flung corners of the State to attend the 20th annual State Conference. Bundaberg Branch of QJA thanks all for supporting us with their attendance. The Mayor of Bundaberg Regional Council, Mal Forman, welcomed one and all to his beautiful city and hoped their stay was enjoyable. He also highlighted some attractions to induce visitors to stay a little longer, including the local drop, Bundy rum. All the elders of the two local indigenous clans were involved in native title meetings and could not be present, so it fell to the lot of conference secretary, David Dempster, to welcome everyone to their traditional country, on behalf of the elders. The Keynote Speaker for the conference was the Honourable Justice Alan M. Wilson, President of the Qld Civil and Administrative Tribunal. Justice Wilson is the inaugural President of QCAT. He gave a thought-provoking speech on the role of JPs through the ages, the formation of the Tribunal and some problems with its implementation. As QCAT is only a trial at five locations at present, Justice Wilson added his vision for the future but he did point out that was for someone else to implement as he is soon to step down from the presidency. Newly-elected federal member for the Electorate of Hinkler, the Hon Keith Pitt MP, gave a warm welcome to registrants and thanked all JPs for doing their public duty. As President Ray Burrows was unable to attend the conference, Vice President (and Immediate Past President) Bob Pilkington carried out an innovation and introduced all directors to the audience. Carmel Jarvis, a Customer Service Supervisor at Heritage Bank, one of the major sponsors, gave an outline of the bank’s products and services. How JPs deal with people after a disaster when they have lost items of personal ID was the subject of the presentation by Eric Boardman, manager of Central Qld Recovery Coordination, Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services. He offered alternative methods to use so JPs can satisfy themselves as to the authenticity of the individual. A former member of the Qld Police Service Stock Squad (now in general duties), Det Snr Const Scott Nichol, gave an insight into rural activities with a presentation on animal duffing, the Brands Act and where JP activity may be required. Jason Crowther, a senior operations inspector with the RSPCA, also gave an insight into some rural activities and showed several graphic photos of man’s inhumanity to animals and thus the need for the RSPCA to access properties and pointed out the process where JPs can assist.

The State Member for Burnett, the Hon Stephen Bennett MP, also did a short welcome to attendees and then made presentations of conference shirts in display cases to the major sponsors of the conference, Heritage Bank, Bundaberg Brewed Drinks, and Bank of Qld. The president of the local branch of the Real Estate Institute of Qld, Michael Dempsey, highlighted the need for JPs to be vigilant when processing documents relating to the Lands Registry. He was on a steep learning curve during the Q & A time at the end of his presentation as he became aware of problems with the process. The District Manager for the Customs and Border Protection Service, Trudi Smits, explained why it is necessary for officers to carry out searches of people and vessels etc and when the services of a JP may be required. A highlight of her presentation was a demonstration of an external body search, with Director Dave Read in a “gown”. Another innovation at the conference was the introduction of all QJA State Office staff to the audience. The State Minister for Police and Community Safety (and local Member for Bundaberg) was a late apology for the conference. His time slot was more than adequately filled by former QJA Registrar, Greg Cuthbert, who informed the audience of progress on The Guide to JP Practice in Queensland, updates and the electronic version. A Q & A session was conducted by Directors, Bob Pilkington, Doug Hull and Marian Vierveyzer, with the final activity for the day program being a monster raffle with some 30 prizes being offered, thanks to the generous support of local businesses. All speakers were presented with a basket of goodies, containing amongst other things Pacific Gold macadamias (chocolate covered), a bottle of wine from nearby Moffatdale Ridge, Bundy rum sample and a wall keyring holder - made by the MC for the day, Dave Johnston. Lunch was a feast, with prawns being the highlight of the menu. During all breaks attendees had access to free soft drinks, thanks to major sponsor, Bundaberg Brewed Drinks. The final activity for the conference was a dinner at Frangipanis Function Room with some 80 people attending. Again, prawns were a highlight of the menu. One other innovation for the conference was to e-mail to attendees maps of the city and of the venue. Some registrants did not provide any contact information and thus missed out. There was a disappointing 38% return of feedback sheets at the end of the conference. The committee took this as a positive sign that most of the conventioneers were happy with the proceedings. Some attendees have requested copies of the material presented by the speakers. Copies of the presentations will be posted on the QJA website. Thanks to all who attended the 2013 State Conference in Bundaberg. Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918

State Conference 2013 - Keynote Address By the Hon Justice Alan M. Wilson, Supreme Court of Queensland President, Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

of a simple offence or a regulatory offence in a case where the defendant pleads guilty.

Introduction

I mention your office in historical terms not to remind you, yet again, of the many centuries of achievement which attach to the position but, rather, to show how the JP Pilot Program achieves a number of important things that might be seen as restorative:

Justices of the Peace are trained, respected members of our community who volunteer their time to carry out a wide range of administrative duties and, in some cases, exercise judicial functions. The office of Justice of the Peace is a State institution – indeed, JPs have a special responsibility to be active in their communities by engaging with the public and contributing to the administration of justice in Queensland. They are entrusted to take on these special responsibilities on a volunteer basis – they neither seek nor receive any payment in connection with the performance of the functions of office. JPs are decent, hardworking members of our community, and the role they play is of immense practical importance to the Queensland public. If there was ever a need for evidence of the great benefit of volunteers, one need look no further – JPs have set a very good example. The creation and development of the office of JP has been the outcome of political, social and economic conditions which prevailed at each stage in our history. In England, JPs, or Magistrates as they are more commonly known, perform an essential public service by dispensing justice within the criminal justice system, as well as hearing a range of non-criminal matters. This year, in Queensland, a trial is underway in which JPs have been asked to hear and determine some minor civil dispute matters in QCAT. That trial has already proved highly successful and, with whatever freedom attaches to me as the outgoing President of QCAT, I venture to say that in my view it should continue, and it should grow. History It is useful to put this new role in its historical context. The exercise reveals a pleasing restoration to JPs of powers and responsibilities with deep veins in our history. The office of Justice of the Peace, as it is now known, was conceived in England as early as the end of the twelfth century with the practice of appointing officers to preserve order during exceptional times of crisis. Prior to this, there was increasing dissatisfaction with the existing means of dealing with violence and lawlessness. This discontent was, perhaps, unsurprising – at that time, in the absence of any police force, the arrest of criminals depended largely upon a system founded before the Norman Conquest: All persons over the age of 12 were made mutually responsible for each other’s behaviour. They were formed into groups of 10 or 12… and were required to take an oath … Under this oath they undertook that if one of their group was suspected of having committed an offence the rest would produce him in court. If he fled, they must raise the hue and cry and capture him, under pain of a fine. The obvious shortcomings of this system called for new methods of restoring and maintaining order during the successive periods of turbulence which occurred throughout England during the reigns of Richard I, John and Henry III. It was not until nearly two centuries later, with a series of statutes in the reign of Edward III, that these peace keepers were called ‘Justices of the Peace’. Even now, Justices of the Peace may exercise many more weighty powers than what is currently associated with the role – they do not just witness the signing of official documents. That being said, their witnessing function is a duty which should not be taken lightly. The documents JPs attest have more weight than a document witnessed by someone without any official position; they are documents of immediate interest and relevance to each of our lives, including for example: oaths and affirmations, affidavits, wills and enduring powers of attorney, and land title documents. The added functions of office are not dissimilar to those of a quasijudicial officer. JPs are able to perform certain bench duties as well as non-bench judicial duties, such as the issue of search warrants, the remand of defendants, the adjournment of a court and other procedural actions. In particular circumstances, two or more JPs together have the power to constitute a Magistrates Court to hear and determine a charge 10

Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918

The better use of the talents of Justices of the Peace. Reinvigorating the use of non-lawyers as persons who can, and should, have an important role to play in the legal dispute resolution system in our society. Restoring, to JPs, a more active, rewarding and challenging role than they have held in this State in recent times, and one which is closer to the role they continue to fulfil in the United Kingdom. JPs in Queensland, pre-QCAT The most recent edition of a brochure published by the Department of Justice and Attorney-General called The duties of Justices of the Peace (Qualified) says that ‘… your main role is to witness the signing of official documents’. That is certainly true but you will know, if only from a paper given to this conference at Cleveland in 2009 by my brother the Honourable Justice Peter Applegarth of the Supreme Court of Queensland, that in the early days of the Queensland Colony and, indeed, since the first penal colony was established in 1824, Justices of the Peace had a much more important role. The first JP, Captain Wickham, eventually became Chairman of Magistrates. One early Justice of the Peace, Sir Samuel Griffith, had an even more stellar career: he went on to become Attorney-General, then Premier of Queensland, then Chief Justice of this State and ultimately, the first Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia. He played a major role in drafting the Australian Constitution, and he left us with one of the great criminal codes of the world. In the twentieth century however, the role of JPs shrank somewhat so that by the end of the second millennium JPs spent most of their time authorising documents for the ease of commerce. There was scarce training for the position. Some steps were taken towards a remedy with the Justices of the Peace and Commissioners for Declarations Act 1991 (Qld) but it cannot be said that instruction and training for JPs was optimal. There were problems, e.g. when JPs swore up complaints and summonses. Even the records of information about JPs themselves have fallen into some disarray. I note that a document published by the QJA says there are ‘over 90,000 JPs and C.Decs’ in Queensland. An early media release from the Attorney-General’s office about the JP Pilot spoke of 84,000. When the pilot was first mooted in the middle of last year I was told by the Department that there were 34,000. Later, that jumped to 65,000 and the last figure was 91,000. On any view, it is time some resources were devoted to accurate and effective record keeping for JPs, and I am pleased to learn that some savings we made in QCAT in the initial tranche of the JP Pilot – an impressive $350,000 - may be diverted to the JP Branch for purposes like that. That is not to say that the work of witnessing documents and swearing up complaints and the like is not important. As a decision in the Magistrates Court last year shows, complaints made under the Justices Act 1886 (Qld) can involve important and complex issues requiring the proper exercise of a discretion on the part of a JP, and you must take great care and pains to get those things right. The Oath of Office of a QCAT Justice of the Peace is, essentially, the same oath taken by all QCAT Senior Members, Members and Adjudicators and, indeed, is very close to the Oath of Office taken by Judges of the Supreme and District Courts, and Magistrates. It reflects the fact that Justices of the Peace in the QCAT pilot program have assumed the judicial role. The JP pilot in QCAT also restores, to Justices, something like the powers you had so long ago under the Justices of the Peace Act 1361. That Act involved the completely novel proposition for those days and, indeed, still to this day to many people from other countries, that decent members of the community who are not themselves lawyers should administer justice and be vested with power to do so.

VOLUME 10 • NUMBER 4 • SUMMER 2013/2014 In the United Kingdom, Magistrates have existed for more than 650 years and even today about 26,000 volunteers serve as Magistrates there. The term ‘Magistrate’ in the UK really means Justice of the Peace. I expect you have some professional contact with the UK Magistrates Group, The Magistrates Association, based in London. It is plainly an active and lively organisation which continues to play both an important and a pivotal role in the dispensation of justice throughout England. There is now a nice symmetry between what that association does and what your association has been, and will be doing in the future. The JP Pilot Program The Queensland Government has committed $1.6 million over two years for a trial to expand the role of JPs in five trial sites – Brisbane, Ipswich, Maroochydore, Southport and Townsville. The announced purpose of the trial is to reduce the burden on the Court and Tribunal system, and to improve access to justice for Queenslanders. QCAT has been central in the role of setting up the program, training JPs, and instituting it. Sittings of JPs began on 3 June 2013. Two JPs sit together to hear minor civil disputes in QCAT involving sums below $5,000, excluding urgent residential tenancy matters. One member of the JP Panel must be legally qualified. The trial will operate until 30 November 2013 following which a decision will be made to retain, expand or cease the program. As the outgoing President of QCAT I do not think there is anything improper in my expressing views about it. To my perception, it has gone extremely well. I have some personal experience and information which informs that view: I see appeals and statistics about appeals to the QCAT internal Appeals Tribunal and, also, all complaints about Members, Adjudicators and JPs. After almost five months, the level of appeals is pleasingly small and, proportionately, about equal to the level of appeals from QCAT Adjudicators who hear and determine minor civil disputes in Southeast Queensland, and Magistrates in the rest of the State who continue to do that work. The level of complaints is also, pleasingly, small and manageable. The program is being evaluated by Criminal Justice Research officers, in the Department of Premier and Cabinet, and they are presently compiling a mid-trial evaluation. There will be an end-of-trial evaluation early in 2014. The objectives of the trial are to reduce the average time taken to finalise minor civil disputes and improve clearance rates in the Tribunal; reduce the cost of hearings; free up QCAT Adjudicators and Magistrates to deal with other matters; and, ‘… recognise the substantial voluntary contribution of JPs to the community and provide opportunities to improve, develop and expand their role’. This is part of a commitment made by the State government to improve the administration of Queensland’s justice system, and the provision of frontline justice services for Queenslanders. It is useful to place this new work in context. When QCAT started, permanent QCAT Adjudicators were appointed in Southeast Queensland in Brisbane, and Southport. They took over the role of hearing and determining these proceedings from the Small Claims Tribunal, which had operated as part of the Magistrates Court and in which only Magistrates sat. Outside Southeast Queensland, Magistrates have continued to do this work. It is not improper to say that this has created some tensions within the Magistracy. The work is demanding and often unpleasant, and the City Magistrates, freed from this work, are the subject of some envy from their country cousins. When QCAT began, only one of its permanent Adjudicators in Southeast Queensland had any experience in the Small Claims Tribunal. There was, also, a very important difference between what had been required of Magistrates in the Small Claims Tribunal, and what the QCAT Act required of Adjudicators sitting in the same jurisdiction – Magistrates did not have to give reasons for their decisions and there was, in effect, no appeal process. The major difference was that under the QCAT Act all QCAT Adjudicators (and Magistrates sitting outside Southeast Queensland in minor civil disputes) must give reasons for their decisions, which are understood by the parties. Secondly, unlike every other state ‘super’ tribunal, QCAT has an internal Appeals Tribunal whereby parties dissatisfied with the decisions of Adjudicators or Magistrates can seek leave to appeal their decisions to the QCAT Appeal Tribunal – constituted, primarily, by sitting Judges, retired Judges or QCAT Senior Members.

giving reasons for their decisions, and subject to appeal they nevertheless had to deal with some 16,000 applications each year, and dispense justice to the landlords, tenants, traders and consumers of Queensland. They have done a remarkable job. I have watched them, over the past four years, develop very high levels of competence at hearing sometimes as many as 20 matters in a day, giving every party a fair hearing and the opportunity to present their case and evidence and, then, at the end of the hearing immediately giving reasons for the decision which make the necessary factual findings, identify the legal principles involved, and apply the law to those facts. Part of that facility is, of course, to be able to explain to the parties why one has lost, and one won in terms which they understand – and, importantly, accept. Again, the Adjudicators have done a remarkable job. I have seen many applications for leave to appeal over the past four years – now, number in the thousands – and I have written over 700 decisions in appeal cases in QCAT. The appeal rate is, actually, extremely low – about 0.7%. The successful appeal rate is miniscule. Overall, it is very clear that the Adjudicators have mastered their job and are dispensing good, fair justice to Queensland in circumstances where they work under great pressure. To my perception the 30 or so legally qualified JPs, and 80 non-legally qualified JPs who are now doing this work in the centres I mentioned (Townsville took a little time to come on board, but started about a fortnight ago) have shown similar talent and aptitude for the work. They are doing an excellent job. All of this did not happen, of course, by magic. QCAT was actively involved in the selection process and then developed and presented training programs, each of a weeks duration, to persons who wished to sign up for the position. The course was hard, but interesting. Not everybody passed, and not everybody who did the course was recommended for appointment. Naturally, there have been some disappointments. The QCAT premises at 259 Queen Street, Brisbane hold over 200 Members and staff but it is still a relatively small family and I have constant interaction with the JPs who are coming in and sitting in our hearing rooms there. That has, also, been a very pleasant experience. I have been deeply impressed by the enthusiasm and interest all the new JPs have shown. Discussions with them over the last few months remind me of conversations I had with QCAT’s new Adjudicators when we began in late 2009, and early 2010. Each has already built up a fund of war stories and is exhibiting the excitement and interest we all show when we come to a new, and challenging task. The test is, of course, to see whether JPs working in the Pilot can maintain that level of interest, and enthusiasm. Plainly, as a group they bring to QCAT’s work that diversity of life experience which the present government recognised when it moved to set up the Pilot. As I hope to have shown, that recognition has sound historical roots which continue up to the present day - JPs have been doing this work in the United Kingdom, in one way or another, for almost 700 years and that, it might be thought, is sufficient time to confirm that the business of keeping the peace in the wide and diverse range of legal disputes society throws up can be effectively and efficiently undertaken by legal and non-legal Justices of the Peace who, if only by the fact that they have agreed to take on that role, have already signified their plain intention to accept and to undertake an important role in our society. There are some aspects of the trial which hold continuing interest, besides the success of the sitting JPs. The first is whether it offers the opportunity for QCAT, which only has premises in Brisbane, to spread through a network of JPs in regional Queensland. The second is remuneration which, I think, may become something of a lively topic. The third is the monetary limit upon the JPs’ jurisdiction. The fourth is the most effective use of the non-legally qualified JP: if they have no vote in the final decision is there, for example, scope for training them as mediators to work hand in hand with the legally qualified JP to assist in settling cases as they linger at the door of the hearing room? I am proud of what QCAT has achieved. The Tribunal plays a vital role in keeping the peace in our society by providing quick, inexpensive dispute resolution and restoring harmony when our citizens fall out with each other. There is, I think, a pleasing symmetry in the fact that JPs, the original ‘keepers’ of the peace, have again been given an active part to play in that important work.

Obviously the new QCAT Adjudicators faced a great challenge. Inexperienced in the jurisdiction, unfamiliar with the work of Judges in

Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918

IWD Registration Form + %)# % +)*! ) ))& ! *!&% 2 #, -) !% / #, -) (%!% 3 @'$ 6 B'$

%* (% *!&% # &$ %1) - @>?B *+( -/ D ( @>?B %+ 0

&)* 5 ;B> $ $ (4;C> %&%5$ $ ( 777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777 % 5 7777777777777777777777777777777766 % * ' =! (($! $ >767776 * ++577777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777766666666666666 % !$577777777777777777777777776 '&, , 57777777777777777777777776 ( ! $ ! , *1 )-!* % &,+36666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666 % % #!& *'-( ''#!& '* , '$$'/!& /'% & =$!+, & % + & % % * &-% *+ ! (($! $ > & / /!$$ +!, ,' , *6 ,, * , !* ( *,! !( &, , !$ '*%+6 = 0!%-% ' L ( * , $ > 77777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777 77777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777 77777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777 1 /!$$ . * $ '& , 1 ,' * !+ -& + '* /'% &8+ ,!.!,! +6 * * % &1 (*!2 + '& ' *6 $ ,! # , (*! + * + '$$'/+5 : AF I '* AL ED '* AEI $ ,! # , ( 1% &, & !& $- /!, ( 1% &, ' ( *,! !( &,8+ * !+,* ,!'&6 $ + !& ! , '& !& !.! - $ '*%+4 / ' * )-!* + , %6 ! # ,+ /!$$ . !$ $ '& , 14 /!, 1'-* * !(,6

6 8 # ) *! " ' -$ %* $ * & 9 ''#!& '* %'* , & '& 4 ($ + % # +!& $ ( 1% &,6 )- !+ 9 +, * * =($ + !* $ '& > -, '*!+ %'-&, 5 A<<<<<<<<<< * '6<<<<<<<<<<9<<<<<<<<<<9<<<<<<<<<<9<<<<<<<<<< <<<<<9<<<<< * '$ *8+ % <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< ! & ,-* <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< , <<<<<<<<<<<<<< !* , ('+!, - &+$ & -+,! + ++' ! ,!'&4 JGL:DKD4 '-&, '6 EEJMGKIH ; !& $- 1'-* & % & % % * &-% *6 '$$'/ , !+ /!, & % !$ ,' %!&?)" 6 '%6 - ,' .!+ ( 1% &, + & '%($ , 6 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

!$5 FDEG4 !+,* *4 '0 LHEM4 ''$$''& $ HDEF 5 '&, , & $ !& '& DK GGMF FHII '* %!&?)" 6 '%6 - #!% &( ( !)*( *!&%) 6 &% -/ A ( @>?B 6 /

Serving Queenslandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Honorary Justices since 1918

VOLUME 10 • NUMBER 4 • SUMMER 2013/2014

Roll of Honour Members should note that the Roll of Honour recognises the length of Membership of the QJA. Members wishing to receive the official distinguished service certificate as a Justice of the Peace for the State of Queensland should contact their local State Member of Parliament.

The Board of Directors, Management and Staff wish to acknowledge the long service given by the following Members.

Gold - 50 Years QJA Membership

Kevin McBain

Kenneth Bostock

Silver - 40 Years QJA Membership

Keith Baker Raymond Donnellan Ian Fulton

Robert Gorringe Noel Kropp John McCormack

Noreen Murphy

Mariano Regano

John Nahrung Robert Reading

Donald Scarr Ronald Sinnamon

John Staib Paul Wright

Ian McCubbin June Molloy George Monaghan

Frank Radi Allan Read Anthony Rich

Helmar Seehaver Colin Topp Gregory Williams

Bronze - 25 Years QJA Membership Robyn Batty Raymond Black Willem Bosschieter

Margaret Coulson Catherine Hinshelwood David Hutton

Welcome to New Members The following have joined the QJA since the last Journal: Li Lun Ai Trevor Aitken Tahnee Alexander Joel Anderson Julie Andrae Jacob Anson Edward Antao Karen Arthurs Steven Badman Hien Barby Michelle Bartholomew Thanh Beale Amelia Beasley Nailya Beh Amy Bellingham Tara Benadie Neil Bernard Amy Bevins Carine Bezuidenhout Stewart Blackshaw John Blake Joanna Blakey Danielle Blanche Kerry Bowden Nicholas Brackenbury Kate Brackin Alyson Brady Laura Brazel Kevin Bredhauer Barbara Briskey Vivien Brown Eloise Brownsey Tammie Bruns Annette Bryant Elaine Budai Trevor Burns Julie Burns Jacquelyn Burns Lisa Byrom Thomas Capel Anita Carr Sarah Carroll Donna Casasola Peter Caton Susan Cawley Leonard Chambers Chia-Hua Chang Lauren Charlton Joanne Coleman Judith Cook Nicola Cooke Roslyn Cooper Rebekka Cooper Emma Cooper Louise Cooper Annette Cope Penny Cosh Linda Cox Jillian Crampton Fiona Crothers Jamie Curran Daniel Cuschieri Mehdi Danesh Dezfuli

Shane Davey Irene Dawson Barry Day Carla Denham Amabile Destro Sally-Anne Diprose Manish Divekar Annamarie Donaghue Donna Donnelly Fiona Doolan John Doyle Debbie Duthie Emma Dyson Yvette Eadie Dobromila Edwards Mandy Edwards Peter Eliason Michael Ellemor Edward Errington Donna Fadersen Patricia Fairman Mehraban Farahmand Tabassum Ferdous Jennifer Fiechtner Tracey Fleming Kate Flintoff Sandra Fogarty Nathan Foster Eddie Fraser Denise Fuller Leonie Gaffel Ria Gascoyne Jennifer Geddes William Geeves Vera Gentner Susan George Steven Gibbs Yun Giddy Jenna Gillett-Swan Satish Gnawali Leisa Godfrey Amanda Godfrey Karen Goes Michelle Goswell Helen Gourlay Christopher Graham Steven Graham Robyn Green Dalvene Hall Colin Hambrecht Taal Hampson Harold Handy Anne Hanlon Emma Hanlon Ross Hardy Mark Harm David Harris Alexis Hawes Jan Haworth Joanne Haylock Patricia Heagney Steven Hellwig Kathlene Henderson

Ronald Henderson Angela Hendy Jill Hinchliffe Hanzel Hizola David Hodge Emillie Hollands Raul Holmes-Brown Lisa Howells Benjamin Humphries Michael Hurst Sigridur Ingvadottir Dean Jackson Janine James Jana James-Taylor Andre Janssen Shulammite Johannsen Helen Johnson Paula Johnson Kelsey Johnson Brett Johnson Zoe Johnston Lynette Jones Roger Kahler Sarojini Kandula Michael Kateifides Amanda Katsigiannis Robyn Keen Mitchell Kellett Mary-Lou Kelly Coral-Leah Kemp Arthur Kenna Belinda Keyes-Bevan Noelene Kidd Amanda Kim Samantha King Robert Kinsella Jordan Kitts David Kusters Susan Laing Sharon Large Brett Larsson Stephen Lee Serena Leeke Jarrod Leeson Kevin Lewis Deborah Lewis Song Li Chun Lo Angela Looby Chi-Chin Dennis Lu Elizabeth Lyall Jennifer Lynn Suzanne Mack Helen MacRonald Precious Magomo Belen Mant Yvonne Marshall Kay Martin Alison Martineau Kerriann Mason Barbara Mason Maria Masselos Kimberley Mastin

Heidi Mathieson Maria McHugh Terence McHugh Claire McKean Paul McKenzie Valerie McLean Kara McLennan Tracie McNamara-Jones Marion McNicol Christopher McSwiney Vicki Mellan Jeanette Mellis Gayan Mendis Cameron Mitchell Melany Molenaar Kahlia Murray Anthony Neal Celina Neill Andrew Nelmes Yick Ng Jeffrey Nickson John Nightingale Jason Nimmett Nicole Ninness Kym Nunn Kim Oberoi Vannessa O’Connor Cherrill Offord Akira Oguchi Maureen O’Hara Noni Olsen Sharyn O’Neill Justine O’Shea Vance Palmer Ian Parsons Lea-Anne Patman Tahlia Pauli Nadine Payne Simon Pederson Siew Peh Michael Penman Shane Pepperall Angela Percy Jose Philip Katie Pilcher Elizabeth Popovic Margaret Poulter Margaret Preston Matthew Price Robert Rankin Peter Rasmussen Veronica Reabel Kay Reeves Karen Reynolds Jonathan Ridler Joseph Roberson Amy Robson Amanda Roser Sally Rowley Brendan Ryan Natalie Schmidt Fiona Schmidt-Lee Rosalyn Sedger

Leona Seib Joanne Shepherd Lynda Shields Jennifer Simpson Ravendra Singh Elizabeth Smith Sean Smith Justine Somogyi Gabrielle Spillane Catherine Stanbrook Anita Stangherlin Linda Sung Rajeshkumar Suvagiya Michael Tanner Laura Tasharofi Grenville Taufalele William Taylor Emma Taylor Shendal Taylor Albert Taylor Patrick Thompson Fay Thornley Jamie Thorpe Trevor Tootell John Trigg Leslie Troup Astrid Trouw Morgan Truelson Trent Truelson Bronwen Tuimaseve Susan Tung Maria Twin Trixie Van Bael Rodney Van Moolenbroek Krystal Vance Correen Vandeventer Gillian Vastenholt Steven Vincent Tracey Walker Kristy Walsh Gregory Walsh Allison Walsh Jeffrey Want Peter Watt Dylan Wedel Katharine Weir Linda Whitchurch Mark White Barbra Wilcox David Wilson Linda Wilson James Winn Glen Wintle Errol Wood Helen Woods Garth Wooler Caroline Wright Michael Wunderlich Ying Yeh Francisco Zhao

Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918

Q&A Q1: When reviewing Traffic Speed Fines Statutory Declarations should we check if the fine is past the due date, and should we decline to take a declaration for a fine that is no longer within the “pay by due date”? A1: As with any Statutory Declaration it is not the role of the JP or C.Dec to validate the content of the document. The role of the JP or C.Dec is to identify the Declarant, point out the penalties for making false and misleading declarations, and administer the Declaration. In this particular case it is a matter for the QPS Traffic Camera section to determine what action to take when the Statutory Declaration is lodged. As a courtesy it is worthwhile recommending to the customer that they could contact the QPS Traffic Camera section and discuss with them their options if the fine is overdue. Q2: A number of “White Cards” (the online construction safety induction course) have been presented of varying formats recently and they can be confusing. Does the “Observer” have to take a declaration?

A2: The problem with a number of the companies providing this service is that their documents are cut and pasted from a Commonwealth Statutory Declarations. This has caused confusion as they have referred to the observer in part three of the document as the declarant/deponent which they are not. Our President has written to the JP Branch and they have contacted several of the companies who have agreed to change their wording. This, however, is only the tip of the iceberg as there are many organisations who run this course. We are asking any JP or C.Dec who comes across one of these documents that still refers to the observer as a deponent/ declarant to take the name of the company and better still take a copy of the document and forward to State Office and we will follow up with the JP Branch. To deal with these statutory declarations, follow your usual Statutory Declaration witnessing procedures. The person making the Statutory Declaration, is the applicant not the observer. The observer’s signature is not witnessed by the JP or C.Dec only the applicant’s signature is witnessed.

Regional Roundup Letter from Mr Ian Wilkinson (QJA Member since 1959)

Gold Coast

I write to you as a JP(Qual). I was sworn in as a JP in May 1959 at the court house here in Tully. I worked as a JP at the Tully sugar mill from May 1959 until February 1963 and went to work in the PMG and Telecom communications organisation for the next 24 years until I retired in November 1986. I continued to sign papers and other documents, warrants and other papers for Police at night and members of the public at all times. I was requested to sit for the JP(Qualified) examination in 1994 which I did.

By Lyn Brown (QJA Gold Coast)

I was awarded Life membership of the QJA in 1999 after 39 years’ service as a JP in Queensland. I worked as a volunteer JP at the Tully courthouse from 2008 until 2012, one day a week. I retired from the Tully court house late 2012 because of my sight. I still do some JP work from my home in Tully. Ian enclosed a letter of appreciation from the Registrar of Tully Court. We add our congratulations to Ian on his remarkable tale of JP service to the community and thank him for his continued membership of the QJA.

Mareeba Meeting By Ann Vains (QJA Mareeba) At a recent meeting in Mareeba guest speaker Kylie Nix Manager of Offenders Development from Lotus Glen Correctional Centre provided a very informative presentation, also present was Raimund Heggie, Registrar Mareeba Courthouse.

Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918

Runaway Bay Signing Centre-QJA Wednesday Team, prior to the Awards for Service in the Community presented by Stuart Robert MP on 7 August 2013. Members from the Runaway Bay Signing Centre Team from left Noeleen Lowndes, Pam Nelson, Angela Simic, Maria Rosseeuw, Lyn Brown, June Stewart, Dr Bruce Cook. Also awarded was Pam Dawes (not in this group photo).

Toowoomba By Peter Boyes (QJA Toowoomba) A further 17 Honorary Justices are destined to join the ranks as either JP(Qual) or C.Dec following another successful training course conducted in Toowoomba in October 2013. This training was conducted by Sarah Bregonje and Peter Boyes from QJA Toowoomba Branch. An interesting comment from one student was, “I never realised JPs needed to know so much”. It is a common impression that the vast majority of the community do not realise what a high level of knowledge and training is needed for a JP or C.Dec to conduct their duties effectively. It is an awakening when students learn what is necessary for the modern Justice. The old days of the title of JP being a reward by a local member is a relic of the past. We know the truth that JPs and C.Decs not only need extensive training, but ongoing professional development in order to maintain the necessary skills. A number of comments from students also rated the importance of membership of a professional association such as the QJA. Students stated other training providers’ courses do not include membership to any association. Ongoing support, as provided by the QJA, to newly appointed JPs and C.Decs is vital to ensuring the effective provision of this important service to the community.

VOLUME 10 • NUMBER 4 • SUMMER 2013/2014

Mackay Refresher By Maria Valena (QJA Mackay) On Saturday, 24th August a successful JP Refresher Training session was held in Mackay.

Cairns Many students were keen to participate in the JAG JP Mentor Scheme at our signing centre conducted at the Clifford Gardens Shopping Centre. Training staff actively promote the valuable skills and professional development that can be achieved with an experienced JP Mentor. Training courses conducted in Toowoomba are held at the Training Rooms of the Darling Downs Scout HQ in Newtown. QJA Toowoomba Branch acknowledges the superb facilities and the ongoing support provided by Darling Downs Scout HQ Regional Commissioner, Officers and staff. Without their vital support and flexibility to meet our training schedule, we could not have the capability to use such high quality facilities. We congratulate the 17 students, seen here eagerly learning the duties and responsibilities of JPs and C.Decs.

Kingaroy Appreciation By Marian Petersen Recently the Justice Department at our local courthouse presented the volunteers who man the signing centre with certificates of appreciation.

By Margaret Neville (QJA Cairns Central) In a formal presentation at Cazalys Football Club, Cairns, on Tuesday 10 September, the Queensland Justices Association - Cairns Central Branch (QJA-CCB) members were excited to be awarded an allocation from the grant pool of Cazalys Community Fund. The fund aims to assist the people of Far North Queensland by recognising the service of community-minded organisations such as the QJA-CCB, a group which is now two years old and provides an opportunity for Justices of the Peace to network regularly, offsetting the isolation that often comes with volunteering in a regional area. Their grant application was the initiative of QJA-CCB member Diana Jason, who, with the support of other members compiled a request for funds to purchase a laptop computer and associated resources. Present to accept the grant monies were (L to R) Dawn van Leeuwen, QJA-CCB Treasurer; Paul Cleary, QJACCB Chairman; and Margaret Neville, QJA-CCB Secretary.

Logan Branch QJA Logan Branch hosted their end of year function at the Logan Rec Club on Monday 11th November and over 30 Members attended.

Our group from left to right is Martin Harmsworth, Marian Petersen, Heather Young and Mike England.

Wynnum By Don Hann (QJA Wynnum) The Wynnum Plaza Signing Service was officially opened by Hon Paul Lucas on 10th April 2008 and operates every Thursday and Saturday with a great group of keen volunteers. Since the inception of the QJA Branch in Wynnum Don Hann has been its Secretary and Roster coordinator. When not overseas, he attends the Signing Service every Thursday evening to help the two plus one reserve who are rostered on each week. Sometimes he leaves very early, other times he is there for the full two hours depending on demand. He is also on duty once a month at the Wynnum Courthouse. Don first became a JP in Wagga Wagga in 1964 then moving to Melbourne in 1974 he took the office in that State and became a JP in Queensland in 1978. When the chance came to establish a QJA Branch in Wynnum he saw an opportunity to widen that service. He enjoys immensely serving his community through the signing service and recommends it to all JPs and C.Decs. Each duty is like an in-service experience as it keeps one up to date with all matters pertaining to the responsibilities required of the justice’s high office. Don is looking forward to his 50 year anniversary as a JP next year.

Guests included L-R Dimitri Glianos - Deputy Registrar JP Branch, Keith Revell - QJA President, Erickaunna Schmidt - QJA Logan Branch Chair and Ray Burrows QJA Vice President.

Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918

REGIONAL CONTACT INFORMATION BEAUDESERT CONTACT GROUP Valmai Macaulay beaudesert@qja.com.au Telephone: (07) 5544 6460 BOWEN BRANCH Brian Byrne bowen@qja.com.au Telephone: 0409 445 056 BRISBANE NORTH BRANCH John Carpendale brisbanenorth@qja.com.au Telephone: (07) 3353 2927 BRISBANE SOUTH BRANCH Jan Robbins brisbanesouth@qja.com.au Telephone: 0422 117 225 BUNDABERG BRANCH Dave Read bundaberg@qja.com.au Telephone: (07) 4151 1505 CABOOLTURE BRANCH John Geary caboolture@qja.com.au Telephone: 0407 579 139 CAIRNS CENTRAL BRANCH Margaret Neville cairns@qja.com.au Telephone: (07) 4045 2333 CAIRNS SOUTH BRANCH Meredith Gardiner cairnssouth@qja.com.au Telephone: (07) 4041 6228 CALOUNDRA BRANCH Irene White caloundra@qja.com.au Telephone: (07) 5439 7387 FOREST LAKE CONTACT GROUP Jeff Foster forestlake@qja.com.au Telephone: (07) 3372 4838

GLADSTONE BRANCH Fred Golder gladstone@qja.com.au Telephone: 0419 796 177

MAREEBA BRANCH Anne Vains mareeba@qja.com.au Telephone: (07) 4094 1174

SOUTH PINE BRANCH Phyllis Hall southpine@qja.com.au Telephone: (07) 3264 4436

GOLD COAST BRANCH Pat Taylor goldcoast@qja.com.au Telephone: (07) 5519 3020

MAROOCHYDORE BRANCH Chris Lancaster maroochydore@qja.com.au Telephone: (07) 5448 5762

SOUTH BURNETT BRANCH Debbie-Lee Jackson southburnett@qja.com.au Telephone: (07) 4162 7977

GYMPIE BRANCH Sandra Coates gympie@qja.com.au Telephone: 0410 536 903

MARYBOROUGH CONTACT GROUP Geoff Parsons maryborough@qja.com.au Telephone:(07) 4129 0809

TIN CAN BAY CONTACT GROUP Rod Ehrke tincanbay@qja.com.au Telephone: (07) 5486 2743

MT ISA CONTACT GROUP Duncan Cunningham mtisa@qja.com.au Telephone: (07) 4743 0303

TOOWOOMBA BRANCH Peter Boyes toowoomba@qja.com.au Telephone: (07) 4638 0709

NOOSA BRANCH Margaret Lewins noosa@qja.com.au Telephone: (07) 5471 0617

TOWNSVILLE BRANCH Lesley Richards townsville@qja.com.au Telephone: (07) 4779 0617

REDLAND CITY BRANCH Ray Burrows redlandcity@qja.com.au Telephone: (07) 3822 1366

WARWICK BRANCH Barbara Cutmore warwick@qja.com.au Telephone: 0417 674 121

ROCKHAMPTON BRANCH Lance Watson rockhampton@qja.com.au Telephone: 0447 021 591

WESTERN SUBURBS BRANCH Noelene Kidd westsubs@qja.com.au Telephone: 0448 780 491

HERVEY BAY BRANCH Glennis Kelly herveybay@qja.com.au Telephone: (07) 4124 5722 HORNIBROOK BRANCH Lisette Dillon hornibrook@qja.com.au Telephone: 0404 977 057 IPSWICH BRANCH Deanna McDonald ipswich@qja.com.au Telephone: 0408 195 277 INGHAM CONTACT GROUP Siobhan Pelleri ingham@qja.com.au Telephone: 0438 102 962 LOGAN BRANCH David James logan@qja.com.au Telephone: 0421 310 287 LOGANHOLME CONTACT GROUP Pauline Harris loganholme@qja.com.au Telephone: (07) 3341 5555 MACKAY BRANCH Maria Valena mackay@qja.com.au Telephone: (07) 4977 5609

ROSEDALE CONTACT GROUP Jonathan Brown rosedale@qja.com.au Telephone: 0741569237

WYNNUM MANLY BRANCH Don Hann wynnummanly@qja.com.au Telephone: (07) 3390 4278

ROSEWOOD CONTACT GROUP Alan Broughton rosewood@qja.com.au Telephone: (07) 5464 2007

Branches conduct regular meetings (at least five per year), conduct training, operate signing facilities, have defined revenue streams and a formalised structure. Contact groups meet on an “as required basis” and generally exist to operate signing facilities and to deal with other local issues. For details of what is happening in your local area, including professional development opportunities, please feel free to phone any of the numbers above and your local contact will be happy to assist. Anti-Discrimination Commission Centrelink Consular Assistance (SmartTraveller) Customs Border Protection Hotline Crimestoppers Dept Communities (Families) Dept Foreign Affairs & Trade Dept Justice & A-G - JP Branch Brisbane JP Branch (Afterhours Mobile) Dept Justice & A-G - JP - New South Wales Dept Justice & A-G - JP - Victoria Dept Transport (Queensland) Dispute Resolution Branch DV Connect – Womensline DV Connect – Mensline Elder Abuse Prevention Unit Electoral Commission of Queensland Land Titles Office (Dept Natural Resources) Legal Aid Queensland Legal Services Commission 16

Serving Queensland’s Honorary Justices since 1918

1300 130 670 13 10 21 1300 555 135 1800 061 800 1800 333 000 07 3235 4312 07 3405 4799 1300 301 147 044 773 7692 02 8688 7487 03 9603 9090 07 3253 4744 1800 017 288 1800 811 811 1800 600 636 1300 651 192 1300 881 665 07 3405 6900 1300 651 188 1300 655 754

Marriage Celebrants (JAG Canberra) National Security Hotline Office of the Adult Guardian (EPA’s & AHD’s) Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions Office of the Public Advocate Office of the State Coroner Police Link Police - Traffic Camera Infringement Office Public Trustee Office (Wills) Public Trustee Office (EPA’s) Queensland Alliance - Mental Health Disorders (JEO’s) Queensland Association of Independent Legal Services (QAILS) Queensland Civil Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) Queensland Law Society Registry of Births, Deaths, Marriages (Qld) State Emergency Service State Penalties Enforcement Registry (SPER) Victims Assist Queensland

02 6234 4800 1800 123 400 1300 653 187 1800 673 428 07 3224 7424 1300 304 605 13 14 44 1300 360 610 1300 360 044 1300 651 591 07 3835 1444 07 3392 0092 1300 753 228 07 3842 5842 1300 366 430 13 25 00 1300 365 635 1300 546 587