ATSIS Law and Justice Program: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Services

Description

Under its Law and Justice Program, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Services (ATSIS) provides legal aid to Indigenous Australians, as well as preventative and diversionary services, support for the resolution of problems associated with family violence, and support for advocacy services representing the interests of Indigenous Australians who come into contact with the justice system. This audit report into the management of the Law and Justice Program finds that there is a need for considerable improvement in this. ATSIS has effective processes in place regarding the oversight of grant allocations, commitments and actual expenditure; however there are weaknesses in the Program’s planning processes, the communication of roles and responsibilities between the National Office and the Regional Offices, and the monitoring of the Program’s performance. The report makes seven recommendations to improve ATSIS’ management of the Law and Justice Program, all of which ATSIS agrees with.

Copyright Information

÷ Commonwealth of Australia 2003 ISSN 1036?7632 ISBN 0 642 80739 6 COPYRIGHT INFORMATION This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the Commonwealth available from the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts. Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to the Commonwealth Copyright Administration, Intellectual Property Branch, Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, GPO Box 2154 Canberra ACT 2601 or posted at http://www.dcita.gov.au/cca