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Visual arts, storytelling to help communicate legal advice for remote communities
A new project, funded by the federal government, will communicate legal advice to people in remote communities using visual arts and storytelling.
Jerome Doraisamy
The Blurred Borders project, launched in Kununurra last week by West Australian Senator Dean Smith, will rely on the use of art and storytelling to assist frontline legal assistance staff in helping those in remote communities to better understand legal advice, and thereby be able to communicate effectively about the law themselves.
Attorney-General Christian Porter said the government had provided almost $160,000 towards the project and a rolled-out community legal education resources kit, which was developed by Legal Aid Western Australia.
“Blurred Borders draws on the strong cultural ties that have long existed between these cross-border communities and their rich traditions in the arts and storytelling to communicate legal information in a way that is more accessible and can more easily be understood,” he said.
Senator Smith added: “This is a fantastic and innovative project that will help people engage with the justice system, and to understand their legal rights, protections and responsibilities.”
“Training in the use of the kit has been provided to frontline legal assistance staff in several communities, and there is a strong sense that the approach we are taking will make a real difference to people and the communities in which they live,” he said.
The project is being funded through the Community Legal Services Program that falls under the Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department.
The “multifaceted” kit flagged also includes child protection resources and technology providing access to online legal resources, Mr Porter’s department said.
Blurred Borders has been developed, the department noted, with the assistance of the federal government, Legal Aid Western Australia, Northern Territory Legal Aid Commission, Kimberley Community Legal Services, Aboriginal Family Law Services, Aboriginal Legal Service of WA, North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency, North Australian Aboriginal Family Law Services, and Katherine Women’s Information Legal Services.
Jerome Doraisamy
Jerome Doraisamy is the editor of Lawyers Weekly. A former lawyer, he has worked at Momentum Media as a journalist on Lawyers Weekly since February 2018, and has served as editor since March 2022. He is also the host of all five shows under The Lawyers Weekly Podcast Network, and has overseen the brand's audio medium growth from 4,000 downloads per month to over 60,000 downloads per month, making The Lawyers Weekly Show the most popular industry-specific podcast in Australia. Jerome is also the author of The Wellness Doctrines book series, an admitted solicitor in NSW, and a board director of Minds Count.
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