We acknowledge the traditional custodians of Australia and acknowledge their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to the people, the cultures and the elders past, present and emerging.
Our reconciliation vision is to work together with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to build a just, secure and resilient Australia where all people have access to the rights and protections of the rule of law.
In our context, this represents proactive relationship building and increased consultation with Indigenous Stakeholders. We seek to engage early. We come to listen. We come to learn.
AGS undertakes legal and related services for a variety of Australian Government agencies that provide services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, including Aboriginal Hostels Australia, the Attorney-General's Department, Indigenous Business Australia, Indigenous Land Corporation, Office of Indigenous Policy Coordination, Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC) and the Torres Strait Regional Authority.
We have an ongoing partnership with ORIC in relation to LawHelp, a referral scheme that gives corporations registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 access to pro bono legal advice from AGS and other established law firms across Australia.
We also provide pro bono legal services to the Indigenous community through, for example, providing assistance in the credit and debt area of the Darwin Community Legal Services and through the Arts Law Centre.
We offer some complimentary places in our training courses to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander legal students and government employees.
Our current RAP is lodged with Reconciliation Australia and can be viewed below.
Artist acknowledgement – Guiding Spirits
The cover is artwork purchased through the Indigenous Services Coordinator at the Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC) in ACT Corrective Services. The AMC provides inmates an opportunity to participate in an art program to support their rehabilitation and to provide an income to assist in paying any outstanding debts.
The artist is of Wiradjuri heritage and whilst their name remains anonymous we are pleased to share their artwork statement for Guiding Spirits.
“This art piece describes the five people who have helped mould my life and I believe they are still guiding me in spirit. I do art with the AMC because I find it relaxes me and when I am painting my mind takes me somewhere else and it really helps me take my mind off all the other problems I might have going on at the time”.
Our thanks to the artist and ACT Corrective Services for enabling us to purchase this beautiful piece of artwork.