President of the Law Society of NSW, Elizabeth Espinosa, today welcomed the re-appointment of Mark Speakman MP as the state’s Attorney General.

 “On behalf of the state’s 35,000 solicitors, I warmly congratulate Mr Speakman on his re-appointment as the NSW Attorney General and his new role as Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence,” she said.

“In appointing her new Cabinet, we particularly welcome Premier Berejiklian’s decision to give the Attorney General the added responsibility of addressing family-related violence, an insidious crime that impacts on some many within our community, particularly women and children.”

Ms Espinosa said the Law Society of NSW looked forwarded to building on the close relationship established with Mr Speakman, in his role as the state’s First Law Officer, to address key law and justice priorities for the communities of NSW.

The NSW Law Society’s 2019 State Election Platform sets out a blueprint for appropriate resourcing of the courts and justice system, as well as calling for various law reforms to ensure NSW laws are contemporary and appropriate.

Key law and justice priorities include:

• Building a new multi-jurisdiction justice precinct in Sydney’s south west
• Increased funding for drug and alcohol rehabilitation services in the state’s regional areas and expanding the NSW Drug Court by establishing a new pilot drug court in Dubbo
• Development of long-term solutions for court services following the closure or partial closure of court houses in in rural, regional and remote areas
• The establishment of an Office of the Public Advocate with the power to investigate and act on anonymous reports of elder abuse
• Ongoing funding for the legal assistance sector including an increase in Legal Aid funding for private practitioners
• Increased funding and additional services focusing on early intervention for indigenous young people
• Measures to address the over-representation of indigenous people in the criminal justice system and the expansion of the Koori Court throughout NSW.

 “The Law Society also congratulates the Berejiklian Government on its re-election and wishes the newly formed government well in serving the people of NSW,” Ms Espinosa said.

CONTACT:
Sue Finn | Media and Public Relations Manager
The Law Society of New South Wales
T: +61 2 9926 0288 | M: +61 413 440 699 | E: media@lawsociety.com.au