Welcome back to all our members and Happy New Year.

2019 is already shaping up to be an incredibly busy year for the Law Society of NSW, with both a State and Federal Election set to take place within the next six months. The last time this occurred in NSW was way back in 2007, when Kevin Rudd became Prime Minister for the first time and Morris Iemma was re-elected Premier.

Unfortunately, a revolving door of political leadership has defined this past decade, causing all sorts of distractions and disruptions to the policy-making process. Which is why this year’s respective election campaigns will be an important opportunity for all political parties and candidates to re-articulate their vision for the people and communities they seek to serve.

In relation to the State Election on 23 March, it is up to all of us, as the Law Society and the voice of the profession, to advocate for safeguarding rights and legal protections. The Law Society calls on all political leaders to meaningfully prioritise access to justice and upholding the rule of law.

To facilitate this process, the Law Society’s State Election Platform, which was launched in early December, outlines the major law and justice priorities across five key areas, which we believe all major political parties need to address during the NSW election campaign.

It is a rich and complex document and I would encourage all members to take the time to read it. You will get a full sense of the messages we are imparting to the political parties, on your behalf, as we head into this campaign.

In the meantime, one of my first priorities as your President will be to ensure that all major parties and crossbenchers in NSW provide detailed responses to these important law and justice issues, and to keep you updated on the answers provided.

It is heartening to see there’ve already been some recent responses in relation to the Law Society’s call for a substantial increase in funding for legal aid, including for private practitioners doing legal aid work. We look forward to the Law Society’s ongoing involvement in consultations relating to this important access to justice issue.

On a final note, I would like to extend my congratulations to Justice Margaret Beazley on her appointment as the next Governor of NSW. Justice Beazley, the current President of the NSW Court of Appeal, will be the second woman to hold the post (after Dame Marie Bashir). During her stellar career, Justice Beazley has been an inspiring leader, an outstanding role model and mentor to many, with a deep belief in the value of community, education and the rule of law. On behalf of the Law Society of NSW, I wish her every success in her new role.

Elizabeth Espinosa, Law Society of NSW President

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