Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service, Swan Hill, VIC

VALS’ objectives are to: Address both the causes and effects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander disadvantage: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples experience far higher rates of adverse contact with the justice system than do other Australians, and are incarcerated at significantly higher rates than non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. They are also one of the most profoundly disadvantaged groups in Australian society, falling well below relevant national benchmarks on virtually every measure of well-being and socio-economic status. Improve the access of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to high quality and culturally appropriate legal aid services so that they can fully exercise their legal rights as Australian citizens. Improve both the quality and efficiency of service delivery to the ultimate benefit of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients. Better prioritise and target available resources to ensure that services are responsive to established policy priorities and community needs, and to provide the best possible quality of service to individual clients. The Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service Co-operative Limited (VALS) was established as a community controlled Co-operative Society in 1973. VALS plays an important role in providing referrals, advice/information, duty work or case work assistance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the State of Victoria. Solicitors at VALS specialise in various areas of law, including Criminal Law, Family Law and Civil Law.