10 September 2021 Dr Gary Foley is a founder of the Aboriginal Legal Service. To mark our 50th anniversary, we asked him to share his recollections of the racial justice movement in the 1970s and how the ALS began. Below is Part 5 of his essay, White Police and Black Power: The Origins of the Aboriginal Legal Service. We will publish the...

MEDIA RELEASE Tuesday 24 August 2021, 3:45 pm   The Aboriginal Legal Service NSW/ACT (ALS) has issued an urgent demand for NSW Police to use discretion in applying public health orders, warning that excessive fines and charges will only cause further harm to communities. The ALS has received multiple calls from Aboriginal people fined and charged for breaching the public health orders...

MEDIA RELEASE Friday 20 August 2021, 1:30 pm   The Aboriginal Legal Service NSW/ACT (ALS) is deeply concerned by the NSW Police Commissioner’s pledge to not hold officers to account for wrongly applying public health orders. The ALS has previously cautioned against NSW Police using COVID-19 restrictions as an excuse to target Aboriginal people. “When the message from the top is that...

MEDIA RELEASE Monday 16 August 2021, 1:00 pm   As NSW Police commence ‘Operation Stay Home’, the Aboriginal Legal Service NSW/ACT has raised concerns about over-policing of Aboriginal communities and urged Aboriginal people to seek assistance in dealing with infringement notices. During last year’s COVID lockdown, police handed out the most fines in suburbs with a high Aboriginal population. People living in...

12 August 2021 All ALS offices are temporarily closed to the public due to the COVID-19 outbreak – but we're still here for you. Our staff are still working. Wherever possible, we are offering assistance over the phone or audio-visual link. We continue to provide representation at courts across NSW and the ACT. As always, if you need legal help, you can call...

6 August 2021 Dr Gary Foley is a founder of the Aboriginal Legal Service. To mark our 50th anniversary, we asked him to share his recollections of the racial justice movement in the 1970s and how the ALS began. Below is Part 4 of his essay, White Police and Black Power: The Origins of the Aboriginal Legal Service.  ⫸Missed parts 1, 2...

30 July 2021 Dr Gary Foley is a founder of the Aboriginal Legal Service. To mark our 50th anniversary, we asked him to share his recollections of the racial justice movement in the 1970s and how the ALS began. Below is Part 3 of his essay, White Police and Black Power: The Origins of the Aboriginal Legal Service.  ⫷Missed parts 1 and...

MEDIA RELEASE Friday 30 July 2021, 10:00 am   The Aboriginal Legal Service NSW/ACT says Emeritus Professor Hal Wootten AC QC will be fondly remembered for his insight, compassion, and his great legacy in helping to establish the country’s first Aboriginal legal service. Prof Wootten passed away on Tuesday 27 July at the age of 98. He was a co-founder of the...

19 July 2021 To protect our communities during the current COVID-19 outbreak, ALS offices in Greater Sydney and Wollongong are closed to the public. Across NSW, we are meeting with clients over phone and video-link wherever possible and minimising face-to-face contact. The following offices will remain closed to the general public until at least Monday 2 August, subject to further announcements and public...