Cooperation
Cooperative relationships are essential to help achieve the Listed Entity’s purpose and deliver key initiatives and performance measures. Successful engagement and collaboration contribute to more effective connections of services, better cooperation and sharing of information and improved service delivery.
The Listed Entity engages with a broad range of stakeholders, including the legal profession, Government departments and agencies, other courts, non-Government organisations, academia and community groups to build partnerships to promote access to justice, early engagement with products and services and more effective information to assist the Courts and the Native Title Tribunal’s users.
For the Courts, stakeholder relationships are managed either by the Chief Justice, Chief Judge, judges and the respective CEO and Principal Registrar on behalf of the Chief Justice and Chief Judge. For the Native Title Tribunal, stakeholder relationships are managed by the President and Native Title Registrar.
The Listed Entity supports the Courts and Native Title Tribunal by facilitating seminars, workshops other events through the provision of Court facilities. These facilities are made available for many events for the legal community, including lectures, seminars, and ceremonies. The Courts also host visiting delegations from overseas courts who are interested in learning more about the Courts’ operations.
The Marshal and Sheriff of the Courts and Director Security of the Listed Entity works closely with the Australian Federal Police and state and territory police. This is particularly important in the execution of orders originating from family law matters such as the recovery of children, the arrest of persons and the prevention of persons, including children, leaving Australia. The Marshal and Sheriff also works closely with these services to ensure that information relevant to the safety and security of the Courts and Native Title Tribunal staff and the community, is available at the appropriate time. In addition, the Marshal and Sheriff works with the Commonwealth’s domestic security service on developing concerns regarding the Courts’ and Native Title Tribunal’s security. The Marshal and Sheriff also maintain close and cooperative relationships with the Sheriffs of each State and Territory, to facilitate service and execute civil property, search and seize orders.
The Native Title Tribunal is finalising its strategic engagement strategy to prioritise and manage its relationships with internal and external stakeholders. External stakeholders include Native Title parties and determined Native Title holders, Commonwealth agencies in the Native Title sector, representative bodies, industry bodies, state departments involved in resources and land use, local councils, and Prescribed Bodies Corporate.
The Registrars, Court Child Experts and other staff of the FCFCOA (Division 1) and FCFCOA (Division 2) continue to regularly engage with numerous external groups such as local family law pathways networks, legal aid, bar associations and law societies, local practitioners and practitioners’ associations, community legal centres, family relationship centres, community organisations and support groups, child protection agencies, family violence committees and organisations, state courts, universities and police services.
To support the commitment of FCFCOA (Division 1) and FCFCOA (Division 2), in providing access to justice that is inclusive, trauma-informed and responsive to the needs of diverse communities, several specialist roles have been established to enhance engagement with priority cohorts. The Director – Family Violence and Director – Access, Equity and Inclusion continues to facilitate targeted consultations with organisations, including those representing victim-survivors of family and sexual violence, people with disability or neurodiversity, LGBTIQA+ communities, children and young people, and people experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage or living in regional, rural or remote areas. Insights gathered through these consultations will continue to inform initiatives focused on improving safety, accessibility and user experience.
FCFCOA (Division 1) and FCFCOA (Division 2) also continue to grow and support the work of Indigenous Family Liaison Officers, who play a vital role in building trust and fostering culturally safe engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. These officers assist families to navigate the court system and contribute to the development of access to justice initiatives that reflect the values and needs of First Nations peoples.
Further strengthening the consultation and engagement efforts of FCFCOA (Division 1) and FCFCOA (Division 2), a Director – Cultural Liaison Officers and a national team of Cultural Liaison Officers are significantly expanding the Courts’ engagement with culturally and racially marginalised communities. The team have facilitated targeted consultations with multicultural community organisations, legal and social support providers, and relevant peak bodies. This engagement is informing practical improvements to interpreter coordination, community outreach and service design, ensuring that court processes are more culturally responsive, inclusive and accessible for people from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
The Listed Entity will support the FCFCOA (Division 1) and FCFCOA (Division 2) to continue to focus on the development of tailored responses and initiatives for priority cohorts facing barriers to accessing justice, including through the expansion of the Indigenous Family Liaison Officer and Cultural Liaison Officer cohorts to assist in achieving these important aims.
