The Tasmanian Aboriginal Legal Service delivered a record more than 8,000 total services to Aboriginal people throughout the state in 2024.
Detailed in the organisation's annual report, the community service controlled by local Aboriginal people reported 8396 total services delivered, including a notable increase in responding to custody notifications.
The organisation said the TALS team continues to deliver high-quality legal services across Tasmania to the Aboriginal community and people in need of legal assistance.
"We've delivered more legal services this year than ever before, which shows the strong demand for legal assistance and our services," TALS chief executive officer Jake Smith said.
TALS reported 3,553 instances of support via its custody notification service, representing a year-on-year increase of 20 per cent.
The uptick comes on the back of a 19.20 per cent increase in total notifications the previous year.
Mr Smith said despite inadequate government assistance, TALS achieved strong outcomes in support of its Aboriginal clients and community members throughout 2024.
"Our programs teams have also delivered services through our Bail Support Program, a pilot program out of Launceston to help our clients meeting the requirements of bail and access supports to address the risk factors that have contributed to offending behaviour," Mr Smith said.
"This despite Commonwealth and State Governments inadequately funding the legal needs of Aboriginal peoples in Tasmania and across the country which was echoed by Dr Warren Mundy who was commissioned to review the National Legal Assistance Partnership which funds the legal assistance sector."
While delivering services through its Bail Support Program - a Launceston-based pilot assisting clients in meeting bail requirements and accessing supports to address risk factors which contributed to offending behaviour - TALS introduced a new program to support the wellbeing of Aboriginal adults on remand and in prison.
"Funded by the Tasmanian Government, this program sees for the first time in many years the introduction of Aboriginal wellbeing team members in the prison to support Aboriginal people in these settings," Mr Smith said.
"This program is in the developmental stage and we continue to advocate for increased resources as the program has been funded for two fifths of the resources originally requested."
TALS supported 1069 clients throughout the year while delivering 867 SiS (Support Information + Strength), TALS' holistic family violence support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Regarding service breakdown, 86 per cent represented criminal services, 7 per cent civil services and seven per cent family services, excluding TALS' specialist SiS work.
Mr Smith said both TALS and SiS services have achieved strong outcomes in support of Aboriginal people in Tasmania.
"I commend the team at TALS and SiS for their exceptional to work and dedication to supporting our clients, their hard work and passion to deliver the best possible outcomes for those in need is reflected in this Annual report and I'd like to acknowledge each and every one of them for their dedication," he said.
TALS chair, John Clark, commended the contribution the organisation's staff are making to the lives of Aboriginal people in Tasmania.
"TALS and SiS continue to deliver culturally appropriate and high quality legal services to the Aboriginal communities across Tasmania," Mr Clark said.
"Our staff, from the Aboriginal communities we service and beyond are dedicated and driven to supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients, families, kin and the broader communities.
"The broader leadership also continue to deliver high quality services to our clients and I'd like to acknowledge Hannah Phillips (Principal Lawyer), Tyne McConnon (Principal Lawyer Family), Lee-Anne Carter (Community and Programs Manager) and Amanda Morris (Corporate Services Manager) for their leadership."
