We are pleased to announce that Victoria Legal Aid has offered to conduct a tour of selected legal aid offices in Melbourne.

Victoria Legal Aid is a major provider of legal aid services in the Australian national scheme, and in conjunction with the community legal centres provides the major source of legal aid in Victoria.

ILAG participants from overseas will probably be unfamiliar with the detail of the Australian legal aid system. Whilst we know many have already have made arrangements to visit other Australian legal aid agencies, this tour offers an opportunity to see at first hand the operation of legal aid in Melbourne.

We are delighted to be able to make this opportunity available to ILAG participants. Details of the arrangements for the tour appear below. We will arrange for appropriate transport to the Victoria Legal Aid office from the hotel.

Program

9.30am: Departure from the Savoy Park Plaza International

10.00am - 11.00am: Victoria Legal Aid, Head Office, 350 Queen Street, Melbourne

• Overview of legal aid in Victoria with Mr Tony Parsons, Managing Director.
• Tour of office focussing upon the practice divisions, grants and community and legal education and resources.

11.00am - 11.30am: Travel by bus to northern suburbs with Mr Parsons

11.30am - 12.15pm: West Heidelberg Community Legal Centre

• Morning Tea
• Tour and discussion with Mr Gary Sullivan, Supervising Solicitor and members of the Committee of Management

12.15pm - 12.30pm: Travel to Preston

12.30pm - 2.00pm: Preston Legal Aid Office

• Tour and discussion with Ms Liz Langdon, Solicitor in Charge
• Meet students from La Trobe University Clinical Practice Program

Lunch

2.00pm - 2.30pm: Preston Magistrates Court

• Tour of the Court & police cells led by Co-ordinating Magistrate John Doherty

2.30pm - 3.00pm: Travel back to hotel

Please contact Jeannie Rea, Senior Policy and Research Officer at Victoria Legal Aid by 7 June by email jeannier@vla.vic.gov.au with further enquires and to confirm if you wish to participate in this program.