Bringing justice closer to home for Aboriginal communities

For many First Nations people, engaging with the justice system can be difficult. A groundbreaking program aims to change that by fostering connection between clients and specialist Aboriginal support workers. 

Legal Aid NSW’s Aboriginal Field Officer Program has reached a growing number of people in its milestone 15 years. The program sees more than a dozen Aboriginal Field Officers travel thousands of kilometres to 38 remote Aboriginal communities across NSW to promote access to justice.  

The program started with just two people in 2011 and has expanded to 16 across NSW. Since the expansion of the program in 2022, the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients has grown from 21.3% in 2021 – 2022 to 25.5% in 2024-2025. 

Legal Aid NSW AFO Program Coordinator Harmoni Dennis said the AFOs at Legal Aid NSW play a crucial role in helping clients to feel culturally safe and comfortable to engage with their solicitor and the legal process. 

“The AFOs work alongside solicitors to address the client's socio-legal and non-legal needs like issues with housing or money. They also engage with community members and Elders, liaise between solicitors and clients, attend court list days and advice clinics and educate people about the law,” she said.  

A common issue AFOs help with is helping clients obtain birth certificates to support them to engage with organisations like Centrelink or Medicare.  

“It may come as a surprise  but some First Nations people don’t have birth certificates partly due to geographical isolation, expensive replacement fees and distrust of government. This can lead to other issues engaging with authorities.”  

The Legal Aid NSW AFO program was developed 15 years ago, following recommendations from research into the legal needs of Aboriginal people in NSW. 

“AFOs are building trust and breaking down barriers to justice in regional NSW — walking alongside people in their own communities and connecting them to legal help. This ensures people are accessing legal help earlier,” Ms Dennis said.

Orange-based Legal Aid NSW AFO Rhys Draper is well known by locals.  

He says the Central Tablelands region has really benefited from having a Legal Aid NSW AFO, with around 8 per cent of the population identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.

“Demand for help has been significant. I have seen many First Nations people struggling with homelessness and difficulty finding stable housing. It’s so nice to see the impact I can have on their lives be helping them to stay off the streets.” 

“The role has really allowed me to develop strong  relationships with the community, and this has really encouraged people to come forward to seek help from Legal Aid NSW.” 

Harmoni Dennis and Rhys Draper are available for interview.