Basic Rights Queensland: Who We Are
BRQ is a state-wide Qld community Legal Centre, providing advice, advocacy and free legal services. We help people having problems with Centrelink or disability discrimination, and women in the workplace.
Our Values
Fairness
We act with integrity, ensuring our resources are targeted equitably while prioritising people experiencing disadvantage.
Access
We are committed to enabling access to justice through innovative service provision and making the complex comprehensible.
Inclusion
As a Qld community Legal Centre we embrace and understand diversity.
Transparency
We are clearly accountable for our actions so as to maintain trust with our clients, the wider community, and funders.
Respect
We respond to all who need our assistance with compassion and understanding, maintaining a non – judgemental perspective.
Responsiveness
We provide our clients with an objective assessment of their situation while also being empathic to the difficulties of their situation and the challenges of dealing with it.
Expertise
Through continually developing our in-depth knowledge of complex areas of law, we provide expert, evidence-based advice to our clients.
Our Vision
Basic rights for a just society
We are a Qld community Legal Centre.
Our Purpose
- Providing high quality, independent advice, legal services and community education
- Upholding rights to social security entitlements, freedom from discrimination and social justice in the workplace
- Advocating fair and just outcomes for people experiencing disadvantage
Our Strategic Priorities
Organisational Sustainability
- Fulfil governance, business and contractual requirements
- Be best practice employers
- Seek additional and diversified income streams
- Foster a culture of excellence
Responsive and excellent service
- Analyse data, research and feedback to improve BRQ responsiveness to clients and communities
- Develop rural and remote practice
- Foster referral networks to ensure fair access to BRQ
- Adapt service delivery including through digital platforms
Leaders in Social Security, Disability Discrimination and Employment Rights
- Engage in networks and campaigns to share knowledge and collaborate for systemic change
- Develop or contribute to law reform submissions
Effective stakeholder relationships
- Map and prioritise engagement
- Advocate for the needs of our clients
- Promote BRQ services
- Foster good stakeholder relationships
In 2018 Basic Rights Qld merged with Working Women Qld.
We are committed to providing advice, referral and industrial advocacy to women experiencing issues in their work.
Working Women Qld continues to be affiliated with a part of the National Working Women’s Centres network who promote the status of working women and advocate for gender equality in Australian workplaces.
Our History
BRQ is a Qld community Legal Centre. It has been operating for over thirty years with the support of volunteers, sponsors, donors and pro-bono assistance.
In 1984 Professor Edna Chamberlain and (now Professor) Mr Bill De Maria, conducted research to determine the advantages of having a supporting advocate for those people appealing Social Security decisions to the Social Security Appeals Tribunal.
Their findings indicated that there was a significant increase in successful outcomes when Appellants were assisted at hearings by independent advocates.
Based on this research, the Welfare Rights Centre was established and a small group of volunteers were trained and began working on behalf of Social Security clients who were dissatisfied with decisions made by the Department.
Our Funding
BRQ is a registered charity, primarily funded by the Queensland Department of Justice and Attorney-General and Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department, through the Community Legal Services Program.
BRQ is supported by sponsorship, cash donations and in-kind donations such as pro-bono legal assistance.
We apply for one-off grants whenever possible, for projects or essential equipment.
Find out about how to support the work of BRQ. Donations of over $2.00 are tax deductible.
BRQ is an Incorporated Association, governed by a voluntary Management Committee, elected from the membership, while paid staff and volunteers carry out the day-to-day activities.
Our People
BRQ’s team has expertise in social security, employment and discrimination law, social work, community engagement, psychology, administration and accounting.
BRQ Staff
- Fiona Hunt – CEO
- Mersiha Causevic – A/Office Manager
- Mark Mckeon – Finance Manager
WWQ Team
- Jill McKay – Director
- Megan Inglis – Principal Solicitor
- Haneen Alfadhli – Industrial Officer
- Tamara Chin – Senior Solicitor
- Clarissa Zhong – Intake
- Dorothea Georgiades – Solicitor
- Eloise (Ellie) Dalton – Senior Solicitor
- Kathryn Rendell – Community Engagement and Social Worker
- Linden Peacock – Industrial Officer
- Maeve Lu – Industrial Officer
- Marie Gabuya – Intake
- Neisha Traill – Community Engagement
- Robin Grove – Solicitor
- Tneka Springett – Senior Industrial Officer
Social Security & Disability Discrimination, Mental Health Team
- Sam Tracy – Director
- Andrew Davison – Principal Solicitor
- Bonnie Kubler Shaw – Law Clerk
- Haneen Alfadhli – Industrial Officer
- Tamara Chin – Senior Solicitor
- Caitlin Jacob – Social Worker
- Chloe Franklin – Intake
- Dahye Jung – Intake
- Jack Margaritis – Senior Social Worker
- Jake Sheehan – Solicitor
- Katie Tighe – Law Clerk
- Lachlan Varley – Intake
- Nali Wardill – Solicitor
- Peter Nisbet – LEx MH Intake
- Paul Mackay – Community Engagement
- Teresa Grahame – Senior Social Worker
- Terri Kempton – Solicitor
Management Committee members:
- Claire Moore, President
- Janine Aitken, Vice President
- Jessica Hodge, Secretary
- Connor Wrench, Treasurer
- Lyndal Sleep, Member
- Dr Geoff Woolcock, Member
- Priscilla Lal, Member
- Judith Burton, Member
- Peter Arndt, Member
Volunteers
Volunteers make an invaluable contribution to our work. Our volunteers assist with intake, admin, telephone advice, case and project work.
Many of our volunteers are students for whom volunteering provides opportunities to learn and to develop essential professional skills, such as client interviewing, record keeping and research.
Interested in volunteering? We’d love to hear from you. Find out more here.
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