PEOPLE across the district now have face-to-face access to legal help, with the opening of a permanent Legal Aid NSW office in Moree.

Legal Aid NSW has been providing telephone advice and outreach services to the region on a fly-in, fly-out basis but now clients can seek legal help from a dedicated team of local experts in a permanent ‘shopfront’ office.

The Moree Legal Aid team will initially consist of office manager Felicity Curtis, solicitor in charge Haney Cho, Aboriginal field officer Lola Craigie and crime solicitor Eddie Stewart.

The Moree office can also direct people to all the other legal services provided by Legal Aid NSW.

The new facility was officially opened on Thursday afternoon by NSW Attorney General Michael Daley at a special ceremony which was also attended by Legal Aid NSW CEO Monique Hitter, Member for Northern Tablelands Brendan Moylan and Moree Plains Shire mayor Susannah Pearse.

Guests also included Local Court Magistrate John Arms, Children’s Court Magistrate Paul Hayes, Legal Aid NSW executive director criminal law Rob Hoyles, acting solicitor-in-charge Jake Fing,  Moree solicitor Peter Gall, Aboriginal Legal Service principal solicitor Henri Schmidt, Thiyama-Li CEO Denise Ranby, principal legal officer Chris Picone and client support officer Tileah McGrady, and Northern Tablelands electoral officer Madi Bye.

Mr Daley congratulated Ms Hitter and the Moree team before officially cutting the ribbon and declaring the new office open.

“The work these people do is difficult and demanding, but rewarding,” Mr Daley said.

“I’ve been the attorney general for just over two years now, and one of the groups I most admire is the team at Legal Aid.

“I work really closely with Monique. She’s a great advocate. The justice system is a really difficult place to navigate and legal Aid staff see people sometimes at their lowest ebb.

“These people walk in the door, and the staff here are their last hope. That can be daunting, but it can also be positive and comes with a great responsibility,” he said.

“Our system fails if we don’t have a group like Legal Aid for people who don’t have the financial means others might have to look after themselves, and still have a fighting chance in the situation in which they find themselves.”

(from left) Aboriginal field officer Lola Craigie, relief senior crime solicitor Katie Walker, Moree Plains mayor Susannah Pearse, Member for Northern Tablelands Brendan Moylan, Legal Aid NSW CEO Monique Hitter, NSW Attorney General Michael Daley, criminal lawyer, Eddie Stewart, solicitor in charge Haney Cho and office manager Felicity Curtis at the official opening of Legal Aid NSW’s Moree office.

Mr Moylan welcomed Mr Daley and new Legal Aid staff members to Moree.

“I’ve been chatting to the attorney general about Moree every opportunity I’ve had since entering parliament 12 months ago and I was very pleased to welcome him to Moree today,” Mr Moylan said.

“The opening of the Moree Legal Aid office is a small but significant step for our town, and I’ll

continue working hard to make sure Moree remains on the map for this State Government.”

Legal Aid NSW CEO Monique Hitter said legal services have been provided to Moree and district residents for more than a decade through lawyers from the Tamworth office, head office in Sydney and partnerships with local, private solicitors.

“Over the years, especially over the last three years, the number of services we have provided has risen quite sharply, as we have tried to reach more people through outreach and our dedicated specialist services for Aboriginal communities, our Civil Law Service for Aboriginal Communities and Family Law Services for Aboriginal Communities,” Ms Hitter said.

Attorney General Michael Daley officially opens the new Legal Aid Office in Moree, with the help of Lola Craigie, Monique Hitter and Haney Cho.

“Today marks a new chapter. We now have a permanent office – anchored by our office manager Felicity Curtis, Aboriginal field officer Lola Craigie, and solicitor in charge Haney Cho, who is soon to be joined by a criminal lawyer, Eddie Stewart and hopefully more solicitors to come.

“Felicity and Lola are local professionals and community members with deep roots in the region and, alongside Haney and Eddie, they will provide and connect the community to family, care and protection, criminal and civil law legal aid services.

“We have all heard about the need for ‘access to justice’. This is not just a lofty ideal, but a practical necessity – it’s about access to legal services that have a direct impact on people’s lives.

“Keeping families together, keeping the roof over people’s heads, and having a voice in court,” she said.

“We hope our Legal Aid office will become well and truly a part of this community to work together with other local services and with court and government agencies, be responsive to the needs of the community, and be responsible for providing the services they need.

“Legal aid is a public service – as vital as healthcare or education.

“And like all good public services, it should be available to everyone who needs it, when they need it. “We’re very proud to be here. And we look forward to working with you all to serve and support this great community,” Ms Hitter said.

The new Legal Aid Office in Moree is located at 25 Auburn Street and can be contacted via LawAccess on 1300 888 529.