🏛️ Government Engagement — Senate Reform Briefing

SENATE ENGAGEMENT
FRAMEWORK

Fair Go Justice is engaging directly with Australian Senators and Members of Parliament to advance four legislative reforms — building a world-leading, evidence-based justice system that serves all Australians, not just those who can afford it.

Current EngagementSenator D. Shoebridge — Greens NSW
Reform Bills ProposedFour Acts — 2026
Framework StatusEvidence-Based Civil Society Proposal
Pilot JurisdictionQueensland / NSW — proposed
Purpose of This Engagement

WHY FAIR GO JUSTICE IS IN PARLIAMENT

Australia is the only comparable common-law nation with no independent judicial integrity body. Our Legal Aid system is chronically underfunded. Evidence integrity protocols are non-existent. And AI is now making life-altering decisions in justice contexts — with zero mandatory oversight.

These aren't future risks. They are documented, measurable failures — backed by royal commission findings, court data, and academic research. Fair Go Justice brings these failures to Parliament with a specific, costed, politically viable solution: four targeted Acts that can be introduced in the 2026 legislative year.

The Legislative Package

FOUR ACTS. ONE MOVEMENT.

01
Proposed Legislation
Judicial Integrity Commission Act 2026
An independent, fully-funded body to investigate complaints against judicial officers at all levels. Modelled on ICAC — applied to the bench. 23+ comparable nations already have equivalent bodies.
02
Proposed Legislation
Legal Aid and Access to Justice Act 2026
Rebuild Australia's legal assistance infrastructure — doubled funding, modernised means tests, mandatory duty lawyers at every Magistrates' Court, and an AI-augmented online portal for self-represented litigants.
03
Proposed Legislation
Evidence Integrity and Digital Security Act 2026
Mandatory digital chain-of-custody protocols for all evidence in judicial proceedings. Criminalise evidence tampering with digital audit trails. Extend to AI-generated and AI-processed evidence.
04
NEW — Australia's First
AI Accountability in Justice Act 2026
Mandatory AI disclosure, human-in-the-loop requirements, and binding right to explanation for all automated decisions affecting individual rights. Aligns with PM's AI agenda — makes accountability binding, not voluntary.
Three Specific Asks

WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR

01
Senate Committee Referral
Refer the AI Accountability in Justice Act 2026 framework to the relevant Senate committee — Legal and Constitutional Affairs, or the Select Committee on AI.
02
Co-sponsor a public inquiry into algorithmic decision-making in the Australian justice system — building on the Robodebt Royal Commission's findings with a forward-looking scope.
Co-Sponsor Public Inquiry
03
Champion the Pilot Program
Advocate for a 12-month national pilot of AI-assisted legal aid services in Queensland and NSW — delivering 50% more clients served at the same cost, with full evaluation reporting.
Political Economy

WHY THIS WORKS POLITICALLY

Fair Go Justice's four-pillar package is designed to build a broad coalition — not a narrow advocacy niche. Here is how each stakeholder group benefits:

StakeholderWhy They Support ReformKey Message
Greens — Senator Shoebridge Progressive values, access to justice, technology ethics leadership "World-leading ethical AI reform — Australia's first civil society proposal"
Attorney-General's Department National AI Plan alignment, AG Rowland's automated decision-making framework "Fiscally responsible — AI efficiency funds 1,050 new legal positions"
Law Council of Australia Professional standards, human-in-the-loop mandate creates new work "1,050+ new lawyer positions — legal profession as beneficiary, not opponent"
National Legal Aid Chronic funding crisis — AI efficiency savings fund service expansion "50% more clients served, same budget — pilot in QLD/NSW"
Technology Sector Regulatory certainty, Australian-made AI in justice contexts "Clear accountability rules reduce legal risk — enables industry growth"
The Pilot Program Proposal

A NATIONAL PILOT — QLD & NSW

Fair Go Justice proposes a 12-month national pilot of AI-assisted legal aid services, beginning in Queensland and NSW — the two largest Legal Aid jurisdictions by client volume.

📍
Jurisdiction
Queensland and New South Wales Legal Aid Commissions — largest client volume states
📅
Duration
12 months with independent evaluation report tabled in Parliament at conclusion
💰
Funding Model
Funded by AI efficiency savings — $150M annually — with $2.25–$7 ROI per dollar invested
👥
Client Outcome
50% more clients served per existing staff member — AI handles triage, humans handle advice
⚖️
Safeguards
Human-in-the-loop mandatory for all advice — AI triages and prepares; lawyer signs off
📊
Evaluation
Independent review by UNSW Law and ANU Centre for AI — public report to Parliament
Evidence Base

THE DATA BEHIND THE REFORMS

Every FGJ proposal is backed by primary sources — not opinion. Key evidence underpinning this engagement:

Support the Reform

HISTORY IS MADE BY THOSE WHO SHOW UP

This is not a complaint. It is a costed, evidence-based, politically viable legislative framework. Four bills. One movement. Ready for Parliament.

✊ Join the Movement Read the Four Pillars →