Department of the Attorney General (Western Australia)

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Department of the Attorney General Western Australia
Agency overview
Formed February 2006
Dissolved Department of Justice
Jurisdiction Government of Western Australia
Agency executive
  • Ms Cheryl Gwilliam, Director General
Website www.dotag.wa.gov.au [1]

The Department of the Attorney General (DotAG) is a Western Australian government department responsible for the provision of high quality and accessible justice, legal, registry, guardianship and trustee services to meet the needs of the community and the Western Australian Government.[1]

Key Functions

The key functions of the Department are to provide:[1]

  • administrative and support services, technical facilities and accommodation for State courts, tribunals and boards
  • assistance, advice and counselling to victims of crime
  • legal, policy development and parliamentary drafting services to Parliament, Government and its agencies
  • services to ensure the best interests of people with decision-making disabilities are represented at hearings and to promote and protect their rights in the community
  • trustee services
  • births, deaths and marriages registrations.

Sub-departments

The department has multiple sub departments:[2]

  • Policy & Aboriginal Services - Develops policy and legislation for the Government and information for Departmental business areas. Aboriginal mediation. Aboriginal justice.
  • Court and Tribunal Services - Courts, tribunals and boards, victim support, court security, fines enforcement, justices of the peace.
  • Parliamentary Counsel's Office - Legislative drafting services to Government.
  • Office of the Public Advocate - Advocacy, guardianship and community education services on behalf of people with decision-making disabilities.
  • Public Trustee - Trustee services to WA community.
  • Registry of Births, Deaths, & Marriages - Creates and stores birth, death and marriage records; conducts civil marriages.
  • State Solicitor's Office - Legal Services to Government.
  • Corporate Services - Asset and contract management, business services, financial management, human resources, information services.

Solicitor General

The principal legal adviser to the Attorney General is the Solicitor General who is described as the second law officer of the State. The Office of the Solicitor General was created with the Solicitor General Act (1969).[3] It is referred to as the "Crown Solicitor".

While the Attorney General is a political appointment, the Solicitor General is an independent position. The Attorney General may delegate functions to the Solicitor General.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 http://www.dotag.wa.gov.au/, The Department of the Attorney General
  2. http://www.department.dotag.wa.gov.au/C/corporate_structure.aspx?uid=7758-4778-9101-3976, Department of the Attorney General - Departmental Structure
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Further reading

External links