The Australian Justice Tribunal wants to become more active in Armidale and surrounding districts, according to chairman Garth Eaton.

It wants retired, yet active professionals from legal fields and judiciary, prosecutors, police, forensic scientists, accountants and others to come forward and volunteer their time to work as case assessors.

The tribunal is a Tax Office-endorsed public benevolent institution, which was formed to provide pro bono legal aid to people “damaged by the helplessness and suffering created by the denial of justice”.

Mr Eaton said for those who couldn’t even afford legal aid, natural justice was a systemic problem within the civil and criminal systems.

“The effects are crippling to families and individuals,” he said. 

“Denying an Australian justice is an abuse which too often is disguised within the practice and application of law.”

Those who qualify for the pro bono legal services offered by the tribunal will have their cases handled by case assessors.

“By adopting a one case assessor-one client scenario matters can often be fast-tracked,” Mr Eaton said.

“We have found no shortage of retired, yet active professionals ... so there should be no problem in recruiting and training retired expertise in the Armidale region to act as assessors. It’s all pro bono.”

In the future Mr Eaton hopes that some case assessors would be paid.

“Taking on the ‘too hard’ cases is what makes the tribunal unique,” he said.

Yet he was quick to assert the organisation does not compete with, nor take on cases which can be handled by Legal Aid or cases that can be handled by law firms.

Mr Eaton has called for volunteers and those who can’t afford justice to visit www.TheAJT.org.au for more information.