Application form - 2021 AGD Remote Legal Policy Twinning Program

The Australian Attorney-General’s Department (AGD) is inviting Pacific Island countries to apply to participate in AGD’s Pacific Legal Policy Twinning Program, to be run remotely in 2021.

The Twinning Program provides a unique opportunity for high-potential Pacific law and justice officers to partner with officers in AGD to improve their legal policy skills, and progress an identified policy project specific to their home agency. We will provide a tailored training program to improve participant skills in legal policy development and legislative reform. This may include formal training sessions and group discussions with expert legal policy officers, lawyers, drafters and academics to encourage learning.

This program aims to build the capability of Pacific law and justice agencies to develop and implement policy to respond to criminal activity and improve community safety, contributing to regional stability and security and supporting economic growth. These programs are part of Australia’s commitment to building legal capacity in the Pacific region. It complements the bilateral and regional legal assistance provided by AGD through the Pacific Police Development Program.

Project

The focus of the Twinning Program will be progressing an aspect of a priority legal policy or law reform project considered to be a priority for the home agency and country. Nominated legal policy or law reform projects must have a crime or policing focus to be considered.

Projects that align with the regional policy priorities of Pacific Islands Law Officers’ Network (PILON) and Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police (PICP) will be considered favourably, in particular law and policy reform projects progressing work in relation to:

• special measures to protect vulnerable witnesses in sexual and gender based violence, and/or
• law and policy reform in relation to child exploitation offences.

The project may be one that the applicant and home agency is already working on, or one that they intend to develop or become involved with in the near future. The project should be a matter of strategic importance and priority and one the applicant is likely to be continue to be involved in progressing.

Timing

The exact length of the program and weekly time commitment of participants may vary between projects and will be determined in conjunction with relevant agency heads and supervisors. However, it is anticipated that the program will be run from around April 2021 for a period of at least eight weeks. Participants will be partnered with AGD officers and participate in weekly meetings and scheduled activities through Zoom. We expect that participants will need to commit at least one day a week (or equivalent).

Funding and logistical arrangements

AGD will pay for reasonable expenses associated with taking part in the program on a remote basis. This may include purchase of internet data, stationary, printing, headset, venue hire and potentially the use of a laptop.

Participants

As this will be the first time running the program remotely, the 2021 program will be piloted with between 2-4 participants, dependent on the number of applications received. Potential options are:

• two participants from each of two PILON member countries (eg policy officer and prosecutor; policy officer and police officer; policy officer and legislative drafter – as appropriate depending on the country and the topic), or
• one participant from a number of PILON member countries.

Details of previous Twinning projects and participants are also available on the AGD website. We also strongly encourage applicants to look at the PILON website, and the PICP website.

Selection criteria

Applicants must meet the below selection criteria:

• work for a law and justice agency or in a government legal policy role in a PILON member country
• have at least two years of work experience in a legal policy environment and demonstrate an interest in continuing a career in legal policy
• demonstrate how participation in the Remote Twinning Program will assist them in their current role and how they will use these skills in the future
• demonstrate how participation in the Remote Twinning Program will assist their home country and agency improve its capacity to develop policy and legislation
• demonstrate the importance of the nominated project including how it is a priority for their country and agency
• demonstrate strong initiative and personal drive
• be able to work and engage in an English language environment, and
• be committed to taking part in regular meetings and discussions in an online environment.

Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions, or if you would like discuss possible projects at Pacific@ag.gov.au.

How to apply

Please complete and send the above Application Form AND Current Curriculum Vitae (CV) to Pacific@ag.gov.au by Monday 1 March 2021.

You can also contact Pacific@ag.gov.au to request a copy be sent to you.

We strongly encourage applicants to look at the AGD website, the PILON website, and the PICP website to learn more about the AGD Pacific Legal Policy Programs and Australia’s work in the Pacific when developing your application.

Selection of participants is through a competitive process, with applications assessed against the selection criteria. All applicants will be notified in writing of the outcome of the selection process.

If you have any questions about your application, the application process or a proposed policy project, please email us at Pacific@ag.gov.au

Privacy

AGD must deal with personal information in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), which are set out in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). The APPs set out standards, rights and obligations for how we handle and maintain people's personal information. This includes how we collect, store, use and disclose personal information, as well as your rights to access or correct your personal information. The AGD Privacy Policy outlines how your personal information will be handled, including details on how you can seek access or correction of the personal information that we hold about you. The Privacy Policy also provides you with further information should you need to make a complaint about how AGD is recording and/or disclosing your personal information.

The Pacific Section of AGD collects personal information from applicants, including their personal contact details and work and education history. The Pacific Section will use this information to assess applications for the AGD Pacific Legal Policy Remote Twinning Program. Applicants who do not provide this information will not be selected to participate in the Programs. AGD will also use the personal information to undertake security screening and make logistical arrangements for placement of successful applicants in AGD for the Programs, as well as to identify other professional development opportunities. AGD may disclose applicants’ personal information to other Australian Government entities such as the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Department of Home Affairs as part of the selection and placement process, the arrangement of logistics and to meet reporting obligations under Australian law.

Read our Privacy Policy.