Information about legal assistance on this website specifically relates to the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force (IGADF) Afghanistan Inquiry and matters arising from it.
Access to appropriate legal assistance is important for the welfare and fair treatment of current and former serving ADF members who participated in the IGADF Afghanistan Inquiry and/or are now participating in criminal investigations or proceedings relating to matters arising from the Inquiry.
You may have your legal representative (if you already have one) or your authorised agent make general enquiries on your behalf. All enquiries and applications for legal assistance are handled confidentially.
The appropriate scheme for provision of legal assistance depends on an individual’s circumstances and the purpose for which they seek legal assistance.
Criminal Investigations or Proceedings
Access to appropriate legal assistance is important for the welfare and fair treatment of current and former serving Australian Defence Force (ADF) members.
To ensure current and former serving ADF members who participated in the Afghanistan Inquiry and/or are now participating in criminal investigations or proceedings relating to matters arising from the Afghanistan Inquiry have access to appropriate legal assistance, the Commonwealth has established the Afghanistan Inquiry Legal Assistance Scheme (AILAS), which commenced on 30 September 2021.
The AILAS is administered by the Attorney-General’s Department (AGD). The AGD is responsible for receiving, assessing and making decisions on all applications for grants of funding for legal representation and related costs from current and former serving ADF members who require legal assistance for a criminal investigation or proceeding arising from matters subject of the Afghanistan Inquiry.
More information, including AILAS grant guidelines and application forms, is available on the AGD website.
Legal assistance to Defence members
Defence Counsel Services (DCS) provides independent, trusted legal support to ADF members. DCS reports directly to the Associate Secretary. For guidance on the legal assistance scheme appropriate to individual circumstances, and how to apply, please contact DCS.
Contacts
- 1800 563 563 (in Australia)
- 02 6266 1190 (overseas only)
- your.legalassistance@defence.gov.au
Defence encourages anyone who may be affected by the Afghanistan Inquiry to seek help early so that assistance can be provided.
Support services are available to those affected by the Afghanistan Inquiry whether they are current or former serving Australian Defence Force personnel or their families.
Defence Media
media@defence.gov.au