Ever thought of becoming a Justice of the Peace? It’s a voluntary role where you can help the community, and add to your CV at the same time.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The JP’s primary functions are to witness statutory declarations and affidavits and certify that a copy of an original document is true and accurate.
This may be very important to a court, a government agency or any other organisation that needs to rely on a document.
Robyn Flanagan from Wauchope Travel is a JP and says there are many different facets of paperwork that require copies to be signed, such as people accessing their super funds, transfers of fines when you’re not driving a vehicle and citizenship applications.
Sometimes people just need to make a statement that they are unable to attend work.
”It’s very diverse,” she said.
”Some mornings, there are seven people coming in, many of them strangers, and I simply don’t have time, running a small business, to help them all,” said Robyn.
She believes public servants should step up and become JPs, to take the pressure off small businesses.
Michelle McCudden, the administrator at the Wauchope Gazette office in Hastings Street, has been a JP for more than 30 years.
”It’s easy to become a Justice of the Peace,” she said.
”You just have to be of good character, and there’s a police check and a bit of paperwork involved. It looks good on your CV, and you’re helping people.”
There is a JP at Wauchope Library every Saturday morning from 9.30am to 11.30am.
You can also find a JP by clicking on this link:
All JPs are being urged to join the NSW Justices Association. Go to http://www.nswja.org.au/
Its vice president, Bruce Gibbs, said JPs need to be active in the community.
“There are a lot of JPs out there who don’t even possess a JP handbook,” he said.
“They don’t know what they’re doing and they are a risk to themselves and the community. It’s a big worry.”
Letitia Fitzpatrick
Worked as a journalist and assistant producer for BBC news and current affairs in the UK, Ulster Television, Q Radio and the Irish News in Northern Ireland. Moved to Australia and joined Fairfax Media in 2016. Won a Rotary Paul Harris Fellowship award in 2018 for reporting the Pappinbarra bushfires and the subsequent Rotary appeal which raised $30,000.
Worked as a journalist and assistant producer for BBC news and current affairs in the UK, Ulster Television, Q Radio and the Irish News in Northern Ireland. Moved to Australia and joined Fairfax Media in 2016. Won a Rotary Paul Harris Fellowship award in 2018 for reporting the Pappinbarra bushfires and the subsequent Rotary appeal which raised $30,000.
