South East Australian Aboriginal Justice Services

The Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service Co-operative Limited (VALS) has been in operation since 1973 and is dedicated to amplifying the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to empowerment, identity, and culture. VALS operates as both a legal and community justice services organisation, recognising that the complex issues facing Victorian Aboriginal communities as a direct result of colonisation mean that overrepresentation in the criminal legal system must be addressed in the community services sector to drive down rates of criminalisation of Aboriginal people.

Our vision is to ensure that Aboriginal people in Victoria are treated equally before the law; our human rights are respected; and we have the choice to live a life of the quality we wish. Our organisation serves Aboriginal people of all ages and genders, and operates across criminal, family, civil, and human rights law, complemented by community justice programs.

VALS is an Aboriginal community-controlled organisation which is governed by a Board of Aboriginal Directors whose collective experience spans multiple Traditional Owner groups and diverse professional and cultural backgrounds. The Board brings together leaders from academia, government, policy, health, and grassroots advocacy, alongside individuals with lived experience of justice system impacts. Their expertise ranges from law and justice reform, social movements, and treaty negotiations to community organising, cultural governance, and creative industries. This diversity ensures that VALS remains deeply connected to community priorities while driving systemic change.

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