About
The Justice and Equity Centre (formerly the Public Interest Advocacy Centre) is a leading independent law and policy centre. We help build a fairer, stronger society by tackling injustice and inequality.
We work with people experiencing disadvantage to expose discrimination and unfairness. We use test cases and policy advocacy to drive law reform and systems change. Our work protects and promotes human rights by challenging government and corporations. We collaborate and partner with others to develop solutions and achieve social justice.
We have been tackling injustice and inequality for more than 40 years. See our record and how we measure our impact.
Our work combines:
- legal advice and representation, specialising in test cases and strategic casework;
- research, analysis and policy development; and
- advocacy for systems change and public interest outcomes through media, communications, submissions and engagement with decision-makers.
We work across 5 focus areas:
We work in partnerships and alliances to amplify our impact and build power in the community.
Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT)
AbSec – NSW Child, Family and Community Peak Aboriginal Corporation
ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS)
ANTAR
Amnesty International Australia
Australian Autism Alliance
Australian Centre for Disability Law (ACDL)
Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS)
Australian Discrimination Law Experts Group (ADLEG)
Australian Federation of Disability Organisations (AFDO)
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR)
Australian Services Union NSW/ACT
Blind Citizens Australia (BCA)
Change the Record
Children and Young People with Disability Australia (CYDA)
CHOICE Australia
ClimateWorks
Combined Pensioners and Superannuants NSW (CPSA)
Community Legal Centres Australia
Community Legal Centres NSW
Consumer Action Law Centre (CALC)
Consumer Policy Research Centre (CPRC)
Council on the Ageing (COTA)
Disability Advocacy Network Australia (DANA)
Disability Voices Tasmania (DVT)
Down Syndrome Australia
Energy Consumers Australia (ECA)
Energy Efficiency Council (EEC)
Energy and Water Ombudsman NSW (EWON)
Ethnic Communities Council NSW (ECCNSW)
Equality Australia
Equality Tasmania
Every Australian Counts (EAC)
Financial Counsellors Association of NSW (FCAN)
Financial Rights Legal Centre (FRLC)
First Nations Clean Energy Network (FNCEN)
First Peoples Disability Network (FPDN)
Georges River Council
Grata Fund
Guide Dogs Australia
Human Rights Law Centre (HRLC)
Inclusion Australia (IA)
Indigenous Law Centre, UNSW
Inner City Legal Centre (ICLC)
Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA)
Institute for Sustainable Futures, UTS (ISF)
Just.Equal Australia
Justice Reform Initiative
Just Reinvest NSW
Legal Aid NSW
National Ethnic Disability Alliance (NEDA)
National Legal Aid (NLA)
National Mental Health Consumer Alliance
NSW Council of Social Service (NCOSS)
NSW Council for Civil Liberties (NSWCCL)
Original Power
People with Disability Australia (PWDA)
Physical Disability Australia (PDA)
Physical Disability Council of NSW (PDCN)
Queensland Advocacy for Inclusion (QAI)
Queensland Council of Social Service (QCOSS)
Race for 2030
Redfern Legal Centre (RLC)
Rights Information and Advocacy Centre (RIAC)
Shopfront Youth Legal Centre
South Australian Council of Social Service (SACOSS)
Spinal Cord Injuries Australia (SCIA)
St Vincents de Paul Society NSW
Sydney Community Forum (SCF)
Sydney University, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Teachers Federation
Tenants Union NSW (TUNSW)
UTS Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research
Victoria Legal Aid
Villamanta Disability Rights Legal Service
Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA)
Youth Action
Read more in our Strategic Plan 2025-2028.
Our values
- We work with compassion and respect.
- We amplify the voices of people who are marginalised or excluded.
- We are tenacious and courageous.
- We are creative and open-minded.
- We do everything with integrity and are committed to excellence.
Detailed information about our objectives, strategies and impact is available in our annual reports.
Awards
The Centre’s work has been recognised with a range of awards and nominations:
- 2025 Mental Health Services Awards – general award for the Mental Health Housing Agreement 22 Lived Experience Committee
- 2023 Walking Together Award from AbSec
- 2017 Pro Bono Partnership Award nominee (with Allens) from the Law and Justice Foundation
- 2012 Children’s Law Award from the National Children’s and Youth Law Centre
- 2010 Community Legal Centres NSW Award for the StreetCare advisory group
- 2009 Australian Privacy Awards, Community & NGO category – Highly Commended from the Office of the Privacy Commissioner
- 1999 Law Award from the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
- 1993 Human Rights Award from the Citizens Commission on Human Rights
Corporate information
The Justice and Equity Centre is:
- a public company limited by guarantee.
- a Public Benevolent Institution registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission.
- endorsed as a Deductible Gift Recipient by the Australian Tax Office.