What is 'Legal Literacy'

The Importance of Building Legal Literacy

Every citizen in Australia is subject to our laws.

However, many people do not understand how the law and its associated institutions function. This becomes of particular importance during referendums, where the citizenry are asked to answer a question that, if supported, will change our fundamental legal document - The Australian Constitution.  
  • Without legal literacy citizens may feel unable to make a decision, or alternatively may struggle to discern accurate information in the midst of legal and political debate. 

Learning about the legal system in Australia can be challenging for those who have come to Australia from other legal  and cultural traditions in addition to those who are familiar with the English common law underpinnings of our system.
  • By  understanding legal structures, language and the impact  of law, citizens are equipped to improve outcomes for themselves and their communities. 

An example of this work is the Court Education Australia website developed by Jackie Charles as part of her Churchill Fellowship in 2020:
We hope that this site assists in building the knowledge of those in the community who would like to know more.

Further Resources

There are a number of other bodies and organisations in Australia committed to improving Legal Literacy. These include:
The Rule of Law Education Centre is as a not-for profit organisation  that provides significant support and free resources in building Legal Literacy for legal studies students and the community about the rule of law. See in particular