New approved alcohol and other drug report writer service to begin in June

Engagement process

On its website, the justice ministry gave more information about the manner of engagement for approved AOD report writers. It explained that: 

• Apart from a judge ordering a report, a lawyer can also request one 
• If a judge orders a report, the relevant court registry will reach out to a writer with the request 
• A lawyer requesting a report will directly contact the writer 
• The lawyer or the court registry will send an engagement letter including the fixed rate, the pertinent case information, and the due date, which will be 13 working days prior to the sentencing date set 
• The writer will submit the complete report and invoice to the lawyer or the court registry 

Application process

The justice ministry’s news release announced that qualified AOD practitioners could apply to join the new service. The justice ministry noted that the first application round began on 5 March 2026 and will end on 8 April 2026. 

To be eligible, applicants should: 

• Have the relevant professional registration 
• Earn at least two years of experience in the AOD sector 
• Comply with the applicable requirements for information management and security 
• Complete the justice ministry’s free family violence and sexual violence response training within 12 months of joining 

The justice ministry’s website lists the requirements in detail. 

The justice ministry emphasised the opportunities available to approved AOD report writers. Specifically, the justice ministry noted that: 

• Courts ordering the reports will only source them from national panel members 
• Reports by approved writers can more quickly and easily obtain legal aid approval 
• Approved writers can accept requests from courts nationwide 

Per the justice ministry, while it will still accept applications submitted after 8 April 2026, they might take longer to process.