The firm says that Hear Me Out is the first platform of its kind to debut in Australia
National Justice Project has debuted what it said is Australia’s first AI-powered complaints platform with Hear Me Out.
NSW Attorney General Michael Daley launched the tool, which was also described as “one of the world’s first direct-to-consumer, generative AI-powered, legal self-help tools”, on Friday.
“There are close to 300 official complaint bodies across Australia’s federal, state, and territory jurisdictions, each with different processes, eligibility criteria, and requirements. Many complaints never reach the right body simply because the process is too difficult to navigate”, National Justice Project CEO George Newhouse said. “Hear Me Out was built to cut through this confusion, ensuring that people can navigate their options quickly and easily. The information gathered will help expose systemic problems and identify opportunities for impactful reforms”.
UNSW’s Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law pitched in on the development of the platform, which was supported by the NSW Government’s Access to Justice Innovation Fund. Universities, not-for-profit law firms, design and technology companies, and legal pro bono teams provided input as well, according to UNSW Kaldor Centre Director Daniel Ghezelbash.
UNSW Law & Justice Dean Andrew Lynch said that the project “helps people pursue their rights without financial outlay”.
Users can provide information about their experience into the free online tool via HearMeOut.org.au. The tool will then provide recommendations on where and how to file complaints.
The site also contains legal resources, factsheets and guidance in relation to more than 75 complaint bodies. The NSW pilot program assisted over 400 complaints, 33% of which were related to police, legal, human rights and discrimination complaints; meanwhile, 23% covered the public sector with a number of complainants directed to the NSW Ombudsman. Sixteen percent of complaints involved consumer rights and business disputes.
Hear Me Out initially concentrated on NSW and federal complaint bodies, but it is set to be implemented in Victoria next.
