Fifteen participants from Papua New Guinea and across the Pacific successfully completed a two-week Train-the-Trainer (ToT) Program organised by the Victorian Bar International Advocacy Training Committee (IATC) in Melbourne, Australia, from 15–26 June 2026.
The delegates represented Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and Fiji, taking part in the flagship initiative designed to strengthen advocacy teaching and build legal capacity across the Pacific.
In his address at the IATC Annual Dinner, Chair Peter O’Farrell KC welcomed distinguished members of the judiciary, delegates, and program partners, acknowledging their vital role in advancing advocacy training. He highlighted the ongoing support of the Victorian judiciary and the PNG Judiciary through the PNGCJE and Justice John Carey, Judge Administrator and Judge of the Supreme and National Courts of Papua New Guinea. Justice Carey was recognised as a founding contributor and one of the strongest advocates of the ToT Program. Mr O’Farrell also thanked Ms Stacey Levakia-Wali, Assistant Director and Program Officer with the Pacific Centre for Judicial Excellence, for her tireless efforts over the past three years in helping bring the program to this stage.
Mr O’Farrell also commended the contributions of the Bar Council, represented by Albert Dinelli KC and Felicity Fox, and expressed his gratitude to international partners, including the Australia PNG Law and Justice Partnership, the PNGCJE, the Pacific Centre for Judicial Excellence (PCJE), and the Pacific Justice Sector Programme (PJSP).
This year’s program added 15 delegates to a growing cohort of accredited advocacy trainers. With their inclusion, the initiative has now reached 50 Accredited Pacific VicBar Advocacy Trainers, marking the halfway point toward its five-year goal of 100 trainers.
Delegates took part in intensive workshops, court observations, and mentor shadowing, focusing on skills such as cross-examination, submissions, and constructive feedback. The program’s volunteer-driven model reflects the spirit of the United Nations International Volunteer Year 2026, underscoring the role of volunteerism in sustainable development.
Mr O’Farrell concluded by reminding attendees of the broader purpose of advocacy: “Advocacy is not merely the art of persuasion and argument; it is about service—to clients, to the courts, and to the wider community. It is about ensuring that every voice can be heard, and that justice remains accessible to all.”