‘So much more than just money’: LPF opened door to Hayley’s law
Growing up in a small country town 50km from Bundaberg, surrounded by a family rich in connection and support but battling financially, aspirations of university seemed far-fetched for Hayley Fox.
Fast forward just over a decade, and Hayley is making the sort of real-world legal impact she dreamed of as a teenager – having graduated from QUT with honours and recently been celebrated among the university’s latest Outstanding Alumni.
A criminal lawyer with Legal Aid Queensland based in Cairns, Hayley is dedicating her career to improving access to justice for low-socioeconomic groups, particularly in remote and Indigenous communities, and is working towards becoming a barrister.
But if not for QUT’s Learning Potential Fund (LPF), her ambitions would likely remain unfulfilled.
“Our family income was very low,” Hayley says.
“Most of my family worked on a fruit farm – it was a large family (she has five brothers), very busy but a great environment to grow up in ...
“I was tutoring students and coaching gymnastics to bring in extra money to the household but it was very little. We just didn’t have money to allow me to move to Brisbane, let alone sustain a life there.”
Having worked hard to earn the grades she needed in Year 12, Hayley applied – hopefully - to study law at QUT. It was left to her mum, “very supportive but a realist”, to have the tough talk with her daughter, suggesting a scholarship would be the only way she could afford to move away to study.
An unexpected email shortly before Hayley’s 18th birthday changed everything … an email congratulating her on receiving a Tim Fairfax LPF scholarship. Suddenly, the pieces fell into place; she was able to pay bond for a rental, buy a laptop and textbooks, and make the move from Wallaville down to Brisbane.
“The Learning Potential Fund was life changing. Without it, I would have not been at university.
“The LPF and studying at QUT was so much more than just money; it was about networking experience, skills building, learning about other people and their backgrounds.
“It shaped how I communicate and opened industry connections which led to now fulfilling my dream, working to help vulnerable people and giving back to community.”
Hayley become a proud LPF ambassador, with her remarkable journey in the spotlight at this year’s gala event welcoming the latest QUT Outstanding Alumni Award winners.
“Receiving the Outstanding Young Alumnus of the Year award was more than just a celebration of my achievements. It is a testament to the generosity of others and the importance of equal access to education,” she says.
“The thing I love the most about my job is meeting different people, hearing their stories and learning about where they come from, what their lives have looked like and how they’re different to mine. There are a lot of deep-rooted, generational and traumatic issues that cause criminal offending, and I would like to be the person that helps make a difference.”
Hayley’s work covers an area spanning Innisfail to Torres Strait, providing duty lawyer and case management services – in particular, to Indigenous communities otherwise unable to afford such services.
“It is so rewarding, going out to communities to provide services to vulnerable people,” she says.
Hayley's drive to help others was sparked by a farming accident growing up, which left a close family friend in a coma and her family faced with legal decisions beyond their means.
“My family was going through a devastatingly emotional experience, while also being engulfed in the confusion that comes with workers’ compensation and negligence claims,” she recalls.
“That was the moment I realised how hard it is for some people to get legal advice and help. I realised that I wanted to be that help.
“I remember feeling there has got to be a lawyer out there who is a bit more relaxed – someone with a relatable approach who can speak to people from all walks of life.
“I wanted to be the missing link between rural and low-socio economic families, and legal assistance.”
Hayley has shown others in her family, such as her nieces and nephews, that university study is not just a pipe dream.
”Studying at QUT gave me confidence, ambition and the potential to achieve more than I ever imagined I was capable of.
“I’ve been able to share my journey with (so) many; to network, improve my professional skills, meet wonderful LPF donors, attend fundraising events … it’s a small way to give back to a fund that has given me so much.”
- The Learning Potential Fund is life-changing and transformational, providing critical financial help to students who otherwise would be unable to pursue higher education.
- The largest perpetual endowment fund of its scale in Australia, the LPF has provided more than 39,000 scholarships since 1998 to talented students accepted to study at university, but struggling to pay for necessities such as rent, bills and textbooks.
To help more students like Hayley reach their potential, donate to the Learning Potential Fund. All donations are matched dollar for dollar by QUT.
(main image: Event Photos Australia)
