Drug Diversion Lawyer —
Cairns & Far North Queensland — Fixed Fee
$1,650 — Fixed Fee
Fixed Fee: $1,650. Covers : eligibility assessment, liaison with police or prosecution, court appearance at Cairns Magistrates Court or any FNQ court, submissions to the Magistrate, advice on transitional law where the 2026 IDEDF reform applies. No hidden fees. One invoice. Additional court appearances: $950 each. All fees +10% GST.
What This Is About
You've been charged with a minor drug offence — probably possession of a small amount. You're worried about a criminal record. You've heard there's something called drug diversion that might mean it doesn't go on your record. That's right — but it's not automatic, and Queensland's diversion laws changed significantly in April 2026. Whether diversion is available to you, which framework applies to…
Will This Go on My Record?
If you complete diversion — whether through police or through the court — no conviction is recorded and there is no entry on your criminal history for the drug offence. That's the outcome diversion is designed to produce. But it only applies if you're eligible, if the process is handled correctly, and if you actually complete the required assessment or education session. If any of those steps go…
Queensland's Drug Laws Changed in April 2026
This matters for your case. The previous three-tier system — where you could be diverted up to three times over a lifetime — was repealed on 24 April 2026. The new framework, called the Illicit Drug Enforcement and Diversion Framework (IDEDF), replaced it. The new framework hasn't fully commenced yet — that happens on a date set by proclamation, which hadn't been announced as of early May 2026.…
What changed under the new IDEDF:
Cannabis: You get one lifetime opportunity to complete a diversion program (previously up to three). If you've never used diversion before and you're charged with possession of up to 50g, police must offer it to you. Other drugs (ice, cocaine, MDMA, heroin, fentanyl, others): Police may issue an on-the-spot fine instead of charging you. You then have 28 days to elect whether to pay the fine or…
How Much Drug Can You Have?
Diversion only applies below these quantities: Methamphetamine / ice —1g Above these amounts, police diversion is not available. Court-based diversion may still be an option depending on the circumstances however. Cannabis — 50g Cocaine — 1g Heroin — 1g MDMA (ecstasy) — 4 pills / capsules Fentanyl — 0.0025g LSD — 3 tabs Psilocybin — 0.04g
The Three Diversion Pathways in Queensland
1. Police diversion — offered before the matter reaches court, at the roadside, in the watch-house, or shortly after arrest. If you're eligible and the offer is made, you sign an agreement and attend an assessment session. Complete it, and the charge goes no further. 2. Court Diversion Program (CDP) — available at Cairns Magistrates Court. The Magistrate places you on a recognisance order with a…
What Sacha Does
Work out whether you're actually eligible. The criteria are specific. Your criminal history, the drug type and quantity, the circumstances of the charge, and how many times you've previously been offered diversion all matter. Police get eligibility wrong. We check. Pursue diversion where it wasn't offered. If you should have been offered police diversion but weren't, Sacha liaises directly with…
Is Diversion Always the Right Answer?
Not always. In some cases — particularly where you have a clean record and the facts are minor — a guilty plea with a section 12 application (no conviction recorded) produces a cleaner outcome without the conditions attached to diversion. In other cases, the charge itself is defensible and you shouldn't plead at all. Diversion also isn't free from conditions. You have to attend and complete the…
Cairns and Remote FNQ
Drug diversion operates at Cairns Magistrates Court (5D Sheridan Street). Assessment appointments for court-based diversion are delivered in Cairns by the Cairns Community Alcohol and Other Drugs Service (AODS) at 8 Aplin Street (intake: 07 4226 3900). For clients in remote communities — Cape York, Torres Strait, Gulf Country — diversion assessment appointments can be conducted by phone or video…
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I get a criminal record if I complete diversion? No. Completing police or court diversion for a minor drug offence means no conviction is recorded and no entry on your criminal history for that offence. This applies under both the old and new frameworks. How many times can I use drug diversion? Under the old PDDP (which still governs offences before the new commencement date), up to three…