community legal centres in NSW. Community legal centres work for the public interest, particularly for disadvantaged and marginalised people and communities. We promote human rights, social justice and equity through the provision of legal services including strategic casework, community legal education and law reform campaigns, which advocate for access to justice, equitable laws and equitable legal systems. The Service The Legal Service has had another busy year providing advice, casework, community legal education, and law reform and policy work for our community. Our Solicitors Pip Davis is the Centre’s principal solicitor and has been with the Centre since September 2005. Gabrielle Craig joined the Centre as a solicitor in December 2007 and Kellie McDonald joined us as a solicitor in October 2009. Arlia Fleming worked with us as a solicitor between November 2010 and April 2011. Our Practical Legal Training students We were to have the assistance of Lauren Roche from May 2010 until November 2010 while she completed the practical placement component of her PLT at the Centre. Lauren has remained in the Centre working as a paralegal. In February 2011, former administration and referral officer Matthew Varley joined us to complete his PLT placement at the Centre. Both Lauren and Matt were invaluable to the legal service during their placement, assisting us by taking instructions from clients, completing research tasks and drafting letters and submissions. Our clients Whilst the service provides advice on most legal issues, the primary purpose of the legal service is to assist those people in our community who experience barriers in accessing legal services. Our client base consists of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, prisoners, young people and other people, who because of mental illness, disability or social or economic disadvantage, find it difficult to access legal services. Advice This year has been another busy one for the Centre, with 1332 legal advices provided to clients. These clients received advice on a wide range of issues including: domestic violence and apprehended violence orders; victims compensation; debt matters; vehicle accidents; family law; unfair dismissal, unlawful termination and underpayment of wages; discrimination; fines; consumer complaints; and complaints about government departments. The purpose of the advice session is to provide clients with legal advice and information to enable a
Aim To facilitate access for women and children to a network of professional services that can assist them with their other legal, social and welfare needs. Seconded Workers Services The level of support we can offer to women at court, on List Day, relies on local services allowing their workers to join the NWSWDVCAS roster as Seconded Workers. These services and their workers provide an invaluable service at court each List Day. We would like to acknowledge their commitment to NWSWDVCAS and the women and children we assist. These services are: Department of Housing Blacktown Essie’s Refuge Blacktown Family Relationship Centre Junaya for Families Merana HNCLC The Women’s Cottage Richmond Hawkesbury Family Support Quakers Hill Family Centre Hawkesbury Area Community Health Community Services
A few of the NWSWDVCAS Team and Seconded Workers Blacktown Local Court Meetings and Outreach Our staff attends and actively participates in the following meetings: Outer West DV meeting HANADV Metwest Sydwest Blacktown Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Program Network Meeting Philippine Australian Community Services Inc. (PACSI) Annual General Meeting PACSI meetings NAIDOC planning meeting Koori Interagency Staying Home-Leaving Violence Steering Committee South Windsor Aboriginal Outreach Service Riverstone Aboriginal Outreach Aim Through partnerships established with the NWSWDVCAS, assist in building the capacity of local services to respond effectively to domestic violence. Police Domestic Violence Liaison Officers (DVLO’s) NWSWDVCAS work in partnership with police from three Local Area Commands, Blacktown, Quakers Hill and Windsor. This year from Windsor we have seen the arrival of DVLO Constable Lesley King. Nothing is too curly for Constable King she performs her role with dedication and respect towards all. During 2011 we have seen the resignation of Blacktown DVLO Constable Karen Scott, we thank Constable Scott for her hard work and dedication to the women and children of Blacktown. Snr Constable Sonia Tunningly continues in her position as the DVLO at the Quakers Hill Police Station. We would like to acknowledge Snr Constable Tunningly for her hard work and dedication to actively changing the lives of women experiencing violence in the Quakers Hill Local Area Command area. The partnerships developed over the years with Blacktown and Windsor Local Court Staff have allowed us to maintain best practice service provision for our clients. We take this opportunity to thank them for their continued support. Dvirt’s/yellow cards NWSWDVCAS continues to work in partnership with police in Windsor and Blacktown Area Commands by completing this process The Yellow Cards/Dvirt System is an efficient way of making contact with women before their court date. Making contact with women prior to attending Court enables workers to make referral to appropriate services and explain the Court
Acknowledgements to: HNCLC Manager Ms Kim Price for her support and ongoing managerial expertise. The HNCLC Principal Solicitor, Ms Pip Davies and the legal team for their invaluable assistance and support in ‘all things legal’. Mrs Beth King and Ms Lisa Haumu for their ‘can do’ assistance to NWSWDVCAS workers over the past year. Finally, thankyou to all the HNCLC Management Committee Members for without them none of the above would happen. ABORIGINAL LEGAL ACCESS PROGRAM REPORT Gwenda Ick The Aboriginal Legal Access Program (ALAP) strives to provide the Aboriginal Community in the areas of the Hawkesbury, Penrith, Riverstone and Hills Districts, access to Legal advice, community legal education and information and referrals. Aim: Aboriginal people better represented in the decision-making processes in the area. Local Area Command Aboriginal Advisory Committee – LACAAC There are over 30 established LACAAC’s in NSW. This is part of the NSW Police Force Aboriginal strategic direction. This gives Aboriginal people the opportunity to get involved in the way our community is policed. AS part of the ALAP duties I have organised meetings with Local Area Command Sergeant Gemini Bakos as well as Aboriginal Programs and strategy Operational Programs Officer Cleonie Quayle from the NSW police Headquarters.
meetings are open to all Aboriginal people that live or work in the Hawkesbury and are held Bi Monthly Aim: Legal needs better met by current services Outreaches are undertaken at South Windsor and Riverstone. The ALAP outreaches provide the community with access to workers from many and varied services. The following services support the network of services to Aboriginal people. Wentworth Housing Centrelink Brighter Futures Early Intervention ALAP Legal, Electoral Office Red Justice & Attorney General Office Gilgai CACPS Packages RTA Aboriginal Programs Advisor Division of General Health Living longer bus Tootang Tarimi which tests community for on the spot for medical problems Brochure An ALAP brochure has been produced and printed for Aboriginal clients and services to use for information on our service. ALAP brochures have been delivered to Community Centres in Riverstone, Kurrajong, Glossodia, McGraths Hill and North Richmond. Information has also been made available via Hawkesbury Library, Wilberforce Village and The Women’s Cottage in Richmond and Merana Aboriginal Community Association in Richmond Networking agencies: Koori Yarn Ups These have been held in various locations within the community liaising with Aboriginal workers from many organisations to share information about services and how we can assist in supporting the community. Riverstone Interagency meeting Held monthly at the Neighbourhood Centre. Community Legal Education ALAP have developed surveys that have been distributed throughout the Hawkesbury in attempt to identify topics of relevance and interest with the aim of providing appropriate support where requested by the Aboriginal Community. Community Development to strengthen community capacity