Contents

Page Chairperson’s Report 2 MLC Board 2010/2011 4 Coordinator’s Report 5 MLC Staff 2010/2011 9 Daytime Volunteers 10 Volunteer Voices 11 Evening Advice Volunteers 13 General Legal Service 14 Acknowledging 11 years service – Margaret Dimity Martin 28 Statistical Snapshots 30 Children’s Legal Service 31 Inner West Tenants’ Advice and Advocacy Service 38 Tenancy Statistical Snapshots 40 Inner West Domestic Violence Pro-Active Support Service 42 Marrickville Legal Centre Snapshots 48 Financial Report 2010/2011 50 Media Contact 66

Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 1 Chairperson’s Report

SS 2010 MLC AGM

SS Governance Training, Nick Yetzotis Chairperson MLC Board, Linda Shepherd, Nassim Arrage and Michelle Jones MJ Consulting

2 Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 In the year 2010 – 2011 MLC finalised changes to its antiquated Constitution. A new Constitution was approved by MLC’s Annual General Meeting in October 2010. The spirit of modernisation caught on and we are in the process of updating the provisions of the Enterprise Agreement which deals with the conditions of employment of MLC’s staff. More work has been done in updating a raft of Centre policies.

The maintenance of the level of services required by our funding agreements was once again a continuous battle. Funding methodologies used by the State agencies that support MLC’s programmes have continued to challenge the imagination of staff as to how to perform at the highest possible plane with ever decreasing means. SS MLC Volunteer Thanks party, Chairperson Nick Yetzotis and Principal Solicitor Nassim Arrage

MLC will soon be obliged to pass on to staff a sector wide pay rise that is soon to be finalised in Fair Work Australia. Fair rewards for our staff, who are already poorly paid in comparison with equal work performed in other sectors, will only result in further stress on MLC’s budget. If funding frameworks do not change soon, like other similar organisations that provide services to the most vulnerable sectors of the community, MLC will be sailing closer to poverty with each passing year.

A primary example of the staff imagination of how to achieve the impossible was doing renovations to the floor space of the Centre. They managed to create the SS Strategic Planning workshop optical illusion of additional space where there is in reality none. MLC has well and truly outgrown its accommodation. Space is at a premium for the number of people that work at the Centre on each given day and a real solution is needed urgently. But the end of the tunnel does not appear to show any light, because quite simply if we had to pay rent, we would go bankrupt.

In these poor operating circumstances the staff have once again managed to do an admirable job and on behalf of the Board of Directors I thank them for their achievements. I also take this opportunity to thank my fellow Board members for their commitment to ensuring governance of MLC is at the highest level. SS MLC Chairperson Nick Yetzotis, Duncan Stewart

Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 3 MLC Board Members 2010/2011

SS Nick Yetzotis, Chairperson

SS Janet Loughman

SS Diane Anagnos

SS Kieran Egan

SS Jessica Dolan

4 Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 2010/2011 saw Marrickville Legal in many ways – from backing the Centre review past achievements closure of the Centre for essential Coordinator’s and map a future direction through staff training to allowing staff to a comprehensive Strategic Planning attend Australian Services Union Report procedure. A grant from CLCNSW rallies for better conditions for enabled the Board and staff to work community workers. We thank the with Jane Cipants, Judith Stubbs & following Board members who were Assoc., to develop a 3-year plan for elected unopposed at the October the Centre. Staff formed teams to 2010 Annual General Meeting: Nick realise the goals of the Plan; work Yetzotis (Chairperson), Kieran Egan which will continue until June 2013. (Treasurer), Dianne Anagnos, Jessica One outcome of the planning was Dolan, Janet Loughman (Secretary). that new Outreach services, in areas The Board, and senior staff, updated of greatest disadvantage, were begun their governance skills and we thank by the General Legal and Tenancy Michelle Jones, from Michelle Jones services in response to identified Consulting, for enthusiastically

SS Bike rack, Amelia Pace, Julia Murray, Nassim Arrage, Maria Elena Ang, Frederica Mantel, Marrickville Council Mayor Sam Iskander service gaps. Another important providing training and a range of outcome was the creation of a Mission excellent resources. Statement, and the words ”Working As well as working on the Strategic with our communities to provide free Plan, we embarked upon updating independent legal services, fearlessly, the Enterprise Agreement and Board to those who need it most” now members Nick, Janet and Jessica informs the Centre’s work every day. and staff members Margie, Linda, The MLC Board’s commitment to Julia and Martin are to be thanked the Centre is unwavering and their for their perseverance to progress support for staff is demonstrated this project. The format of our Policy

Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 5 NSW Fair Trading to update resources in line with the new Residential Tenancies Act.

We were pleased the Office for Women’s Policy extended funding for the Inner West Domestic Violence Pro-Active Support Service from a one-year pilot to 5 years funding. This was testament to the hard work Amelia Pace, IWDVPASS Coordinator, undertook to establish the project, assist clients and develop police and community networks.

The Board supported staff attending Australian Services Union rallies in support of equal pay for community SS CLE training, People With Disbility Australia staff Orna Marks, Elizabeth workers. The Federal Government Buchanan, Denise Beckwith made a commitment to increase TT Catherine’s farewell, Margie Martin, Maria Elena Ang, Catherine Dornan, funding to cover increased wage costs Mark Patrick emanating from the Equal Pay case but the NSW government has not made the same commitment. Staff will continue to follow developments closely to ensure our voice is heard on this important issue.

We improved the Centre premises by installing new security equipment and concertina door, sliding door and glass panelled doors. This work couldn’t have been achieved without Aidan Macdonald; Aidan is a talented craftsman and a pleasure to work with. Housing NSW installed a new glass screen at the entrance of the premises and William Furlong, Housing NSW Assets Manager, is to be thanked for supporting MLC and managing the project. A vote of thanks also to Marrickville Council for and Procedure Manual is also being this significant process. It is admirable erecting 3 bike racks at the front of overhauled thanks to a unique that Danny Gilbert, Managing the Centre and for providing funding partnership with Sparke Helmore Partner Gilbert + Tobin, one of the for a laptop, banner and brochures. and I thank T’ese Butler, Pro Bono & foundation members of MLC, is still We also thank Ashfield RSL for Community Programs Coordinator, supporting the Centre 31 years on. contributing towards the purchase of for her commitment to this venture. a Smartboard; a resource which has The Commonwealth and State proved invaluable in our community Another major achievement for governments provided a Youth legal education training sessions. the Centre was ratifying a new Homelessness grant, in recognition Constitution at the 2010 AGM, the of the effective work of the Children’s Staffing first update since MLC was formed Legal Service, and extended the Family in 1979. Gilbert and Tobin assisted Relationship Centre funding until We have had a few changes of staff us for over a year to ensure the June 2013. We take this opportunity over the last year. We farewelled Constitution was best for the Centre. to thank Bronwyn McCutcheon, Legal Katrina Wong, our Children’s Solicitor The Constitution provides our Aid’s CLC Program Manager, for her and welcomed and farewelled foundation, rules and reason for being ongoing support. Our Tenancy service Mark Patrick, Clare Jobson and and we thank G & T for being part of also received a one-off grant from Gemma Lardner. Katy Jenkins

6 Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 SS Jane Kenny and Maria Leonardis, Law and Justice Foundation, with Nassim Arrage, Emily Muir and James Martin assisted the IWDVPASS before moving to Macquarie Legal Centre. We welcomed Emily Muir, our new Children’s Solicitor. We farewelled Tenant Advocate Elizabeth De Freitas after being here 8 years, and Alex Azarov who highlighted the plight of Boarders and Lodgers. Tenant Advocates Martin Barker, Diana Mc Mahon, Rafael Mazzoldi and Jamie Martin joined the Tenancy team and we now look forward to Eloise Parrab’s return, in November, after a period of extended leave. I would like to warmly thank Catherine Dornan for taking on the Acting Coordinator’s role while I was on leave and leaving the desk in a much tidier state than SS The MLC Admin Team when I left! and developing volunteer resources. Festival, Women’s Corroborree, We hosted two Macquarie University Mardi Gras Fair Day, Haldon Street Volunteers interns Sarah Wang and Monica Deng Fair in Lakemba and Marrickville who ably assisted on our front desk. Council Refugee activities. Staff also The volume of work the Centre A special mention must be given participated in fundraising for Red achieves could not be possible to Pat Mc Donough and Duncan Ribbon Day. without the invaluable assistance of Stewart who have given so much to our volunteers - student paralegals, The Inner Sydney Group (ISG), made the General Legal service. The Centre PLT students, solicitors and Board up of Jo Shulman (CEO, Redfern held a post-Xmas Thank You party for members. We couldn’t do what we CLC), Anna Hartree (Coordinator our volunteers and this February event do without you so thank you to our Kingsford CLC) and Dan Stubbs was attended by over 70 people. volunteers for being fun to work with (Director Inner City Legal Centre) and giving your valuable time to the met regularly for information share Community development Centre. We held 6 training sessions for and organised training sessions for volunteers as part of our streamlined We continued to reach out to volunteer solicitors on topics such intake processes and I thank Peter local communities; staff attended as Criminal Procedure, Employment Longfield for his assistance in training Newtown Festival, Yabun Aboriginal Law and Working with Clients with a

Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 7 SS At the Money Matters launch, Hon. Carmel Tebbutt, (Marrickville MP), Frederica Mantel (MLC) and Jo Shulman (CEO RLC) Mental Illness. Thanks to Jo, Dan and Much of the behind-the-scenes work The colourful cover of this Annual Anna for their support and general of a community organisation goes Report is taken from our new brochure cheerfulness. Thanks also to HWL unrecognised but it is important and we would like to sincerely thank Ebsworth for providing their premises to note that our Centre could not Wendy Neill for designing such a for training sessions. We also thank function effectively without some super brochure and for generously Redfern Legal Centre for presenting key people. Our grateful thanks to supporting MLC over many years. their successful “Understanding Jonathan Viana, our brilliant and Future Money Matters” report at the Centre. patient IT technician, who always The local State member, Hon. Carmel goes the extra mile to ensure we are Although demand for the Centre’s Tebbutt, launched this valuable report. up and running when computers services continues to increase, we don’t perform as they should. Special will not be able to expand service Training thanks also to the Administration provision until we obtain larger premises. Our premises are ideally Several staff attended the NACLC team, made up of Maria Elena Ang located, near public transport and National Conference “Breaking New (Information and Referral Officer), on street level, but the reality is that Ground-CLCs advancing justice”. Amelia Pace (IWDVPASS Coordinator) the Centre has outgrown our current Nassim and I gave a presentation on and Linda Shepherd. Maria has just site. Our Tenancy service has seen an MLC’s Strategic Plan experience which celebrated 15 years at MLC! Linda is increase of 40% in calls since 2003. was well-received. The conference MLC’s financial expert who has also 2011/2012 is already shaping up to launched a new national accreditation taken on the task of NACLC Financial be another busy year at the Centre – process, which aims to accredit all and Administration co-Convenor. new OH&S regulations, new contacts CLCs by June 2012, which will be on Thanks to all my colleagues who are database, new website, Strategic our agenda over the next year. dedicated to the work of the Centre, with special mention to Principal Plan continuation and NACLC The Board supported the closure of Solicitor Nassim Arrage, MLC Board accreditation. We will continue the Centre for staff to attend Suicide and all the wonderful community searching for larger premises and Prevention training which we have organisations we work with. hope we will be able to find suitable introduced for all staff and volunteers. accommodation with the support We thank Joanna Mantziaris at Mark West creates our Annual report of local government, Fair Trading CLCNSW for enabling CLCs to access each year. We thank Mark for the NSW, NSW Department of Premier this training plus developing a range great care he puts into producing and Cabinet and State and Federal of practical training sessions, such as this showcase of our work and for Attorney Generals so we can continue OH&S, Social Networking and Project providing a high quality publication to make a difference to those who Management, throughout the year. we are proud to own and distribute. need our services most.

8 Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 Legal Team Tenancy Team Marrickville Permanent and Fixed Term Staff Permanent and Fixed Term Staff Nassim Arrage Legal Centre Principal Solicitor Eloise Parrab Tenant Advocate (p/t) Staff Margaret Martin Generalist Solicitor (p/t) Elizabeth De Freitas 2010 – 2011 Tenant Advocate (p/t) Lisa Woodgate Generalist Solicitor Julia Murray Tenant Advocate (p/t) Peter Longfield Generalist Solicitor Alex Azarov Tenant Advocate (p/t) Clare Jobson Generalist Solicitor Rafael Mazzoldi Tenant Advocate (p/t) Children’s Legal Service Sophie Farrell Permanent and Fixed Term Staff Tenant Advocate (p/t)

Emily Muir Martin Barker Children’s Solicitor Tenant Advocate Mark Patrick Jamie Martin Children’s Solicitor Tenant Advocate (p/t) Katrina Wong Diana Mc Mahon Children’s Solicitor Tenant Advocate (p/t) Gemma Lardner Casual Tenant Advocates Paralegal (p/t) Sarah Drury Legal Casual Staff Annika Tarbox and paralegals Inner West DVPASS Martin Barker Paralegal/locum Permanent and Jacqueline Serkowski Fixed Term Staff Paralegal/locum (p/t) Amelia Pace Duncan Stewart Coordinator Legal Consultant (p/t) Casual Graham Crawford Graphic designer Katy Jenkins (p/t) Assistant Coordinator (p/t) Linton Teoh Paralegal Administration Permanent and Fixed Term Staff

Frederica Mantel Centre Coordinator Linda Shepherd Financial Administrator (p/t) Maria Elena Ang Information & Referral Officer Catherine Dornan Acting Coordinator (p/t)

Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 9 Daytime Volunteer Student Paralegals 2010/2011 Alexia Bull Jacqueline Au Volunteers Jesse Buckingham Elouise Blunt Heather Huddleston Miguel Cruz 2010 / 2011 Daljit Kaur Monica Deng Patrica Bray Harsha Garikapati Hiranya Perera Dylan Orsborn Emanuel Blum Warren Oakes James Vrachas Jacqueline Serkowski Anna McEwen Stanley Tao Iris Chen Angela Vo Jean Liu Danielle Verde Zheng Wang Savina Yang Nikhil Farias Dominic Tran

SS Maria Elena Ang, Linda Shepherd and Hilary Chesworth (Redfern Legal Centre). TT The MLC Volunteer Thank You party

10 Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 Volunteer Voices

Eloise Blunt

Angela Vo Volunteering at MLC for the past two years has been instrumental in the way I’ve come to view what kind of work I want to do in the future. MLC’s commitment to providing legal assistance to vulnerable people As a law student, my experience has shown me the extent to how volunteering at Marrickville Legal important community legal centres Centre has been insightful and are in ensuring greater access to invaluable. What has been most justice. Being part of an organisation rewarding is seeing first-hand how with such values has been incredibly legal issues and concepts learnt in enriching for both my professional the lecture theatre translate into and individual development. people’s everyday problems, and how the law can be used as a tool I’ve gained a better understanding of to concretely help people deal with how to translate academic study into those matters. The commitment and practical solutions for everyday legal enthusiasm of the people who work problems. The unique circumstances at the Centre, from the solicitors to of every client that we cross paths the administrative staff, the tenancy with have shown me how to adapt advocates and other volunteers, my approach in assisting them, has been inspiring. Overall, my particularly with the pressure of an experience volunteering here has often unpredictable environment. provided me with a fresh ‘grass- MLC ensures that all its volunteers are roots’ perspective on the law and supported and continually trained to the importance of equal access to develop these legal skills. justice throughout the community. I would strongly recommend all law students volunteer at MLC. It is an opportunity to work with an organisation that is involved in meaningful work, with a team that is dedicated and welcoming.

Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 11 Monica Deng Miguel Cruz At the time of writing, I had been volunteering once a week at the Centre for a month but even in that short time my understanding of the law and appreciation of our legal system has grown enormously. My experience has complemented my study of the Law by exposing me to all the issues and groups of people I simply read about in textbooks. For me, it has given black-letter law a human face and a perspective on how another person with a vastly different background to myself may experience our legal system.

Before I became a volunteer at Marrickville Legal Centre, the law I knew came from law reports, casebooks and legal databases. What a shock it was the first day I sat at the Jacqueline Au front desk and answered the phone. It was no longer about a neat set of facts Volunteering at Marrickville Legal and clearly identified issues. I had Centre has been a truly rewarding to talk to people whose legal issues experience for me. From participating affected them deeply in a practical in legal education workshops to and emotional way. attending a community workers’ rally, my experience at MLC has Volunteering at MLC gave me a first- been anything but dull. Volunteering hand look at the human side of the at the front desk has been especially law. It opened my eyes to the obvious valuable to my learning as a law fact that everyday legal issues are student. The opportunity to talk to often inextricably intertwined with members of the community and gain Being supported by a team of lawyers a person’s livelihood, such as when insight into their legal concerns and who genuinely care for their clients someone is unfairly dismissed or problems has really helped me to has been inspiring. The real difference driver’s licence is revoked. This very ground my theoretical learning in the they make to the lives of practical real facet of the law can sometimes get realities of everyday life. The staff at strangers can rarely be realised by lost in the lecture rooms at law school. MLC are also extremely helpful and outsiders to the relationship between Volunteering at MLC also broadened approachable. It has been a privilege solicitor and client. However, the my understanding of the issue of to work with people who are so glimpses I have been able to catch access to justice. I realised that it is committed to promoting equal access from the initial distressed call for help not limited to being able to afford a to justice for disadvantaged members to follow-up calls of gratitude have lawyer and includes basic things such of the community. Volunteer at MLC restored my faith in the profession. as being able to understand the law in and experience a different kind of one’s native language or being given legal practice with plenty of heart! I chose to study Law as the idea of the right number to call for advice. helping those who could not help Thank you MLC for giving me this themselves appealed to me as did its opportunity to share my time and underpinning principles of fairness energy to serve the community and and equality. It is for these reasons gain invaluable experience and that I believe MLC to be an ideal legal training in the process. service and feel lucky to be apart of its invaluable social work.

12 Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 Employment solicitors Andrew Kinton Evening Samantha Abeydeera Michael Kovac Daniel Andreallo Jo Kwan Advice Adrian Barwick Maria Lambi Lien Choi Cathy Lee Volunteers Bill Clarke Marcus Lee Jamie Darams Emma Liddle 2010 / 2011 Jessica Dolan Linh Sy Ho Charis Estoesta Kate McCrossin Heidi Fairhall George Nguyen Michael Green Eanna O’Ceallachin Rob Hamper Catherine Owens Joe Kennedy Thomas Pambris Rob Hamper Anne Pridham Emma Maiden Evelyn Quach Zach Marrett Jacqueline Rennie Sean Morgan Kimberly Rose Sumedha Rathi Wasim Saheli Erin Steiner Emma Scott Nick Yetzotis Brae Sinclair Irfan Yusef Marman Singh Andrew Smith Family Law Dixon Soh Maryanne Atalla Cedric Spencer Michael Duong Rachel Teo Rescina Hekimian Nelson Trieu Christina Lam Jonathan Tyne Veronica Lavulo Hilary Van Haren Margaret McCue Korean-speaking solicitors Wayne Morrison Christina Choi Noel Tin Ken Hong General Solicitors Chris Yoo Paul Ahearn Legal Assistants Daniel Andreallo Karlie Andric Michelle Bryant Angelo Bistolaridis Louise Buchanan Sandra Boateng Sandra Berghofer Lucy Boyle Clare Cahill Rachel Callinan Louise Coory Kevin Chau Nick Damianatis Marie Delaney Stephen Evans Evana Diep Sarah Griffiths Jessica Eslick Maria Guarnieri Elizabeth Haas Rescina Hekimian Mathew Jessep Matthew Henderson Rebecca Jones Sioban Hobbs Roneel Kamiya Mathew Jessep Calvin Lau Clare Jobson Melanie Lim Naomi Jones Hana Marjanac Asheesh Kalmath Beatrice Marett-Bird Roneel Kamiya Dominic Nguyen Antonia Karavias Melissa Stahle Catherine Kelso Amay Tembe Nathan Kennedy Sarah Whitfield Anna Kerr Alisa Wicks

Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 13 Our Clients programs and day time General appointments The GLS gave advice and casework • Continued to provide our legal Legal services to 1190 people in 2010/11. outreach service at St George Service These clients are a diverse range of Migrant Resource Centre people who often have difficulty • Piloted giving advice to Korean- accessing mainstream legal services. speaking clients by Korean- They include Aboriginal and Torres speaking solicitors Strait Islander people, people from • Completed a kit specifically many different cultural and linguistic designed for community workers backgrounds, people living with working with Aboriginal and mental illness, people with disabilities, Marrickville Legal Torres Strait Islander people who and/ or people who experience socio- have experienced violence Centre was founded in economic disadvantage. 1979 and has provided • Established a secondment More than 42% of GLS clients are arrangement with HWL Ebsworth a General Legal Service born outside of Australia and more to meet the casework needs of (GLS) in the local than 35% of GLS clients speak a clients struggling with debt language other than English at home. government area of • Continued to deliver community Marrickville for over In summary, the GLS provided the legal education to community following services in 2010/11: workers and client groups 30 years. The GLS has • Continued to provide advice • Continued to undertake casework expanded its services through our evening advice arising out of our advice services since it was first established and now provides legal services to the residents of 12 local government areas. These areas cover the inner west, south and south west of Sydney and have a combined population of over one million people. The GLS provides free legal advice, undertakes casework, provides community legal education, and participates in law reform and policy development.

14 Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 Evening Advice Volunteers

Our volunteer solicitors, barristers and front desk assistants provide an invaluable service, giving their time to assist clients who attend our evening advice sessions. Without the commitment and dedication of evening advice volunteers the Centre would not have been able to meet the continuing and increasing demand for our services.

We would like to express our deepest appreciation to our wonderful team of volunteers.

A full list of volunteers who have provided their time on the evening advice roster during 2010/2011 can be seen in this report. A special Our Staff advice and information to clients in mention should go to our long- order to assist them to progress and term volunteers who continue to This year the GLS has been staffed by: solve their legal issue/s. This assistance demonstrate such a high level of Nassim Arrage includes explaining the legal process, commitment to the Centre. Principal Solicitor helping clients to identify what stage their legal matter is at, explaining Daytime Appointments Lisa Woodgate the meaning of legal documents, as Generalist Solicitor (Full-time) well as drafting court documents and Daytime appointments are offered at the Centre on alternate Tuesday Peter Longfield letters for clients to use. and Thursday mornings. These Generalist Solicitor (Part-time) The advice sessions aim to provide appointments are generally reserved Margie Martin information, advice and basic for women who experience domestic Generalist Solicitor (Part-time) assistance on a range of matters, violence and sexual assault and clients including: with victim’s compensation claims. Clare Jobson • Minor criminal Daytime appointments are also Generalist Solicitor (Locum) • Employment offered to clients who have difficulty Martin Barker attending the Centre for Evening Paralegal (Locum) • Discrimination Advice. • Family Jacqueline Serkowski Paralegal (Locum) • Victims compensation Advice Work • Credit and debt Duncan Stewart The GLS provided legal advice and Legal Consultant – Victims • Consumer complaints assistance on approximately 1525 occasions to almost 1200 clients in Compensation Project (Part-time) • Motor vehicle property damage 2010/11. This represents a decrease Graham Crawford • Complaints about professionals, of about 15% when compared to the Graphic Designer – Victims police and government 2009/10 financial year. The number Compensation Project (Part-time) organisations could be explained by refinements we have made to our intake system We reviewed our intake guidelines The Evening Advice Service implemented in February 2011. to include giving advice in These refinements mean that clients The GLS continues to provide neighbourhood matters. This will receive a better service as they obtain evening advice on Tuesday and continue for a trial period. more appropriate referrals and more Thursday evenings. Volunteer solicitors, Gilbert + Tobin continue to assist the clients avoid repeat appointments due barristers and front desk assistants evening advice service by generously to more comprehensive advice and staff the advice sessions, supervised providing two solicitors every Tuesday. resolution of their legal matter in their by solicitors from the Centre. We thank them for their continued first appointment. Also, our system of The evening advice sessions provide support. managing the growing demand for

Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 15 legal services is more thorough and volunteers without needing to speak of employment and civil law (other) integrated than before with callers to a solicitor. The breakdown of the advices and some decrease in the being directed to the legal information legal problem types for advices largely number of consumer, credit and debt they require by our dedicated law remains the same, although there has and family advices when compared to student and practical legal training been some increase in the number 2009/10 figures.

Casework GLS casework is selected from all the clients we come into contact with through our various advice services. The decision to provide on-going assistance to a client is made if the GLS has the capacity to take on the matter and if the needs of the client and the nature of the legal problem meet our casework criteria. The GLS continues to provide assistance and representation to clients with various legal problems including debt, employment, consumer, discrimination, victims compensation, fines, motor vehicle, road and traffic offences, and family law issues. Our statistics show that there have been some changes in the number of new cases taken on by the Centre. There has been an increase of over 200% in the number of new government and administration cases, a 75% increase in the number of new fines matters, a 50% increase in the number of new credit and debt cases, and a 40% increase in the number of new consumer cases when compared

16 Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 increased access to legal assistance for residents of the St George area. In particular it has assisted those who experience disadvantage, those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people with disabilities, the aged and single mothers who have difficulty travelling to the Centre in Marrickville to attend an Evening Advice session. This outreach service operates on Monday afternoons on a fortnightly basis. Three appointments are made for each session. Advice is also provided on a drop-in basis where time permits. The GLS would like to thank the staff at SGMRC for their continued support and assistance in facilitating the legal outreach clinic.

Family Relationship Centre Partnership In late 2009, Marrickville Legal Centre received a small amount of funding with 2009/10. There has also been Demand for the service remains as from the Commonwealth Attorney an approximate 30% decrease in the strong as when it began in February General to provide legal advice and number of new employment cases, a 2005. The outreach advice service has assistance to the clients of Sutherland 20% decrease in the number of new victims compensation cases and a 55% decrease in the number of new motor vehicle cases when compared with 2009/10.

At times, we are able to secure representation for some clients through the pro-bono programs of some of the larger private law firms. We are grateful for the continued assistance of Maurice Blackburn, Clayton Utz, Blake Dawson, Holding Redlich, Turner Freeman, Gilbert + Tobin and Santone Lawyers, particularly in the areas of victims compensation, credit and debt, employment and discrimination law.

Legal Outreach Clinic at St George Migrant Resource Centre In 2010/11 the GLS outreach at St George Migrant Resource Centre (SGMRC) in Rockdale entered its seventh year of providing a service to the local ethnic communities of the St George area.

Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 17 and/or gender identity. We also made submissions in support of Women’s Legal Services Put Safety First in FamiIy Law campaign to ensure that the family law system affords women and children better protection from family violence.

Law for Community Workers Twice a year the Centre holds a series of Law for Community Workers workshops intended to inform community workers on legal processes, changes to the law and Family Relationship Centre. Initially, assisted mediation, by referral across legal issues faced by clients. In the last this funding was only until the end of all these services. It’s not uncommon financial year, the GLS conducted the 2010, however the funding has been for our solicitor to travel as far as following workshops: extended to 30 June 2013. Campbelltown or the Northern Beaches FRC to assist a party in a • Legal Problem Solving and With this funding the GLS has legally assisted mediation. Referral provided advice on 149 occasions to • Discrimination Law 122 clients and have opened 14 case Policy and law reform • Victims Compensation files. When providing legal services the GLS • Family Law, Children and Same As expected, the statistics show that refers to the Strategic Service Delivery Sex Couples the main legal issue is to do with Model. It actively pursues policy and • Family Law, Parenting and parenting and contact with children. law reform activities in conjunction Children with providing advice and casework The GLS has also provided • Consumer Protection community legal education on family assistance. We also engage in policy law including parent’s and children’s and law reform in collaboration with During the year the GLS provided rights, the Family Relationship Community Legal Centres NSW, the other community legal education Centre (FRC) mediation and dispute National Association of Community sessions to community groups and resolution process and parenting plans Legal Centres and all our other workers, client groups and our and consent orders in the Federal networks. volunteers. Magistrates and Family Courts. This Recent examples of our work include community legal education is given Gamarada Aboriginal Men’s making submissions to the Australian Self Healing Program in tandem with Sutherland Family Human Rights Commission with Relationship Centre’s Building respect to their consultation on In the latter half of 2010, Marrickville Connections program, which is a protection for discrimination on the Legal Centre worked with Gamarada 3-hour seminar that assists separated basis of sexual orientation and sex Men’s Self Healing Program to parents to have strong, healthy TT Participants and presenters of the 2011 Gamarada 2-day workshop. relationships with their children.

The GLS would like to thank Julie Dale and all the staff at Sutherland Family Relationship Centre for their work in making the partnership as effective as possible.

This collaborative approach to family dispute resolution has encouraged the building of stronger connections amongst the greater Sydney area Community Legal Centres, Family Relationship Centres and Legal Aid NSW Early Intervention Unit. This collaboration means that separating parents have access to legal advice, mediation and where needed, legally

18 Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 Credit and Debt Project

The GLS continues to experience demand for credit and debt advice and casework. In 2010/11 we gave credit and debt advice on 462 occasions and opened 67 new files which involved credit and debt matters.

The GLS formed a pro bono partnership with HWL Ebsworth Lawyers to meet the ongoing need for credit and debt services. HWL Ebsworth Lawyers have been providing the GLS with a secondee SS Participants and presenters of the 2010 Gamarada Aboriginal Men’s Self solicitor for 3 hours per fortnight to Healing 10-week program. assist with more complex casework arising from the credit and debt incorporate legal education into provide effective legal, counselling practice. the Gamarada 10 week program. and other referrals. The kit will be Gamarada is a program that attempts launched in August 2011 and will be The GLS would like to thank Meghan to create a holistic mix of methods of made available to community legal self healing that will create a greater centres and Aboriginal Legal Services respect for Aboriginality. Aboriginal throughout NSW. people create the program for themselves as a means of healing We would like to thank Duncan and to come together with the wider Stewart and Graham Crawford community. for producing Victims of Violent Have you been a Crime: Talking Points for Aboriginal victim of violence?

Marrickville Legal Centre presented You can get free legal help to apply for Community Workers, a key element Victim’s Compensation legal education sessions on issues such of the kit. We would also like to as recognising legal problems, what to thank the staff of Wirringa Baiya and expect from a solicitor, dealing with Redfern Legal Centre for advice on police, consumer issues and how to language and cultural sensitivity in the deal with debt. production of the Talking Points. In 2011, solicitors from the Centre participated in a 2-day workshop hosted by Gamarada with Aboriginal community members, lawyers, healers, doctors, psychologists, Have you been a victim of violence? mentors and mental health workers to develop new initiatives and enhance Gamarada’s existing 10-week program. Victims of Violent Crime For more information on Gamarada: Talking Points for Aboriginal Community Workers www.gamarada.org.au

Aboriginal Victims Compensation Project

At the end of the financial year, the GLS completed a kit for community workers working with Aboriginal people who may be victims of © Marrickville Legal Centre June 2011 violence. The kit is designed to help community workers talk to their clients about victims compensation and to

Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 19 Belinda Wilson Clayton Utz Ben Fogarty Gilbert + Tobin Ben Slade Maurice Blackburn Carmine Santone Lawyers Santone Chantelle Power Clayton Utz Danielle Gilbert + Tobin Hammond Danny Gilbert Gilbert + Tobin David Hillard Clayton Utz David Porter Redfern Legal Centre Elizabeth Morley Redfern Legal Centre Emma Golledge Kingsford Legal Centre Emma Scott O’Neill Partners – SS Michelle Chau Hua at the St George Migrant Resource Centre Open Day Commercial Partners Giri Sivaraman Maurice Blackburn Carruthers, Senior Associate and Pro as client liaison. In 2010/11, these Bono Coordinator, and secondee were: Jamie Darams 53 Martin Place Chambers solicitors Newton Lee and Rachel Volunteer Solicitors Janet Loughman Womens Legal Fonseca for their support of the Pat McDonough Services Centre in this area. Erin Steiner Jessica Morath Clayton Utz Mark Patrick John Gooley Collins & Thompson Korean Advice Nights Pilot Liz Davies Josh Mennen Maurice Blackburn In 2010, Christina Choi, Chris Yoo Rod Stockell Kat Lane Consumer Credit Legal Centre and Ken Hong, Korean-speaking Volunteer paralegals lawyers, approached the GLS as they Lauren Legal Aid NSW Martin Barker were passionate about providing free Finestone Duncan Stewart legal services to the Korean-speaking Lee Critchley Legal Aid NSW community. The GLS worked with PLT students Liz Meyer Kingsford Legal Centre these solicitors to advertise in the Linton Teoh Korean papers and make designated Katy Jenkins Lou Kyle Inner City Legal Centre appointments once per month, when Shannon Sue Lynda Maitland Legal Aid NSW Korean clients could get legal advice Roger Habib from a Korean-speaking lawyer. Martin Hyde Maurice Blackburn Jacqueline Serkowski (Melbourne) Claire Williamson The six-month pilot period came to Mary Gleeson Legal Aid NSW Michelle Chau Hua an end recently. The GLS is excited Megan Cameron Redfern Legal Centre Daniel Hill to report, that although the pilot will Ma’ata Solofoni Meghan HWL Ebsworth not continue through the Centre, Carruthers Lawyers Patrick Carter the Korean Consulate General has Melissa De Leon Clayton Utz agreed to continue the project from Law students Michelle Gilbert + Tobin the Consulate offices. The project has David Brooks Hannon also managed to obtain PII coverage Angelo Bistolaridis Natalie Ross Redfern Legal Centre through the National Pro Bono Acknowledgements Pip Davis Hawkesbury Nepean Centre’s scheme. Legal Centre We would like to acknowledge and Sara Kane Employment Law Legal Support Volunteers pay special tribute to the solicitors Centre of WA Inc and barristers who have donated The GLS solicitors would not be able Sian Ryan Turner Freeman many hours of pro bono assistance Solicitors to assist as many clients without the to the Centre and its clients over the Simon Howard Legal Aid NSW support of volunteer solicitors, students year. In particular we would like to on practical legal training placement Simon Weeks Maurice Blackburn thank: and volunteer paralegals. These Susan Emery Legal Aid NSW volunteers provide a wide range of Sharmilla Gilbert + Tobin Tamara Simms Gilbert + Tobin Bargon support to the GLS solicitors including Terry Goldberg Turner Freeman legal research, file administration, Amelia Davis Blake Dawson Solicitors drafting letters and documents, as well Anne Cregan Blake Dawson Tina Santone Santone Lawyers

20 Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 Fines – Work and Development Orders General Dimitri came to the Centre with about $12000 worth of fines. Dimitri only worked part time and after living expenses, he had no money to pay off the Legal Service fines. As a result of the unpaid fines, the State Debt Recovery Officehad requested that Dimitri’s licence be cancelled. Case Studies The Centre worked with Dimitri and helped him find a community organisation to take him on for a Work and Development Order. This is a scheme where each hour of volunteer work reduces the amount owed by a set amount. The Centre assisted the community organisation to become an approved organisation under the scheme. Dimitri was then approved for a Work and Development Order. Dimitri continues to undertake his Work and Development Order at the approved organisation, and as a result, his licence suspension has been lifted.

Motor vehicle accident – Motor vehicle accident – employer’s responsibility negotiating the debt Mansour came to the Centre Aditi was involved in a motor vehicle because he had received a accident with a motor bike and was statement of claim in relation to a substantially at fault in the accident. motor vehicle accident. She did not have insurance and the damage caused to the other party was Mansour had memory issues and about $10,000. This damage included could not remember the accident damage to the motor bike and other but he had a notion that he was possessions of the rider. employed as a driver during the period when the accident had Aditi was confused about the letters occurred. Mansour’s income was she was receiving from the other Disability Support Pension and he party’s insurer. Her income was had no capacity to pay the amount disability support pension and she of money sought. had limited means. Aditi wanted advice and assistance in resolving the The Centre helped Mansour to apply matter. to the Roads and Traffic Authority to find out who was the owner of the The Centre wrote to the other party vehicle he had been driving at the insurer to open negotiations to time of the accident. The search resolve the matter. The matter was showed that it was the employer’s resolved by the other party agreeing vehicle. The Centre provided this to accept that Aditi would pay $3,000 information to the other party, who by instalments and the parties entered subsequently discontinued the into a Deed of Release concluding the proceedings against Mansour. matter.

Family Law and Family Violence Sharon was referred to the Centre as she had been struggling with a husband with significant mental health problems. These problems had already started to have a significantly negative impact on the three children of the relationship. Sharon had separated from her husband and the children were having regular overnight time with him. The information before us was that Sharon’s two young sons were talking about killing themselves and her 2-year old daughter was having night terrors and behaving aggressively towards her. As well as giving Sharon advice about family law, we were able to put her in direct contact with a domestic violence worker in her area. As a result, appropriate support and counselling services were put in place for the children. The domestic violence worker was also able to discuss safety strategies with Sharon and liaise with the local Police Domestic Violence Liasion Officer to keep the family safe.

Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 21 Traffic fine – overseas student In 2010 Agung, an international student, was stopped by police to Debt – bankruptcy or write off? undergo random breath analysis. He presented his overseas licence to the Around 2002 Lakshmi entered into a credit contract with a financial officer, notwithstanding that he had institution. By 2009 her relationship had broken down, she had just gotten his NSW learners licence. stopped working and was left with significant debts. Lakshmi had three children to care for. The debt in question was about $12,000 He passed the random breath test and Lakshmi claimed she could not make even the minimum but received fines for ‘fraudulent monthly repayments. She approached the Centre for advice on use of a driver’s licence’ and ‘learner bankruptcy. unaccompanied.’ Agung sought assistance in relation to the fines. We referred Lakshmi to a financial counsellor for a report on her current circumstances, as well as writing to the other party with The Centre assisted Agung to make a request to stop calculating interest as the client was in financial submissions to the police prosecutors distress. Quite properly, the other party sought our client to enter on the ‘fraudulent use’ matter. The into a ‘hardship variation’ if possible. Centre also assisted him to make up a brief description of the matter for the As a result of the financial counsellor’s report which showed court. that Lakshmi did not have the capacity to enter into a ‘hardship variation’, the Centre made submissions to waive or write off the The police prosecutors abandoned debt. Subsequently the financial institution wrote off the client’s the ‘fraudulent use’ matter. On debt. the ‘learner unaccompanied’ fine the court listened to the client’s submissions and discharged the client without conviction. Family law - Legally Assisted Mediation Victims Compensation – out of time appeal Mary had separated from her In 2002-2003 Georgina sought an award of victims partner. Her 8-year old son was compensation for a sexual assault committed by an unknown a child of the relationship and assailant. She was awarded $14,000 in compensation for Sexual Mary was having a lot of trouble Assault (Category 2). reaching an agreement with the The offender was arrested and charged in 2008. Georgina was father about a parenting plan. asked to participate in the criminal justice process as a witness Mary and her ex-partner had and she did so, through trial, conviction and sentencing in 2009. been to mediation with a Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner Georgina reported that during the investigation and prosecution from a Family Relationship Centre process she experienced post-traumatic stress and ‘old feelings’ on 3 occasions and were not came to the surface around the sexual assault. She sought an out successful in achieving a complete of time appeal against the determination. parenting plan. This was mostly The Centre took detailed instructions from Georgina and made due to the fact that both parties ‘out of time’ submissions consistent with section 36 and ‘new had entrenched positions. evidence’ submissions consistent with section 38 of the Victims Mary was referred to the Support and Rehabilitation Act. Centre, while her ex-partner The Tribunal accepted the application for leave to appeal out of received assistance from another time and considered some, though not all, of the ‘new evidence.’ community legal centre. As a result The Tribunal awarded Georgina an additional $11,000 in of both parties receiving legal compensation taking her up to the maximum amount for Sexual advice and being represented in Assault (Category 2). the Family Dispute Resolution by the community legal centre The decision highlights what the Tribunal considers to be lawyers, the parents were able to ‘exceptional circumstances’ for ‘out of time’ matters and ‘special reach a resolution and sign off on circumstances’ in the reception of ‘new evidence.’ a parenting plan within a 3-hour time period.

22 Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 Employment Law Work Act accounts for much of the steady demand from clients seeking General During the reporting period one in employment advice during this three client advices provided by the reporting period. Legal Service – Centre’s adult legal service involved employment law advice. While the Employment Centre is not an employment advisory 2010/2011 Employment Number Matters service, the demand for employment Law law advice has consistently been one Advice 548 of the largest areas of our general legal Cases 34 practice. Minor & Medium Case 46 The Centre’s catchment area includes assistance a high proportion of residents from Information Enquiries 100 socially and economically disadvantaged communities. Seventy seven percent Advice and Assistance (77%) of employment law advice clients self report as having a low income, and In the period 2010/2011 the Centre at least forty per cent (40%) of clients provided advice on 548 occasions. receiving employment law advice Since the Fair Work Act came into from the Centre are born outside of operation on 1 July 2009, the demand Australia. Clients experience particular for employment advice has continued difficulties in accessing assistance on to rise. The graph entitled “Number employment matters because of social of Employment Advices” shows a disadvantage due to low income significant increase in demand for level, language and literacy issues, employment advice over a 4-year having disabilities, suffering from period. In that period the number

workplace injuries, low education of employment advices has almost level, lack of familiarity with basic doubled. employment rights and the Australian In the previous reporting period industrial relations system, and non- the Centre introduced employment union membership. phone advice at evening advice The global economic crisis and the high sessions to enable a larger number of Australian dollar continue to have an people to receive employment advice impact on clients seeking employment without having to wait for an available advice within the catchment area, appointment. The 14-day limitation particularly casual workers and those period for employees to lodge an employed in affected industries. Also unfair dismissal application with Fair within the Centre’s catchment area Work Australia contributed to the there is a high prevalence of small number of people seeking advice on businesses, particularly small family- an urgent basis, and in most cases the run factories. The inclusion of small Centre was able to accommodate business employees under the Fair requests for urgent advice.

Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 23 At evening advice sessions the Centre face conferences. Clients have whole- not paid superannuation or other provides clients with information, heartedly expressed their appreciation statutory entitlements. In a number of advice and referral on employment of the assistance given by Pat on their cases, employees had been dismissed matters. We assist clients to draft individual employment matters. after making formal complaints to applications and complaints. Ongoing the Fair Work Ombudsman or the Special thanks to Erin Steiner for her assistance is provided at key stages of Australian Taxation Office with respect commitment in undertaking extra the process, such as preparation for to the non-payment of wages and advice shifts and help with providing conciliation, drafting responses and entitlements which led to the filing additional assistance to clients. preparing evidence. of general protections applications Special thanks also to Jamie Darams under the Fair Work Act. As mentioned earlier, approximately for his commitment to the roster and 40% of clients provided with for his generosity in providing legal We also saw a significant increase in assistance for employment matters advice to the Centre’s employment the number of complex discrimination are from culturally and linguistically practice. We also wish to thank matters, in particular, sexual harassment

diverse backgrounds (CALD), and we Shamilla Bargon of Gilbert & Tobin complaints and discrimination on endeavour to provide representation for her assistance with advice and the basis of pregnancy and carer to these and other vulnerable research on employment matters. responsibilities. There was a further clients where possible. The Centre increase in the number of clients Types of Employment appreciates the assistance provided requesting assistance with workplace Problems by law firms in accepting referrals for issues such as bullying and harassment, representation, often on a pro bono Overall there was an 8% increase in which unfortunately continues to or conditional costs basis. requests for assistance on all areas be a problem in many areas of of employment problem types when employment. The Centre’s capacity to assist compared to last year, and marked vulnerable clients with representation Without the support of our volunteer increase in the number of complex was greatly enhanced during the first employment solicitors the Centre employment matters handled by the half of the reporting period by the would not have had the capacity Centre. The highest demand was for contribution of Pat McDonough. Pat to assist so many clients within the advice on unfair dismissal, followed is a specialist employment solicitor. catchment area. The Centre would by enquiries about conditions and Pat was available to represent like to take this opportunity to thank entitlements. vulnerable clients at conciliations at the team of volunteer employment Fair Work Australia and achieved The Centre received a significant solicitors for their commitment and successful outcomes for all of number of employment enquiries dedication in attending evening these clients. The Fair Work Act concerning redundancy, unpaid wages advice sessions and dealing with contains specific provisions to allow and entitlements, many of which the volume and complex nature of organisations such as community legal arose as a consequence of businesses employment advice enquiries over centres to represent vulnerable clients experiencing financial difficulties. A this period. at conciliation and to request face-to- sizeable number of employers had

24 Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 Unfair Dismissal Discrimination – Sexual Harassment Employment Maila was employed as a cashier by a franchise of a major retail chain Lauren was 19 and in her first job as Law for nearly 15 years when a new a receptionist. She was working in a manager started at the store. Soon major car sales company with an all Case after, the manager alleged accused male office. There was an accepted Maila of deliberately mislaying culture within this workplace for Studies $5 from her till and that she had the male workers to share Internet intended to steal it. The manager pornography in the office, in full gave Maila the option of resigning view of the sole female staff member. or having the matter reported to the The male workers made comments police. Maila was so distressed by full of sexual innuendo that made the untrue nature of the allegation Lauren very uncomfortable. When that she resigned. Lauren complained about this behaviour she was told not to come The Centre represented Maila at back. Lauren later found out that Fair Work Australia unfair dismissal the previous receptionist had left proceedings. The Centre engaged because of sexual harassment. in lengthy negotiations with the The Centre assisted Lauren with employer’s representative and making a complaint about sexual was ultimately able to obtain re- harassment to the Australian employment in a suitable position in Human Rights Commission and another store operated by a different obtained a negotiated settlement franchise. Maila also maintained her prior to conciliation. continuity of service with what was effectively a new employer, which means that all her entitlements carried over. Discrimination – temporary absence due to injury Mohammad worked for a transport company. Underpayment of wages One weekend he was hit by a car and had to take a few days sick leave. He notified his Chao-Xing worked as an assembler in a warehouse employer however he was terminated before since 2008. The business was sold in late 2009, and he could provide his employer with the medical the employees were paid out. Chao-Xing immediately certificate. Mohammad had only been working commenced work in the same role with the new owner. since December and had little savings. As a During mid 2010, a misunderstanding arose between result of losing his job he couldn’t pay his rent Chao-Xing and her employer, primarily due to language and he quickly became homeless. When he difficulties, which ended in a situation where the contacted the Centre the 60 day limitation employer thought Chao-Xing had resigned but where period for making a general protections claim she thought that her employer had terminated her to Fair Work Australia had just expired. At the employment. The Centre represented Chao-Xing in an Centre’s evening advice session it was identified unfair dismissal conciliation at Fair Work Australia. The that Mohammad needed legal representation matter was unable to be resolved during the conciliation urgently to assist him with making ‘out of time and Chao-Xing did not wish to proceed further with submissions’, lodging a general protections the unfair dismissal. However, during the course of dismissal application on the grounds of the conciliation, the Centre identified that both the discrimination arising from his temporary current and the previous owner had underpaid Chao- absence due to injury and represent him at Xing. The Centre assisted Chao-Xing to negotiate the conciliation. The Centre contacted the Homeless successful payment of the two claims. It is worth noting Persons’ Legal Clinic operated by the Public that both the employers were more than willing to Interest Law Clearing House and within an hour acknowledge and pay the debt without protest. During pro bono representation had been organised to her employment Chao-Xing had been paid $14.00 per assist Mohammad. Alice Felman of Gilbert + hour despite wage increases over that period under Tobin Lawyers represented Mohammad and the the Warehouse Employee’s General Award. While the matter was successfully settled at conciliation. amount paid involved was not huge, it was a significant sum for our client.

Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 25 Evening

Advice Liz Davies – Volunteer Volunteer Solicitor Jacqueline Serkowski - I volunteered at the Marrickville Voices Practical Legal Training (PLT) Legal Centre for one day a week student for several months while I was on maternity leave. Having worked at a Having already volunteered at the big law firm, and then as an in-house front desk at Marrickville for several corporate lawyer, I was grateful for the months I was one of the lucky ones opportunity to be exposed to a more that got an opportunity to complete human side of the law. When I joined my PLT placement there as well. MLC, the Centre was receiving many Already having volunteered meant that requests for employment law advice. I had gained a general understanding I was unable to assist in providing and an appreciation of the role that that advice because I did not have Marrickville Legal Centre has in assisting those who are disadvantaged and vulnerable gain access to the law and legal system. However the opportunity to work alongside the solicitors at the Centre allowed me to have more direct client contact and gain a greater awareness and admiration for the backroom work done for the clients by the solicitors. I still can remember my first task for a client, which was the preparation of documents for a hearing in the CTTT. I remember thinking at that time and throughout my PLT placement, of the difficulties that similar individuals would face trying to navigate the legal system themselves without the advocacy work of community legal centres such any expertise in this area. However, as Marrickville. Also the timing of my I was able to help by prioritising placement was opportune as it was and summarising the requests, and during a time of change, such as the confirming the clients’ availability overhaul of the intake process, which to receive advice, so that the meant that I had an opportunity to evening advice sessions could run as contribute to those changes as well. efficiently and effectively as possible. Although I am not still volunteering I have found my experience at MLC at Marrickville, my fond memories of to be very enjoyable and rewarding my time there means that hopefully as I have gained an insight into the I will be back there in the guise of a valuable work that legal centres do volunteer solicitor real soon. for their community, I have been able to make a small contribution to that effort, and I have worked with a warm, vibrant and dedicated team of people.

26 Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 Roger Habib - Practical Legal Newtown Lee – HWL Training (PLT) student Ebsworth Lawyers Seconded Solicitor My volunteer placement at Marrickville Legal Centre was an I have had the privilege of volunteering outstanding professional and personal at Marrickville Legal Centre on a Claire Williamson – Practical experience. I particularly liked the fortnightly basis and at an evening Legal Training (PLT) student collegiate atmosphere, challenging advice session. casework environment and exposure I have got so much out of doing my to the depth and breadth of legal PLT placement at Marrickville over matters and clients. The Centre is the last 8 months. Apart from seeing a great incubator for on-the-job, real clients, with real problems, it has and highly relevant, learning and been inspirational watching the staff development (on many levels) and work with difficult clients and still provided me with a rich opportunity to work on multiple legal (and non- legal) issues and disputes across various areas of the law.

My experience at MLC reminded me that it is easy to forget the complexities inherent in our legal system, how much it affects our day to day lives and how difficult it can be for most people to understand what their rights and obligations are. Through volunteering at MLC, I was able to use having some compassion left for the my skills to assist some of the people next client. I am full of admiration I cannot overstate the importance that who most need help with the law, for everyone working here and the this community legal centre has on and achieve outcomes which assisted essential service they provide to the providing relevant and timely access them with their day to day lives. community. The help and support I to justice for the more vulnerable and/ However, it wouldn’t have been received during my placement was or less privileged members of the local possible to do it alone. All the higher than anywhere else I have community (and the community as a volunteers at Marrickville Legal Centre worked and there is something special whole). demonstrate a passion for the law about the people who work here - to The office environment is friendly, and assisting the community not only be so generous with their time when relaxed and professional. I thoroughly as individuals, but also collectively they are so incredibly busy. It must be enjoyed the hours & time spent as a team. From the moment you the local food, the numerous cakes, or volunteering there. step in the door, their enthusiasm, the lunchtime crossword? It was great commitment and positive disposition to have the opportunity to work here. Volunteering at MLC is an opportunity is both inspiring and infectious. not to be missed by any law student, law graduate or admitted solicitor as MLC is a wonderful box of surprises it provides a totally rewarding and that keeps on giving to the community dynamic experience in the application and it has been a wonderful of the law to ‘real’ life situations. experience to be part of it.

Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 27 Acknowledging Margaret Dimity Martin, or Margie, as we know her, has been a solicitor at 11 years of Marrickville Legal Centre for the past 11 years. service – Over the years Margie has a put a lot into the Legal Team. She has worked Margaret hard to achieve the team’s noteworthy Dimity Martin status and has continued the work of the Centre in increasing access to justice for people experiencing social and economic disadvantage. Margie began her career in law in 1985 as an articled clerk in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1989, she became the Principal Solicitor of SS Margie at her desk the Southern Communities Legal Services, a community legal centre 4 months when there was a gap in associated with Monash University in staffing. Melbourne. Margie also spent some time working in private practice. More recently, Margie has taken on the Centre’s partnership with the Sutherland Family Relationship Centre (Sutherland FRC). In this role, Margie has had a high level of success in cementing our relationship with Sutherland FRC and assisting parents going through family dispute resolution. Margie’s wide experience, level-headedness and calmness in stressful situations is a definite plus in such a touchy legal landscape. Beneath that sweet smile lies a determined resolve to obtain the best outcome for her clients. SS Margie at MLC’s 25th birthday party in 2004 Margie’s capacity for empathy and understanding can be gleaned from After a bit of a career break to raise the growing number of Greek- 3 children, the family returned to speaking older women who stream live in Sydney and Margie began into the office initially, for legal advice volunteering at Marrickville Legal and later, for help in the resolution Centre (the Centre) in March 2000. of a host of other problems. It is not By August 2000 Margie had taken up an unusual sight for any one of these work at the Centre as a locum and by women to pay a social visit bearing June 2001 she became a permanent baklava and spread cheer to the rest member of staff as a part time solicitor. of the Centre.

Margie has always been an extremely Margie’s generosity to disadvantaged valuable and valued member of clients has been extended to MLC staff. She is always calm, kind and staff. She has opened her family considerate in the busy and often holiday home to staff where many a chaotic environment that is the fruitful staff planning/meetings (and Centre. relaxation) has occurred.

Margie is not afraid to step up when Margie’s inspiring traits are hallmark she is needed and in 2008 became qualities that community legal centre’s acting Principal Solicitor for almost as institutions strive to maintain.

28 Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 SS Margie with Maria Elena Ang and Rowena Irish at the NACLC Conference in Perth, 2009 SS Margie in 2004

SS Margie with colleagues Eloise Parrab, Emma SS Margie enjoying birthday cake at one of the many staff Keir and Toni Brown at a staff outing circa 2007 celebrations in 2010

S S Margie with colleagues Katrina Wong and Amelia Pace at the SS Margie with colleagues in the MLC library MLC strategic planning day in 2010 circa 2005

SS Margie and daughter Bella, on the dancefloor at SS Margie receiving a “regift” at the MLC staff party in 2010 MLC’s 25th birthday party in 2004

Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 29 Marrickville Legal Centre’s catchment being impacted by DV can be read Marrickville area covers the local government areas in Amelia Pace’s IWDVPASS report in of Ashfield, Burwood, Canada Bay, this publication. Legal Centre Marrickville, Strathfield, Bankstown, As well as providing advice and Sutherland Shire, Kogarah, Auburn, casework services, the Centre acts as Catchment Hurstville, Rockdale and Canterbury. an Information and Referral service, Area Profile There are many languages spoken referring callers on to appropriate across this vast area. In the Canterbury services when we cannot assist. We LGA, an area known as “the City of also receive many referrals from Cultural Diversity,” there are over people who have called Law Access, 130 nationalities, with the majority the Attorney General and Justice’s of its residents being overseas-born free telephone service, that are then and in our local area of Marrickville on-referred to MLC. In 2010/2011 over 33% of residents speak another we received 1571 referrals to the language at home. Evening Advice service, with the area of employment law including unfair The Centre has a strong culture of dismissal, wages and entitlements and being accessible to people whose other employment matters being the first language is not English and most referred. MLC Evening Advice all staff are trained in using the appointments were in Law Access’s Telephone Interpreting Service. On- Top 20 referral destinations for site interpreters were booked on 2010/2011. 57 occasions in 2010/2011 with the highest language request being Chinese Mandarin interpreters (13 occasions) and Vietnamese On-site interpreters interpreters (10 occasions). Summary of languages The Centre is located in a vibrant, requested multicultural and diverse area that is Count of Language rapidly changing as the gentrification Language Total of the region continues. Over 52% of the residents live in flats and 45% ARABIC 6 of people rent. The cheaper areas of AUSLAN 1 Sydney have become more sought BURMESE 1 after and, with a 1.4% rental vacancy rate, tenants can expect to put up with CHINESE 1 many below-standard properties. CHINESE-CANTONESE 5

According to Marrickville Council’s CHINESE-MANDARIN 13 Affordable Housing Strategy FILIPINO (TAGALOG) 1 2009/2011 there are over “200 GREEK 9 privately run unlicensed boarding houses in Marrickville LGA”. These MACEDONIAN 1 dwellings house numerous vulnerable PORTUGUESE 2 and disadvantaged people who do SERBIAN 1 not possess the legal rights that tenants have under the Residential Tenancies SPANISH 3 Act. The boarding house vacancy TAMIL 1 rates also remain low and demand THAI 1 for this type of accommodation from men, women and families continues TURKISH 1 to grow. A recent Sydney Morning VIETNAMESE 10 Herald article (May 2011) noted “the Grand Total 57 population of homeless families is on the rise” with “domestic violence being the No. 1 cause of homelessness in families.” The increase in people

30 Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 Staffing and Volunteers Linton Teoh – student volunteer Children’s Katrina Wong, the incumbent What is the Children’s Legal Children’s Solicitor was on extended Service? Legal Service leave from 1 July 2010 until, sadly for the Centre, she resigned in October The Children’s Legal Service (CLS) Annual Report 2010. Mark Patrick acted as locum provides information, advice and in the position from 1 July 2010 until legal representation for young he resigned in March 2011. Emily people under the age of 18. Our Muir took up the mantle of Children’s clients experience a range of legal The Children’s Legal Solicitor in May 2011 and is looking problems including criminal matters, Service (CLS) is forward to continuing the great work fines, victim’s compensation, rights in of the CLS. education and employment, debts, an integral part of complaints about government bodies, The Children’s Solictor was assisted Marrickville Legal and other civil proceedings. by 2 seconded solicitors from Corrs Centre and has provided Chambers Westgarth (Corrs). Each The CLS is also committed to secondee attended Marrickville providing a strategic and responsive a state-wide service Legal Centre once a week. The Corrs community legal education program. to children and young secondees for 2010/11 were Isabelle We work closely with various Paton, Nadya Riitano, Colette Griplas youth services and provide regular people in NSW since and Ellen Rock. workshops, talks and Q & A sessions 1979. on legal topics that affect young Gemma Lardner was employed as a people. We also provide training paralegal in this period and specifically There are just a few sessions for community sector assisted with the Bankstown Youth workers working with young people solicitors in the NSW Outreach and the Youth Justice and contribute to the Centre’s Coalition. community legal sector Community Legal Education program. who provide advice Volunteers/Paralegals The CLS plays a key role in responding to policy and law reform to children and young The CLS has been lucky to have issues affecting young people. been supported by the enthusiastic people. Marrickville This is undertaken through the and dedicated assistance of law usual work of the CLS, as well as Legal Centre is very student volunteers. These volunteers through participation in the Youth provided essential support in proud to have the only Justice Coalition and local Youth administration, legal research, policy Interagencies. designated Children’s and law reform projects (through the Legal Service providing Youth Justice Coalition) and general Advice legal support. Many thanks go to all civil law advice to the student volunteers, in particular: The CLS provides an accessible Giselle Kenny – student volunteer telephone and face-to-face legal children and young people in a community legal centre setting.

Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 31 proportions that young people present with are almost exactly the same in 2010/11 as 2009/10.

Casework The CLS undertook a significant amount of casework during the past year. We provided assistance, advice and representation to young people in a variety of legal matters, most predominantly in the area of criminal law, fines, victim’s compensation, complaints about police and young people’s rights in public spaces. Our statistics show that we opened 62 advice and information service to with more complex issues requiring new cases in 2010/11. This represents young people and youth workers more advice work. a 17% decrease in the number of across NSW. Young people frequently Remarkably, our statistics show that new cases opened when compared use the CLS, as well as adults calling the type of problems and their relative to 2009/2010. This decrease is likely on behalf of young people and youth workers calling on behalf of their clients. Over 26% of the young people who used the CLS were from a non-English speaking background, and over 6% were from Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander background. Our statistics show that we gave advice to 149 clients on 254 occasions. This shows that there was an approximate 13% decrease in the number of clients we assisted and at the same time there was a 7% increase in the number of advices we gave compared to 2009/10. This means that we were coming across more young people

due to the fact that only a small fraction of the period was covered by permanent staff. Our casework is supported by private solicitors and barristers, who provide pro bono advice and assistance in a variety of matters. We would like to thank Maurice Blackburn, and the pro bono coordinators at Blake Dawson, Gilbert + Tobin and Clayton Utz for all their assistance.

Homebass Youth Outreach Legal Service - Bankstown

The Homebass youth legal outreach service has been operating since August 2008 in Bankstown. The drop- in service is a partnership developed between the CLS and Bankstown

32 Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 people almost all came from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and only 2 (10%) were in any form of employment. Unfortunately, there was a lot of uncertainty about the future of Homebass in this period which affected our ability to reach as many young people as usual attending the drop-in. This was mainly due to the loss of funding for the Homebass Project, which received a lot of local media attention and sadly, the Homebass project was forced to change and close its doors. We are glad to say that Homebass has since reopened, although in a reduced Multicultural Youth Service (BMYS) people sought advice through the fashion. Homebass is now only and provides a free fortnightly drop- Homebass outreach and a total of 38 open 3 afternoons instead of 5 and in service for young people under the advices were given. Of these young operates from 3 to 5pm instead of to age of 25 with access to lawyers for legal advice, information or referrals for any legal issues they may be facing.

The youth legal drop-in service operates out of BMYS’ drop-in centre, the “Homebass Youth Cafe”, in Bankstown on a Tuesday afternoon. The outreach is staffed by the CLS solicitor, the Corrs secondee solicitor and a student volunteer. The CLS works closely with the staff at BMYS, particularly with the street workers, who have been pivotal in referring young people to the drop-in service. This demand for general advice and the reluctance of many young people to see a lawyer on their own also led to the introduction of a program of community legal education seminars (CLEs), where general legal information was provided to young people in an informal, group atmosphere.

Young people seek advice on a wide range of legal issues at Homebass. The types of legal issues we have seen at the Outreach include fines, debt owed by the young people, traffic offences, minor criminal matters, complaints against policy and a variety of other civil matters. The age distribution of the young people seen by the CLS at Homebass is shown below. SS Mark Patrick, locum Children’s Solicitor, features in this article about Our statistics show that 19 young the Homebass outreach

Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 33 Responding to requests for workshops for youth workers and young people from local youth interagencies, youth services and TAFE Participating in the Centre’s Law for Community Workers program by presenting a workshop on young people and fines and a workshop on Children and Young People and the Care and Protection System.

Law Reform and Policy Work Youth Justice Coalition

The Youth Justice Coalition (YJC) is a network of youth workers, children’s lawyers, policy workers and academics working to promote the rights of children and young people 7pm. The age group being serviced had carriage of significant cases and in NSW. The YJC is convened by by Homebass has also been reduced provided invaluable support and the Children’s Solicitor and meets on from under 25s to 12 to 18 year-olds assistance in the advice and casework a bi-monthly basis. We would like only. of the CLS. The Corrs solicitor plays an to thank the generosity of Gilbert + integral part in the legal service delivery Tobin, Blake Dawson and Corrs who Notwithstanding the changes to of the Homebass Outreach Service, have jointly hosted the YJC meetings Homebass, the outreach continues to where they have assisted in providing and allowed us the use of their be a success, with many marginalised advice to young people, as well as venues. young people building a rapport with conducting CLEs in a challenging the CLS and feeling comfortable to and robust environment. They have seek legal assistance. Work and Development contributed to significant law reform Order Update The Homebass youth legal outreach initiatives through the YJC, including Since 2009 Marrickville Legal Centre service would not have been possible legal research and submission writing. and the YJC have been heavily involved without the initiative and partnership Our thanks to Isabelle, Nadya, Colette in the Work and Development of Bankstown Multicultural Youth and Ellen for all their hard work Order (WDO) pilot program. WDOs Service. Special thanks must go to and dedication to the CLS – their provide an alternative means for the BMYS workers Julie Kapsalides, commitment and assistance has been eligible people to reduce and satisfy Andrew Palamene and Malak Khalil, invaluable in providing much needed fine debt. Eligible persons can who are our referral point for many support to the CLS in delivering legal reduce fines through unpaid work of the young people in the Bankstown services to young people. with an approved organisation or by area. We look forward to another undertaking courses or treatment. year of working with BMYS in 2011. Community Legal Education Eligibility criteria include mental The CLS conducted a wide range Corrs Chambers Westgarth illness, intellectual disability or of community legal education Pro Bono Secondee Program cognitive impairment, homelessness workshops, seminars, Q&A’s and and economic hardship. The pro bono partnership with Corrs presentations on issues relating to After a successful pilot program, the Chambers Westgarth (Corrs) continues police powers, street rights, victim’s NSW State Government confirmed in to flourish, providing additional compensation, fines, graffiti law and July 2011 that WDOs will become a assistance to the CLS. In early 2009, criminal law, including the following: permanent fixture of the fines system Corrs expanded this partnership to Providing regular legal education in NSW. A number of changes have include the secondment of an extra workshops for young people at also been proposed to improve solicitor on a once a week basis. Rosemount Youth and Family Services the scheme such as expanding the In 2010/11, we had the pleasure day program; Marrickville Youth eligibility criteria to include drug, of having 4 Corrs secondees work Resource Centre’s ‘Links to Learning’ alcohol or substance addiction within the CLS: Isabelle Paton, Program; at the Bankstown Youth and streamlining the assessment of Nadya Riitano, Colette Griplas and Outreach and at a variety of youth eligibility process. These changes Ellen Rock. Each of these solicitors refuges will require legislative amendment

34 Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 clinic, Homebass, at the Bankstown VOLUNTEER Multicultural Centre where I provided advice to young people in a practical VOICES and user-friendly way. The skills I developed through my experience Colette Griplas – Corrs at MLC are transferable across any Seconded Solicitor mode of practice and are essential I have been fortunate to have had for all lawyers. MLC also provided me the opportunity to be seconded with the opportunity to work among a from Corrs Chambers Westgarth group of diverse and dynamic lawyers to Marrickville Legal Centre (MLC) – a refreshing and eye-opening one day per week over the past 12 change! I was impressed with the months. During this time I assisted diligence and commitment shown the Children’s Legal Service under the victims’ compensation claims, family by MLC to go the extra distance to supervision of Mark Patrick followed court proceedings, fines, minor make a positive impact upon a young by Emily Muir. I became involved in criminal and consumer debt matters. person’s life and provide guidance in a breadth of matters ranging from I also attended the legal outreach an important and profound way. in the coming months. The scheme will also be rolled out across greater NSW by the establishment of WDO support teams housed at Legal Aid offices. They will promote the scheme and provide advice and support to approved organisations and applicants. Marrickville Legal Centre and the YJC will continue to sit on the monitoring committee as the WDO project moves forward. Juvenile Justice Forum In May 2011, the YJC along with the Community Justice Coalition and the International Commission of Jurists Australia organised a forum on juvenile justice. The forum was hosted by the new Attorney General of New South Wales, Mr Greg Smith SC MP, at Parliament House. The forum was an opportunity to assess SS from l to r: Evelyne Tadros, Peter Murphy, Nassim Arrage and Graham the current state of juvenile justice West and explore future directions. The Justice Coalition. The speakers were Social Services Committee. The NZ audience heard from speakers with followed by a lively Q&A session Committee wished to meet with the extensive experience in the sector: hosted by Nassim Arrage. YJC to discuss a range of juvenile Mr Graham West, former Minister justice issues. for Juvenile Justice and current CEO YJC Meeting with New The meeting discussed: of St Vincent de Paul; Mr Peter Zealand Delegation Murphy, CEO of Noetic Solutions, • Rehabilitative programmes for the management consulting firm that In May 2011, the YJC was contacted child offenders available in produced the strategic review into by the International Community Australia and their effectiveness the NSW Juvenile Justice system; Relations Office of the Commonwealth in reducing future offending; and Dr Evelyne Tadros, Operations House of Representatives in relation • Risk factors that can result in Manager of Youth Services at Mission to a visit by an Official Parliamentary child offending; and Australia and a member of the Youth Delegation of the New Zealand • Over-representation of the

Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 35 SS Members of the YJC meet with the Official Parliamentary Delegation of the New Zealand Social Services Committee indigenous minority in child and Looking forward Westgarth youth offending statistics, both in Dev Mukherjee, NSW Council of • Invited to sit on the Advisory New Zealand and Australia. Social Services Committee for the new NSW Jane Sanders, Shopfront Youth Legal Government’s review of the Young Centre Other Law Reform Activities Offenders Act 1997 (NSW) and the Tamara Sims, Gilbert + Tobin Submissions with the YJC: Children (Criminal Proceedings) Act 1987 (NSW) • Submission to the NSW Department of Justice and Attorney • Invited to sit on the NSW General on the Draft Bail Bill 2010 LRC’s round table to discuss young CASE STUDY: Fines – Work (October 2010) people and bail as part of the NSW and Development Orders Government’s comprehensive review • Submission to the NSW Law of the Bail Act 1978 (NSW) Wijaya, a 15-year old, came to see Reform Commission on Penalty the CLS at Homebass, our legal Notices (December 2010) Acknowledgments outreach at Bankstown Multicultural • Submission to the NSW Law Youth Services. Wijaya had a large Reform Commission on young The work of the CLS would not number of fines, mostly travel people with cognitive and mental be possible without the assistance related, amounting to $600. These health impairments in the criminal of people working in other fines had all reached enforcement justice system (February 2011) organisations. We would like to stage with the State Debt Recovery • Submission to the Standing thank: Office (SDRO) and enforcement Committee of Attorneys General Jenny Bargen, Adjunct Lecturer, costs had been added. We liaised on national guidelines or principles Sydney Law School with Homebass and made an for restorative justice programs and Sara Benvenuti, Corrs Chambers application to the SDRO for Wijaya processes for criminal matters (June Westgarth to “work off” the fines through a 2011) Amy Bird , Corrs Chambers Westgarth Work and Development Order. Trevor Danos, Corrs Chambers This application was successful. To Participation in Monitoring Westgarth “work off” the fines, Wijaya assisted Committees: Michael Do Lozario, Corrs Chambers Homebass with their relocation of • Work and Development Order Westgarth premises - packing and unpacking. Monitoring Committee Alison Moran, Corrs Chambers

36 Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 Complaint to NSW Police – Privacy Children’s Marlee, a 17-year old indigenous young person, is in juvenile detention awaiting Legal Service trial for a very serious charge. An official visitor to her juvenile detention centre contacted us on Marlee’s behalf regarding a video of her arrest that had Case Studies been uploaded onto the NSW Police Force’s You Tube channel. Marlee was concerned that this video was freely available online. There had been some attempt to de-identify her by pixilating her face, however Marlee felt that she Minor Criminal – Successful could still be identified . She reported that the video was distressing her friends representation and members of her family. A complaint was made on Marlee’s behalf to the Director of Public Affairs of the NSW Police Force. Having regard to the age of Tuan, a University student 19 years our client and the special protections in place to protect the identity of young of age, was fined for failing to leave people involved in court proceedings, the police agreed to remove the video. licensed premises when directed. We have since been informed that a number of videos of arrests of children Tuan believed that he had complied under 18 years of age have been removed from the site. with police directions as he had left the licensed premises when asked to. However, Tuan had not Bail – Unreasonable Debt – Mobile phone bills moved away from the ‘vicinity’, Conditions that is 50 metres from the licensed Kylie, a 17-year old, who had been premises. Tuan instructed us that Michael, a 19-year old, was in DOCS care for most of her life, he was not asked by police to leave arrested for swearing at police found herself with several significant the vicinity. Our client wished to and charged with offensive debts to mobile phone providers. challenge the fine so he elected language. This is a relatively She not only had debts outstanding to go to court on the matter. We minor offence under the Summary for charges unpaid, she also was due wrote representations to police on Offences Act that is punishable by to pay “early termination” fees for Tuan’s behalf seeking to have the fine only. In spite of this, Michael the unexpired portion of her service fine withdrawn on the basis that he was given conditional bail with agreements with the various service had complied with police directions no less than 4 bail conditions providers. Kylie approached the given. The representations were - a condition that he reside at Centre for assistance. We prepared refused by police so we represented a certain address, a curfew, lengthy submissions to the mobile the client at the local court. Our a condition that he not be in phone providers, outlining our client entered a plea of guilty and public while under the influence client’s financial hardship and her we made representations about of alcohol and a condition that lack of experience in commercial the circumstances of the offence, he not enter a large section of matters and referencing the his attempts to cooperate with Parramatta. The place restriction Telecommunications Ombudsman police and his lack of financial condition caused our client great Guidelines. We were successful means to meet a $550 fine. The difficulty given that he needs to in releasing her from all of her Magistrate gave our client a section regularly travel through this area outstanding debts. 10 dismissal which means that even in order to access many of the though he was found guilty, he was essential services he requires, Education – Expulsion not convicted and did not have to such as his case worker’s pay the fine. office, the Centrelink office Skye, a 13-year old, was accused and the train station. Michael of theft of school property and Fines – Mistaken Identity was understandably concerned subsequently expelled from high- that accessing these services school. She lived with her elderly Ben, who had been in DOCS care placed him in breach of his bail grandparents who had limited English for most of his life, had received conditions and liable to arrest. language skills. They were concerned multiple train fines of which he We assisted Michael by listing an about her expulsion and contacted denied liability. We worked with his urgent bail variation application the Centre for assistance. We liaised DOCS caseworker to corroborate his in the Local Court. We appeared between Skye and the school to whereabouts and found out that he for him at court and explained to determine whether the theft allegation couldn’t have been on the train during the Magistrate the difficulty with was accurate. We also assisted our the alleged period of offending. We the place restriction condition. client during an interview with the made submissions to the State Debt This condition was deleted. school principal. The end result was Recovery Office for cancellation of Michael’s matter was ultimately that Skye was accepted back into the fines based on mistaken identity. finalised by way of a section 10 the school and able to continue her Our submissions were successful and bond for a period of 6 months. education. Ben’s fines were cancelled.

Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 37 Service Overview clients with preparing their cases for Annual Report the Consumer, Trader and Tenancy The tenancy service provides an Tribunal, and we attended the Tribunal Inner West advice and advocacy service to tenants on 119 occasions to assist clients who and boarders or lodgers living in the had made contact with us. Tenants’ Advice following Local Government Areas: Marrickville, Ashfield, Strathfield, Duty Advocacy Service Burwood and Canada Bay. We attended duty advocacy at the The service also provides community CTTT Sydney Registry on 22 separate legal education for tenants and occasions during the year, assisting a community workers on a range of total of 68 tenants. tenancy issues. There is a decade-long history of Tenancy Workers lobbying around the provision of funding for duty advocacy in the TAAP The current members of the tenancy network. Although it is universally team are Martin Barker, Julia Murray seen as a positive program for tenants, and Eloise Parrab. services and the tribunal alike, it has never been formally funded. In late 2010 we farewelled long standing tenancy team stalwart, Despite an apparent recent Elizabeth De Freitas. Elizabeth has recommendation that NSW Fair been a valued member of the tenancy Trading fund duty advocacy across team and will be missed. the TAAP network, no funding has been forthcoming. This has led to Eloise has been on maternity leave increased pressure on the service to since October 2010 and Rafael be able to maintain what is recognised Mazzoldi has been filling her position as a useful, but resource intensive, until her return. program. In the last 12 months the following locums have kept the service Outreach motoring, and we thank them for We conducted outreach at Newtown their invaluable contributions: Neighbourhood Centre weekly for • Diana McMahon half of the year. Despite our persistent • James Martin attendance, the service was not taken • Sophie Farrell up as well as we hoped, and during • Rafael Mazzoldi our strategic planning we made a • Sarah Drury decision to develop a new model of • Annika Tarbox outreach, which will be piloted in the • Alex Azarov forthcoming financial year.

Case-work Residential Tenancies Act 2010 In the past 12 months the tenancy team has advised 1404 clients. 50 Following an extensive consultation of these clients were boarders and process, the first overhaul of the lodgers. Social Housing Clients Residential Tenancies Act since 1987 (Housing NSW and Community came into effect on 31 January 2011. Housing) made up 6.6% of all callers The new Residential Tenancies Act to the service, and the remainder 2010 includes some considerable were private renters. changes to tenancy law in NSW. Some examples of the changes are: We sent follow up written information • the notice period that a landlord to 30% of all clients and referred the must give to a tenant for a ‘no same number to the Tenants Union reason’ termination has been website to access fact sheets and increased from 60 days to 90 days sample letters. • tenants may leave without notice During the year we assisted 233 to the landlord once they have

38 Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 been issued a termination notice, General Division at the CTTT stakeholders. The purpose of the • tenants may now make their own event was to build links between As part of our strategic planning application to the Consumer service providers and government processes we identified the potential Trader and Tenancy Tribunal if departments involved in the marginal to pursue certain claims against they believe they were issued a rental sector, with a view to achieving landlords in the General Division notice of termination in retaliation progressive reforms. of the CTTT. We were successful in for asserting their rights. achieving favourable results in some In recognition of the additional of these matters, thereby identifying Community Legal Education resources required to ‘bed down’ an accessible legal avenue for those Organisations we held education the new act, each TAAP service was clients who are not able to establish sessions for included Orana Lodge, funded for an additional 0.5 position jurisdiction in the Tenancy Division of Adult Migrant Education Service, from January to the end of June 2011 the Tribunal. by the Rental Bond Board (who Stepping Out, Metro MRC, Neami, contribute 50% of our core funding). One such case involved the General Petersham TAFE open day, the This allowed us to devote additional Division of the Tribunal finding that a Chinese Australian Services Society resources to the implementation of premises was ‘not fit for purpose’ (to and a ‘Tenancy and the Law’ session the new Act. Advice calls, for example, live in), due to its poor condition. The at Marrickville Library. almost universally required additional tribunal ordered the landlord to fully time for research and discussion. refund the deposit and rent paid by We also ran sessions on priority For this reason, although we have the tenant. As a result of our success housing as part of the Centre’s ‘Law undertaken slightly fewer advice calls in this regard our service has been for Community Workers’ program. than the corresponding time last year, asked to present a session and share These sessions were very popular, we have undoubtedly spent many our experiences at the TAAP network resulting in additional sessions being more total hours on the phone, due meeting. added to cope with demand. to the increased complexity of the advice we have given. Boarding House Outreach Policy Work Project (Newtown Strategic Planning Neighbourhood Centre) We have made contributions to discussions within the TAAP network In recognition of the opportunities The Newtown Neighbourhood Centre about the formulation of policy. presented by the introduction of the has been funded under the NSW This is a work in progress, but will new Residential Tenancies Act, IWTAAS Homelessness Action Plan to provide hopefully result in a more engaging conducted a Strategic Planning process a Boarding House Outreach Project. process of network wide TAAP policy in January. This process developed an The program is aimed at preventing development. ambitious blueprint for the service homelessness; responding effectively for the forthcoming year, particularly to homelessness; and breaking the Policy areas we have identified focused on the immediate challenges cycle of homelessness. We invited as being relevant in light of the around the commencement of the new the new team to attend our office to introduction of the new Act (or Act. Areas covered included identifying discuss how we might work together omission from it) include minimum strategic casework priorities and areas on related issues. of focus for law reform, overhauling standards for boarders/lodgers, the our Act resources, refining our internal Marginal Rental Roundtable exclusion of many share house processes and new strategies for occupants from legal protections and outreach. We attended the Marginal Rental ‘no grounds’ terminations by social Roundtable, along with other relevant housing providers. In late May IWTAAS met for a day to review our progress in implementing the blueprint that we had developed in January. We confirmed that we had successfully completed the vast majority of tasks that we had identified and we developed an updated strategy for completing those items that remained. Boarders and Lodgers The tenancy team has continued its strong commitment to reform in the ‘marginal rental sector’.

Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 39 Case Studies

Number 1 bond returned. The manager refused to refund Joe’s money saying Joe had agreed to stay for 6 months. In A caseworker from the Salvation Army’s Foster House any case, retorted the manager, he had been taken to for the Homeless contacted us seeking advice and the Tenancy Tribunal before and they had thrown the advocacy for an 85 year old man (Joe – not his real case out as the applicant did not have jurisdiction. name) whose bond refund was being withheld by a Burwood boarding house manager. When first Joe Once we had proof that the boarding house was in arrived at the boarding house he had paid the manager trade we filed an application in the General Division two weeks’ rent on a room, plus a $1050 Bond. Joe of the Consumer, Trader & Tenancy Tribunal as the hadn’t even unpacked his case when he started feeling jurisdictional forum available to boarders & lodgers. ill with heart pains and immediately left for hospital. The Tribunal determined the manager had no grounds for withholding Joe’s bond and he subsequently paid Recovered, Joe was temporarily housed at Foster without Joe having to pursue the debt in the Local House where the caseworker attempted to get Joe’s Court.

40 Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 Case Studies Number 2 Number 3 The tenant was a middle aged Vietnamese woman with limited We had been assisting this tenant for English. She was renting a room from a man who ran a business many years in relation to rental arrears from the shop below. She called our service on a Friday afternoon created by Housing NSW cancelling saying she was told she would have to be gone by Sunday. She also her rental subsidy, due to not inform- informed us the landlord had a history of intruding on her privacy. It ing Housing NSW that she had started later emerged that he had a history of being violent towards her and her own business. We appealed Hous- making inappropriate sexual advances. ing NSW’s decision all the way to the Housing Appeals Committee but un- Our service advocated for the tenant against her landlord. The fortunately the decision was not over- landlord displayed little respect for his legal obligations. We turned. negotiated with him a number of times over the next two weeks in an effort to prevent him illegally evicting the tenant. Housing NSW then proceeded to try and evict our client through the Con- In follow-up conversations the tenant informed us that she had made sumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal. an application to Housing NSW 13 years earlier and was still waiting With the Tenants’ Union’s assistance for an offer. On contacting Housing NSW we were informed she we were able to successfully argue that had been taken off the housing list several years ago. We assisted the their application should be dismissed tenant to resubmit a housing application and have it backdated to due to the hardship our client would her original application date. We also advocated for her to be made face if she was evicted. a priority because of her difficult circumstances. Despite her tenancy being safe Hous- The following week the tenant notified us that her landlord had ing NSW continued to pursue our cli- turned off the power and hot water system over the weekend in ent for the $20,000 plus of rental ar- an effort to force her to move out. We spoke to the landlord about rears. We wrote to the Area Manager these developments but he responded angrily, refused to speak with and asked that they use their discre- us anymore and hung up. All future communications were in writing. tion to waive the debt as our client had Soon afterwards we called the tenant to catch up on any new not made any money from her busi- developments. She informed us that she had been made a Housing ness. After many months a decision NSW offer for a unit in Concord. She was able to move in three was made to waive the entire debt. weeks after she first contacted our service.

Number 4 termination on the basis of danger to the landlord or property. This was dismissed IWTAAS was contacted by a caseworker from a because there was not enough evidence to mental health Non Government Organisation substantiate the termination. CHP then issued a (NGO). He was hoping that we could assist a 14 day notice of termination and, consequently, client who had recently come into contact with applied for termination based on a breach of the NGO. The client was being evicted from the residential tenancy agreement. his premises by the head-lessee, a Community Housing Provider (CHP), because of noise & IWTAAS organised a meeting with CHP and the nuisance complaints. CHP had received a 60 NGO to discuss the eviction. We urged CHP day ‘no grounds’ notice of termination from to re-house the tenant subject to a thorough the ultimate landlord. This was motivated by support program being implemented by the owner-occupier complaints to the real estate NGO. at the housing complex. In good faith, the tenant agreed to a consent Prior to his tenancy with CHP, the tenant had termination. With pressure from IWTAAS and been homeless and experiencing drug and the NGO, CHP finally agreed to head-lease new alcohol related problems. When he moved premises for the tenant. The NGO has signed into the premises, his condition improved up the tenant to an intensive support program significantly. However, problems began when and he has a good chance of maintaining his his then support service had shut down. new tenancy. It is hoped that, in future, CHP might work better with support services to CHP had originally applied for immediate resolve tenancy disputes.

Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 41 Introduction victims. The service undertakes Inner West safety and risk assessment with each The second year of Inner West client and provides information and Domestic DVPASS has seen the service continue referrals, especially warm referrals to to strengthen and build partnerships SWDVCAS to support the client with Violence with Sydney Women’s Domestic their safety plan. Violence Court Advocacy Service Proactive (SWDVCAS), NSW Police and Elsie The service has been co-located with Refuge, as well as a variety of other the three police stations of Leichhardt, Support community organisations. While Marrickville and Newtown Local the first year focused on getting the Area Commands (LACs), and this has Service project up and running, the second allowed for strong partnerships with year has seen the service become Domestic Violence Liaison Officers (IWDVPASS) really embedded in the police stations (DVLOs) and other police officers. and the profile of the service increase. The IWDVPASS Coordinator also The service has continued to meet its objectives as outlined below.

Improving the safety of victims and their children The service aims to provide telephone follow up to people who have experienced domestic violence, especially women and children, with extra attention given to repeat

42 Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 “I just spoke to the worker from The Shop that you referred me to and she seems so nice! I’m so excited… thank you so much for all your help xo”. Young mother with small child, via text message. “I felt so helpless for so long, but now I’m moving on… been seeing the counselor and have the family support service advocating for me… SWDVCAS – don’t know what I would have done without them… and it’s all because of DVPASS… thank you!” Woman with small child, via post. Improving access to services and support for victims The service aims to do this by proactive follow up of referrals via the telephone, with at least three attempts to contact each client. Extra attempts are made if the client is identified by DVLOs as needing extra follow up. Info packs are also sent out where safe and appropriate. Upon contacting the client, a safety assessment is conducted with them and any information and referrals participates in the SWDVCAS Feedback from clients given and/or made for the client Seconded Worker Roster bi-monthly, “Thank you very much for asking according to the client’s own priorities and this relationship also improves Elsie’s help me. Love you all from and preferences. We work from the communication between the services bottom of my heart [sic]”. Single premise that the client is already and referral pathways for clients. CALD woman, via text message. taking steps to keep themselves and

Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 43 Snr. Const. Matthew Holt, Hazel Cowen (Crisis Worker from Elsie Refuge) and Talisha Milligan (Outreach Worker from Elsie Refuge) • Attended early morning briefings at all three police stations with DVLOs

Needs of specific client groups The service is aware that there are issues specific to women from particular groups and aims to have strategies in place to address these issues. There are significant barriers to safety and support experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, women with disabilities, older women their children safe, and our service is are consenting to following up by and women and men in same sex to help them enhance their existing DVPASS) have steadily improved over relationships. Some of the ways that safety plan. the past year. This is a credit to the we try to address these barriers are: hard work of the DVLOs in promoting Number of referrals received from • Providing options and listening the service in their commands, agencies, by source: to clients as well as the promotion done by Leichhardt LAC – 327 • Consulting with, and referring to the IWDVPASS Coordinator. From Marrickville LAC – 324 specialist services January to June 2011 compliance was Newtown LAC – 124 • Practicing and improving cultural between 86-100% across the three Other sources – 22 (MLC/Elsie’s/self- competence LACs and consent averaged 45%, referral) • Using interpreters where which is fairly consistent with other appropriate DVPASS projects. There is of course • Forming partnerships with Integrated, collaborative room for improvement and the specialist agencies service provision IWDVPASS Coordinator and DVLOs • Offering face to face We try to achieve this in several have been working hard to bring the appointments at police stations, different ways. Co-location at MLC, rate of consent up. court, MLC, or at the client’s Elsie Refuge and each of the three residential facility (when safe, local police stations means we Partner agencies: e.g. hospital) have strong and open relationships • Marrickville Legal Centre with these services and particularly • NSW Police Force Local Area with the DVLOs in each LAC. We Commands (Leichhardt, hold quarterly (formerly monthly) Marrickville, Newtown) IWDVPASS Reference Group • Sydney Women’s Domestic meetings (see below), and we attend Violence Court Advocacy Service and participate in the monthly • Elsie Women’s Refuge Leichhardt/Marrickville DV Liaison • Wirringa Baiya Aboriginal Committee meetings. The IWDVPASS Women’s Legal Centre Coordinator also participates in the SWDVCAS Seconded Worker Roster Participation in education on a bi-monthly basis at Balmain and and training with partners Newtown Local Courts. e.g. briefings, police training Rates of “compliance” (the rate at • Attended and co-presented which police officers are complying three training sessions for general with the yellow card process by duties officers at Glebe/Central offering them to victims) and Police Stations – “Investigating “consent” (the rate at which victims Domestic Violence” Training with

44 Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 Support domestic violence awareness-raising activities and promote DVPASS The project participates actively in interagency and community development initiatives: September 2010 • Attended staff meeting at Marrickville Family Support Service to discuss safety planning October 2010 • Meeting with new St George DVPASS Worker at Elsie’s/Glebe Police • Attended staff meeting at Barnardos Ultimo to promote DVPASS November 2010 • Newtown Festival Stall • White Ribbon Day Stall • Community Legal Education (CLE) delivered at MLC – “Challenges in using the law to respond to DV” –Presented at Abuse of Older People training day (with Jenny Ashwood and Mia Rose) December 2010 • Attended White Ribbon Day Breakfast held by Anthony Albanese February 2011 • Attended Eastern Beaches DVPASS Launch March 2011 • Attended GSFLP Conference • Attended DV and Family Law Forum Redfern • Held a stall at Seniors Week Health and Wellbeing Expo, Marrickville Council April 2011 • Presented at NSW Police Central Metropolitan Region DVLO Forum (along with other DVPASS workers) • Visit to Family Safety Program (men’s programme), St Vincent De Paul • Observe men’s group (Family Safety Program) • DV CLE delivered at MLC June 2011 • Article about IWDVPASS written SS Seniors Week 2011: Amelia Pace (IWDVPASS Coordinator) at Marrickville Council’s Seniors Health and Wellbeing Expo, Marrickville Town Hall, March by Katy Jenkins and published in 2011. Inner City Weekender (Friday 1st

Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 45 Case study 1 A yellow card is received for a client named Hana from one of the Local Area Commands. Hana has previously been referred to DVPASS the year before by the same LAC, regarding issues with her adult daughter. At that point Hana was linked up with counseling and support services and provided info about AVOs, court, DVCAS etc. Hana mentioned at that point that there had been domestic violence by her husband (whom she and the adult children were still living with) in the past but that this had stopped now and she didn’t need any support with this. The new yellow card comes through with the husband as the defendant. The IWDVPASS Coordinator remembers Hana from the previous referral and makes contact with Hana. Hana also remembers the worker and rapport is established quickly. Hana says he “hit her a few times” and her daughter called the police. Hana says she has had enough of the violence and she wants her husband to move out so she can live safely with her daughters. The whole family is living in one room in a boarding house, including the family dog which is also subject to the husband’s violence. After the daughter called the police they arrived and arrested and charged the husband, and SS White Ribbon Day 2010: Amelia Pace (IWDVPASS applied for an ADVO to protect Hana and her Coordinator) at White Ribbon Day tall in November 2011 at daughters. The defendant was later bailed. Jarvie Park, Marrickville, along with other members of the Leichhardt/Marrickville DV Liaison Committee: Lisa Smajlov Hana said that he returned to the house that (Rozelle Neighbourhood Centre) and Marie Mooney and Sarah night but between her and her daughter they Stellino (Sydney City FRC). managed to stop him getting into the room. The July 2011), including photo of IWDVPASS Coordinator with DVPASS worker gets Hana’s permission to pass Crime Coordinator and DVLO from Newtown LAC. on this information to the DVLO, who asks if Hana is willing to come in and make a further Materials produced and distributed statement. The DVLO indicates that the original event involved a serious assault and threats to When appropriate and safe to do so, an information pack is sent kill. The DVPASS worker, who happens to be out to clients by post or by email containing: based in the relevant station on the day, arranges • Power and control wheel for Hana to come in to the station to make a • Equality wheel • Safe from Violence booklet (or similar) further statement. Hana comes in and gives the • Cycle of violence info statement, resulting in the defendant being re- • List of local support services/helplines/websites arrested and the ADVO strengthened to include an exclusion order so he can’t return to the Staff home. The DVPASS worker also provides Hana with a supported referral to SWDVCAS and Amelia Pace is the IWDVPASS Coordinator who has run the counseling through Victim’s Services, as well as project since it began in September 2009. This year she has had information about Victim’s Compensation. In a invaluable assistance from Katy Jenkins (former PLT student at follow up call Hana informs the DVPASS worker MLC), who has provided administrative and clinical support to that she, her daughters and the dog are much IWDVPASS on a part-time basis from late 2010 to mid 2011. happier, that one of her daughters has landed a Katy’s passion for working to address domestic violence was job and that she herself has a job interview later much appreciated, and we wish her well in her new role working in the week. on a DV project with Macquarie Legal Centre.

46 Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 Case study 2 Christine first came to the attention of the Centre when she was physically assaulted by her partner, John, towards the end of 2010. Police passed on a yellow card (i.e. her contact details and her consent to be reached by the DVPASS worker) to the Centre. The DVPASS worker tried to call her a number of times but was unable to reach her. John assaulted Christine again in the first months of 2011 and Police again passed on a yellow card to the Centre. This time the DVPASS worker was able to make contact. Christine told the DVPASS worker that since the most recent assault, John had been harassing her with constant phone calls and emails demanding to know where she was and what she was doing; he had threatened to kill her and harm other members of her family; and that he had breached previous Apprehended Domestic Violence Orders (ADVOs) that she had obtained in an effort to protect herself from his violence. As a result, Christine was afraid and reluctant to attend previous AVO hearings. Christine was already in touch with a counsellor. We gave Christine information about domestic violence, helped her to devise a safety plan, and gave her information about the Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service (WDVCAS) and other support services. A few months later Christine called the Centre. John had physically assaulted her again, resulting in head injuries. Police had charged him and initiated AVO proceedings. At this stage, Christine just wanted to talk with us about the violence she had suffered. She described how John never wanted her to work and earn money and was constantly physically violent towards her when she did. A week later the DVPASS worker got another call from Christine saying John was continuing to harass her. He was calling her in tears and begging her to take him back. He had also dropped off a letter at her flat. The DVPASS worker recommended she report the harassing phone calls and the letter to the police, and also discussed more about DV tactics and the cycle of violence. The harassment continued over the next month until Christine was feeling really unwell, crying and unable to leave the house. In order to allow Christine to focus on her immediate basic needs and emotional wellbeing, the DVPASS worker liaised with police and WDVCAS on her behalf regarding the outcome of the AVO mention. The matter was listed for hearing and WDVCAS agreed to contact Christine closer to the time for support. Around this time Christine received a bill for ambulance costs related to the assault. The Centre began assisting her with this but she fell out of contact for a few months. Some months later the DVPASS worker received a call from Christine. She said she was feeling a lot better and she felt had managed to “end the relationship for good”. The AVO had been granted and the magistrate had warned John that if he breached it again he would go to jail. Her friends were helping her to move house into a more secure block, and she was taking other steps to safety plan. She asked for information regarding Victims Compensation, and an appointment was arranged for her at the Centre. She also disclosed that John had raped her previously. She wasn’t yet sure if she wanted to take any action about this, and the DVPASS worker provided her with various options such as reporting to police, obtaining legal advice and referrals for trauma/sexual assault counseling.

Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 47 SS Strategic Planning workshop

SS Linton Teoh, Collette Griplas

SS Anna Hartree (Kingsford Legal Centre – KLC), Bronwyn McCutcheon (Legal Aid)

WW Lisa Woodgate (MLC Solicitor), Nick Yetzotis, (MLC Chairperson)

48 Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 Marrickville Legal Centre Snapshots

SS CLC and Legal Aid staff at Yabun Aboriginal Festival

SS Gemma Lardner. Katrina Wong SS Maria Elena Ang, Martin Barker, Roger Habib, Nassim Arrage

?Do you need free legal advice ﻣﺮآﺰ ﻣﺎرﻳﻜﻔﻴﻞ اﻟﻘﺎﻧﻮﻧﻲ هﻮ ﻣﻨﻈﻤﺔ ﻣﺠﺘﻤﻌﻴﺔ ﺗﻘﺪم إﺳﺘﺸﺎرات Marrickville Legal Centre 馬力圍法律中心是一個提供免費法律建議和 !We can help وﻣﺴﺎﻋﺪة ﻗﺎﻧﻮﻧﻴﺔ ﻣﺠﺎﻧﻴﺔ. 。How to find us 援助的社區組織

ﺧﺪﻣﺔ ﻗﺎﻧﻮﻧﻴﺔ ﻋﺎﻣﺔ 一般法律服務 Marrickville Rd ﻳﻘﺪم اﻟﻤﺮآﺰ إﺳﺘﺸﺎرات وﻣﺴﺎﻋﺪة ﻣﺤﺪودة ﻓﻲ أﻧﻮاع ﻋﺪﻳﺪة ﻣﻦ 中心就一系列法律問題提供建議和 Marrickville Legal Centre اﻟﻤﺸﺎآﻞ اﻟﻘﺎﻧﻮﻧﻴﺔ ﺑﻤﺎ ﻓﻲ ذﻟﻚ ﺗﻌﻮﻳﻀﺎت اﻟﻀﺤﺎﻳﺎ، اﻟﺸﻜﺎوى 、未成年人援助，其中包括：受害者補償 Illawarra Rd, Marrickville 2204 338 ﺿﺪ اﻟﺸﺮﻃﺔ أو اﻟﺠﻬﺎت اﻟﺤﻜﻮﻣﻴﺔ، اﻟﺘﻤﻴﻴﺰ، اﻟﺪﻳﻮن، ﺷﻜﺎوى 、涉及警方和政府的投訴、歧視、債務 اﻟﻤﺴﺘﻬﻠﻜﻴﻦ، ﻗﺎﻧﻮن اﻷﺳﺮة، اﻟﻘﻀﺎﻳﺎ اﻟﺠﻨﺎﺋﻴﺔ اﻟﺼﻐﻴﺮة، اﻟﺤﻮادث Livingstone Rd Petersham Rd 消費者投訴、家庭法律、未成年人犯罪問題、 2899 9559 اﻟﻤﺮورﻳﺔ وﻧﺰاﻋﺎت اﻟﻌﻤﻞ. Francis St Calvert St 機動車輛事故及雇傭關係等。

ILLAWARRA RD marrickville Arthur Stlegal centre 兒童法律服務 Opening Hours ﺧﺪﻣﺎت ﻗﺎﻧﻮﻧﻴﺔ ﻟﻸﻃﻔﺎل 338 Byrnes St Monday to Friday 9.30am–5.00pm ﺗﻘﺪم اﻟﺨﺪﻣﺎت اﻟﻘﺎﻧﻮﻧﻴﺔ ﻟﻸﻃﻔﺎل ﻣﻌﻠﻮﻣﺎت، إﺳﺘﺸﺎرات وﻣﺴﺎﻋﺪة 兒童法律服務為不滿 18 歲的青少年提供 Closed 1.00pm–2.00pm ﻗﺎﻧﻮﻧﻴﺔ ﻣﺠﺎﻧﻴﺔ ﻟﻸﺷﺨﺎص دون ﻋﻤﺮ 18 ﺳﻨﺔ. إﻧﻨﺎ ﻧﻘﺪم ﻧﺼﺎﺋﺤﺎً 。免費法律資訊、建議和援助 Greenbank St marrickville 我們為青少年勞動者和代表青少年的家長 Evening Advice by appointment 6.30–9.00pm ﻟﻠﻤﺨﺘﺼﻴﻦ ﺑﺎﻟﻌﻤﻞ ﻣﻊ اﻟﺸﺒﺎب وﻟﻠﻮاﻟﺪﻳﻦ ﺑﺎﻟﻨﻴﺎﺑﺔ ﻋﻦ اﻟﺸﺒﺎب. station وﻧﺴﺎﻋﺪك ﻓﻲ أﻣﻮر اﻟﻐﺮاﻣﺎت، ﺣﻘﻮﻗﻚ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻤﺪرﺳﺔ، أﻳﺔ ﺷﻜﺎوى 。Schwebel St 提供建議 ﺿﺪ اﻟﺸﺮﻃﺔ واﻟﻮآﺎﻻت اﻟﺤﻜﻮﻣﻴﺔ، ﻗﻀﺎﻳﺎ ﺟﻨﺎﺋﻴﺔ، ﺗﺮك اﻟﻤﻨﺰل، ：我們可以在下列方面為您提供幫助 Grove St اﻟﺘﻌﺎﻣﻞ ﻣﻊ ﺳﻨﺘﺮﻟﻴﻨﻚ، ﻧﺰاﻋﺎت اﻟﻌﻤﻞ، ﺗﻌﻮﻳﻀﺎت اﻟﻀﺤﺎﻳﺎ، 、罰款、在校權利、涉及警方和政府機構的投訴 ILLAWARRA RD ﻣﺸﺎآﻞ اﻟﺪﻳﻮن واﻟﻤﺴﺎﻋﺪة ﻓﻲ اﻟﺘﻌﺎﻣﻞ ﻣﻊ داﺋﺮة اﻟﺨﺪﻣﺎت 、犯罪問題、離家出走、與 Centrelink 交往 اﻟﻤﺠﺘﻤﻌﻴﺔ. 雇傭關係、受害者補償、債務問題，以及幫助

處理與社區服務(DoCs)相關的問題等。 Marrickville Legal Centre By bus 338 Illawarra Rd Marrickville 423 bus from the City to ﻣﺸﺎآﻞ اﻹﻳﺠﺎر (sand coloured brick building) Illawarra Rd, get out at the 租賃 ﻟﻠﻤﺴﺘﺄﺟﺮﻳﻦ ﺣﻘﻮق – إذا آﻨﺖ ﻣﺴﺘﺄﺟﺮاً وﻟﺪﻳﻚ ﻣﺸﺎآﻞ ﻣﻊ ﻣﺎﻟﻚ stop outside Marrickville By train اﻟﻌﻘﺎر أو اﻟﻮآﻴﻞ اﻟﻌﻘﺎري، ﻳُﻤﻜﻨﻨﺎ ﻣﺴﺎﻋﺪﺗﻚ. Station. 租客有權利 - 若您租房，而且與您的房東或 Walk up the stairs out of 房地產代理人之間有任何問題，我們可以 Marrickville station, turn By Car right, and we are on the The closest cross street is 為您提供幫助。 ﻳُﻤﻜﻨﻚ اﻻﺗﺼﺎل ﺑﻨﺎ أﻳﻀﺎً ﻋﺒﺮ ﺧﺪﻣﺔ اﻟﺘﺮﺟﻤﺔ اﻟﺸﻔﻬﻴﺔ اﻟﻬﺎﺗﻔﻴﺔ opposite side of the road, Petersham Road. There is ﻋﻠﻰ اﻟﺮﻗﻢ one block down. street parking in Byrnes St. 您還可以透過電話傳譯服務 13 14 50 給我們 .13 14 50 打電話。

Feedback and Complaints

We welcome feedback as it helps us improve what we do. Complaints can be made to the Coordinator on 9559 2899 or write to 338 Illawarra Road, Marrickville 2204. Your complaint will be dealt with professionally, quickly and confidentially.

We would like to thank Marrickville www.mlc.asn.au Council for their support in the production of this brochure Funded by NSW and Federal Attorney General Departments and NSW Fair Trading

SS An excerpt from the new MLC brochure

Marrickville Legal Centre Annual Report 2010 – 2011 49 Marrickville Legal Centre Financial Report 2010 – 2011

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