ANNUAL REPORT 2016 – 2017 CAAFLU Activities
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ABORIGINAL CORPORATION ANNUAL REPORT 2016 – 2017 CAAFLU Activities ABORIGINAL CORPORATION ABORIGINAL CORPORATION I. CAAFLU SERVICE PROFILE Central Australian Aboriginal Family Legal Unit Aboriginal Corporation Contents (CAAFLUAC) I. CAAFLU Service Profile 3 II. CAAFLU Corporate Structure 4 Who are we and what services do we provide? III. Chairperson’s Report 5 CAAFLUAC was established in 2000. Funded by The priority areas of law are domestic violence IV. Chief Executive Officer’s Report 6 the Commonwealth Department of Prime Minister restraining orders, sexual assault, child protection, V. Principal Legal Officer’s Report 8 and Cabinet we are a Family Violence Prevention victims of crime compensation, and family law Legal Service. We are a justice, advisory and referral where the legal matter relates to family violence. VI. Finance Manager’s Report 11 centre for Aboriginal victims of domestic and family violence. We aim to provide high quality and culturally VII. Financial Statements 12 appropriate services, including legal advice which Located in Alice Springs and Tennant Creek we draws upon Aboriginal law and custom and provide services to Aboriginal women, children Australian law, to identify possible pathways for and men in Alice Springs, Ntaria (Hermannsburg), protection and change. Papunya, Yuendumu, Tennant Creek and Elliott, in accordance with our operational framework and The services provided at Ntaria, Papunya, service delivery priorities. Yuendumu and Elliott recognise and respond to the barriers that Aboriginal people face in attempting Our primary focus is to provide Aboriginal victims to access services that are located in Alice Springs. Domestic Violence is EverybodyEverybody’’s Business of family violence, including sexual abuse, with legal advice and casework, counseling, information, We arrange interpreters/cultural brokers for clients assistance, support and referral services. We as appropriate to ensure that our clients can provide referral, as appropriate, to mediation, participate fully and confidently in matters that CAAFLU Aboriginal Corporation CAAFLU Aboriginal Corporation rehabilitation, mental health and perpetrator affect them, and to ensure that we properly and 84 Hartley Street 1/172 Patterson Street programs. fully service our clients. PO BOX 2109 PO BOX 201 ALICE SPRINGS NT 0871 TENNANT CREEK NT 0861 We participate in and deliver community Ph 08 8953 6355 Ph 08 8962 2100 education, development and prevention initiatives, Fax 08 8953 6749 Fax 08 8962 1033 and contribute to law and policy initiatives and reform. Free call 1800 088 884 Free call 1800 068 830 A service for victims of family violence Email: [email protected] Family Violence Prevention Legal Service (FVPLS) Web: www. caaflu.com.au Free call 1800 088 884 2 – Central Australian Aboriginal Family Legal Unit – Annual Report 2016-2017 Central Australian Aboriginal Family Legal Unit – Annual Report 2016-2017 – 3 II. CAAFLU CORPORATE STRUCTURE III. CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT The Central Australian Elaine Wills · Chairperson · 2016/2017 Aboriginal Family Legal Unit Just to highlight a few events: • Joyleen Koolmatrie, Registered Aboriginal Psychological Counsellor and Consultant specialising in the areas Aboriginal Corporation Inc. of trauma, grief and loss, and stress in the workplace returned from Western Australia to co-present with CAAFLUAC the “Caring and Sharing Day for Corporate Structure as at 30 June 2017 Sisters” events. Female community members were educated on the topics of well-being and safety whilst enjoying activities such as painting and beading. This event engaged other service providers BOARD OF DIRECTORS within the communities. In Tennant Creek close to 100 participants attended the event. It gives me great pleasure to deliver another annual • General Community Legal Education activities for report for CAAFLUAC. I am aware that it has been a women and youth, specifically in Tennant Creek High CEO School, and in collaboration with other legal and FINANCE & Phynea Clarke challenging year with case-loads remaining high and our Legal Practitioners and Aboriginal Client Service support services in all service delivery communities. BUSINESS MANAGER Officers continuing to service a wide geographic area • Legal Practitioners joined with the Indigenous Family Debbie McIntyre-Day including Yuendemu, Papunya, Hermansburg, Tennant Violence Offender Program and delivered Community Creek and Elliott. Several staff have moved onto new Legal Education to female prisoners in the Alice chapters and career pathways but CAAFLUAC staff Springs Correctional facility. have maintained service delivery at an optimum level. • Tangentyere Council Women’s Safety Group March ALICE SPRINGS OFFICE TENNANT CREEK OFFICE A permanent Legal Practitioner has been working “Stand With Us” Aboriginal Women’s Gathering. full-time in Tennant Creek and servicing the Elliott community and bush court for one year now and built The work at CAAFLUAC has highlighted some of the the practice up significantly in that area. Welcome associated and resultant consequences of domestic LEGAL OFFICERS LEGAL OFFICERS Anna Potter! violence in Central Australia and the Northern Territory, namely the high rates of homelessness. Northern Principal Legal Officer Legal Officer Given that CAAFLUAC is a small team, their commitment Territory has some of the highest rates of homelessness Olivia Henderson Anna Potter and team work is exemplary. I meet with the CEO on nationally. There is a significant proportion of women a regular basis and am given updates regarding staff who have been incarcerated and post release become Legal Officer movements. We also discuss governance, community homeless being forced back into domestic violence Kim Raine projects, board meetings whilst also taking the relationships. Carol Smith opportunity to interact with staff on a personal level. Caroline Lewis The Redfern Statement which was launched on 9 June Community engagement continues to have a “grass 2016 recommends that culturally appropriate services be roots” perspective with Legal Practitioners and engaged to work with Aboriginal Communities to help Aboriginal Client Service Officers working closely create their own policies. This statement, although not embraced by current government, remains a blueprint CLIENT SERVICE CLIENT SERVICE to conduct regular trips to targeted service areas, ADMINISTRATION ADMINISTRATION to address Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander inequity, OFFICER OFFICER collaborating with other community services to ensure that confidential spaces are provided for victims to an ongoing plight in 2017. The statement discusses Shirley Erlandson Receptionist / Receptionist / Angeline Bill share their stories and obtain legal advice and support. meaningful engagement, prevention of violence, health, justice, and other Closing the Gap initiatives. Lillian Davis Administration Administration All CAAFLU staff have participated and facilitated many Mathew Adams Rhienna Fisher Lorelie Dempsey intervention and prevention community events in all CEO, Board of Directors and staff, I thank you for your Carrie Templeton service delivery communities and have received a great response from community members. commitment to our clients, communities and each other. I look forward to further contributing to the 2017/2018 year. 4 – Central Australian Aboriginal Family Legal Unit – Annual Report 2016-2017 Central Australian Aboriginal Family Legal Unit – Annual Report 2016-2017 – 5 CAAFLU Activities CARING & SHARING DAY FOR SISTERS 6 – Central Australian Aboriginal Family Legal Unit – Annual Report 2016-2017 Central Australian Aboriginal Family Legal Unit – Annual Report 2016-2017 – 7 IV. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER’S REPORT IV. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER’S REPORT Phynea Clarke · CEO · 2016/2017 CAAFLU acknowledges the the kind invitation provided by Mary Cowley former Separately, CAAFLU developed and delivered We acknowledge also the challenges that CAALAS have traditional owners of Alice CEO of WA FVPLS Aboriginal Family Law Services and 3 separate “Caring and Sharing Day for Sisters” events faced this year and note that we continue to support Springs, the Arrernte people, Chairperson of Wooree Milya! for our women in Alice Springs, Tilmouth Well and their work. the caretakers, and pays in Tennant Creek. These events involved the return deep respect to Elders past 2. February 2017, engaging with and contributing to of Joyleen Koolmatrie, Aboriginal Psychologist, and present. the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Counsellor and Consultant specialising in the areas of Looking Forward – 2017/2018 Against Women during their visit to Alice Springs trauma, grief and loss back to Alice Springs to share her I am pleased to present my and thanks to former Director now committee message of hope and to be the guest speaker at each CAAFLU, both in Alice Springs and in Tennant Creek, will contribution to our 2016/2017 member, Faith White for attending and sharing local of the Caring and Sharing days. The feedback from be working towards the following things: Annual Report for the knowledge, as we met on a Sunday, with delegates participants was positive and activities included bead financial year ending 30 June Dubravka Simonovic and Nathalie Stadelmann; making, painting, nail painting and hairdressing. The 1. Strong leadership within the legal and non-legal 2017 to those present today. events acted as therapeutic measures to help women frameworks; 3. April 2017, CAAFLU hosted a visit from Sexual find