Latest news & happenings from HRCLS - your favourite community legal service!

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Thanks for taking the time to read our latest newsletter. It's important for us to keep you updated and informed on what's happening in our service and the broader sector to ensure you can help your clients when they need it.

Firstly, in line with the Victorian and NSW government's latest COVID restrictions, our free legal assistance will continue in our outreach locations remotely over the phone, for anyone needing advice from a HRCLS lawyer, as we are unable to attend in person.

I also wanted to let you know I'll be taking parental leave from HRCLS for 12 months, as of Friday 10 September. Our Operations Manager Ashlie Barclay will be acting in the Manager role, along with senior lawyers Alison Maher and Debi Fisher acting jointly in the role of Principal Lawyer in my absence. The legal service is in very safe hands and I have complete confidence HRCLS will continue to give high quality legal assistance to those who need it the most.

Our Report to the Community 2021 date has been set - Thursday 11 November - and I'd encourage you to join us on the day via Zoom as we outline our highlights from a challenging year. More information on our guest speakers and how to register will distributed in future newsletters.

One positive from COVID is the amount of online training and community legal education that's available. Under the Cooperative Legal Service Delivery program we coordinate for Legal Aid NSW, the Welfare Rights Centre is holding training on how to deal with Centrelink issues in October. You can register for this training below.

I also wanted to mention the recent recognition of North East Law Association president Amanda Toner for being awarded a 2021 Law Institute of Victoria’s President’s Award for Outstanding Service for the work she does in the role. Amanda is a great local representative for the local sector, and also a strong supporter of HRCLS. Her local knowledge helped peak bodies in their coordination of the legal support phase of the recovery after the 2019-20 bushfires.

While our communities continue to feel the strain of the pandemic, it is comforting to know how supportive local services are being at this trying time, as they do what they can to help people and make lives better through their efforts.

Sarah Rodgers

HRCLS Manager & Principal Lawyer

COVID created a legal problem for your clients?

We have lawyers dedicated to helping people with legal issues arising from COVID-19, whether people affected by the pandemic are living in Victoria or NSW.

You can also visit our website which has plenty of information and tips on where to go for specialist help on employment issues, Centrelink queries, family court links, mediation options, or to contact the energy & water ombudsman services in NSW and Victoria.

COVID-19 links

HRCLS is here to help with tenancy issues

Every day we hear stories about how tenants are struggling in the current rental market. Housing problems are common for people and some of them could have a legal solution. Our lawyers are focused on what the problems are and how they can help!

It could be an issue with rent, repairs not being fixed at the property, a lease agreement or eviction which may seem unfair at first glance. You can reach us at 1800 918 377, email cls@umfc.com.au or via our website here.

Contact us

Experiencing Family Violence - rental rights in Victoria

Tenants Victoria’s Family Violence Protection Tenancy Kit contains detailed information about protections in renting laws for people affected by family violence.

Topics include:

Changing the locks and other safety modifications
Getting an intervention order
Staying in the rental property, or leaving it
Privacy restrictions for inspections and other entries into your home
Preventing tenant database listings
Hearings at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT

The kit will help people in rental housing to know their rights, have a secure home and limit any financial loss.

Changes to the rental laws in Victoria have now been in place for a few months.

Visit Consumer Affairs Victoria to keep up to date with the latest changes and how they impact renters.

Family Violence Toolkit

SAVE THE DATE!
REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY
THURSDAY 11 NOVEMBER 2021

NEW resource - Disability Support Pension

A new brochure is now available for people with a disability living in NSW who need legal advice about their pension. Legal Aid NSW can help answer questions you have related to the Disability Support Pension.

You need to show four things to get disability support:

●your medical conditions are permanent

●your medical conditions give you at least 20 points

●you are unable to work or re-train

●you have done a program of support

You can order hard copies from the Legal Aid NSW website Factsheets and resources page, or download the PDF - link below.

The brochure is available in other languages, in downloadable formats or ordered online.

Legal Aid NSW website

NEW resource -
Centrelink problems

Legal Aid NSW has a new brochure available outlining how they can assist people with Centrelink problems.

You may want legal help if:

● you have to pay back money to
Centrelink

● you can’t get a payment

● you are getting the wrong amount

● your payments have been stopped
● you want to appeal a Centrelink
decision

● you are being investigated by Centrelink.

You can order hard copies from the Legal Aid NSW website Factsheets and resources page, or download the PDF - link below.

The brochure is also available in other languages on the website.

Legal Aid NSW website

Got a legal question for HRCLS?
Call us on 1800 918 377 or email cls@umfc.com.au

Legal help gets renter's bond returned

Richard* had been seeking his bond returned for some time after vacating a property on the border. Caught in a cross border grey area, he was having trouble getting it back, despite it being owed him by the landlord. HRCLS stepped in and resolved the matter, which was another example of how living in a cross border environment can throw up complex issues. Read the full story on our website.

Our stories

We help solve legal problems

As a generalist free community legal service, we provide assistance on a range of legal issues, including:

· family law

· family violence

· separation and divorce

· youth law

· motor vehicle accidents

· credit and debt issues

· consumer complaints

· fines

· other everyday legal problems

Some legal problems, like bankruptcy, conveyancing, personal injury, and commercial matters, we are unable to assist with, but if you call us, we can refer you to someone who can help. We prioritise people experiencing family violence, children and youth, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with a disability or mental illness, the elderly, low income earners, and people from non-English speaking backgrounds.

Top tips on how to deal with Centrelink issues

Solicitor Donna Flood from the Welfare Rights Centre is hosting online training on how to deal with Centrelink issues. This training will show you how you can help your clients better understand the system and clear up problems they may be having getting to get support they are entitled to receive.

The training session will be held on Tuesday 12 October from 2-4pm.

The session will comprise three 20-25 minute sessions spread over 2 hours, including:

Introduction to Welfare Rights and top tips and recent changes

· A look at who we are, how we can help and how to refer your clients to us. We will also outline the recent changes that have come out of Covid and other natural disasters and give you some key tips and tricks.

Centrelink debts an introduction

· How do Centrelink debts come about and what can you do about them. Also and most importantly, how do you avoid making the situation worse for your client!

Domestic Violence and Centrelink

· Domestic Violence and Centrelink intersect in many ways. How can you help your clients navigate the issues and get the most out of their relationship with Centrelink.

Registrations would be appreciated to give Donna a sense of how many people will be attending this remote session.

Register here

Family Law Pathways Network - latest update and webinars

September 2021 update online

The new Family Law Court: How will it be different?

In this webinar we unpack changes at the Court that come into effect from 1 September 2021, with special guests:

Lisa O’Neill - Senior Registrar and National Registrar - Risk Policy and Family Violence
Anna Parker - Senior Registrar and National Operations Registrar – Judicial Case Management
Janet Carmichael – Executive Director, Court Children’s Service (currently Child Dispute Services)

Date: Wednesday 15 September

Time: 1-2:30pm

Register here

Allegations of child sexual abuse - an empirical analysis of Family Court judgements

Join researchers, Bruce Smyth, Nola Webb, Lawrence Moloney and Robyn Murphy to discuss their recent research on allegations of child sexual abuse in court proceedings through an empirical analysis of Family Court of Australia judgments.

Use this link to access the journal article - https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ajs4.17.

The event will be held on Zoom, with the link sent out to registrants closer to the date.

Date: Thursday 7 October

Time: 5:30-7:30pm

Register here

Everybody's Home - add your voice!

With the National Summit on Women’s Safety underway, the Everybody’s Home petition is calling on Prime Minister Scott Morrison to invest urgently in social housing to provide a safety net for women fleeing domestic violence.

Sign the petition calling on the Federal Government to take action now: Build more homes for domestic violence survivors.

Join HRCLS in signing the petition!

Sign on here

Social Housing Regulation Review survey

The independent Panel for the Social Housing Regulation Review is conducting a comprehensive review of Victoria’s public and community housing (social housing) system.

Share your views, or reach out to the Review team directly to make submissions. The Panel is particularly interested in hearing the views of social housing tenants and people eligible for social housing.

There is a page of resources for organisations, tenants and clients and factsheets and printable feedback surveys available in 13 community languages. The link that can be shared directly with clients is here.

Submissions close on 20 September, and can be made via Engage Victoria or via email.

Engage Victoria Social Housing Review

NEW Resource - Wage Theft infosheets

JobWatch has a new infosheet resource – Wage Theft In Victoria. This new infosheet is designed to help employees identify their rights and take the most appropriate action under the Wage Theft Act 2020 (Vic), which came into effect 1 July 2021.

The following infosheets have also been updated with new relevant legal information:

Casual Employment
General Protections Dispute – Non-Termination
General Protections Dispute – Termination
Unfair Dismissal
Workplace Bullying

Please share these new and updated resources with your networks and clients.

Seniors Rights Victoria 2021
Speakers in Spring for Seniors

The Speakers in Spring for Seniors series was initiated in 2020 and received popular support from seniors with up to 30 people attending each session.

From the feedback provided by last year’s participants, Seniors Rights Victoria is offering those topics in September that were most popular in 2020.

Bookings are essential and the details are on the attached flyer.

Due to current restrictions, the sessions are only available by logging onto Zoom, the details of which will be provided at the time of the booking.

Financial Independence Hub - free support for Victim Survivors

Good Shepherd have co-designed a free service, the Financial Independence Hub, which works with people who have experienced financial abuse as a result of domestic and family violence.

The FREE service supports people to gain financial independence through financial coaching, support and referrals into other services. People are helped to build a path to financial independence and access to support is as long as required.

The Financial Independence Hub is appropriate for an exit referral after your client's legal matter has resolved, as it is designed for people who are not experiencing active crisis.

Good Shepherd website

Need help sorting out finances?

UMFC Financial Counselling – phone appointments available. Call 02 6055 8000 to speak with a financial counsellor.

Uniting Goulburn North East Financial and Gambling Counselling - Financial counsellors are operating on the phone (02) 6021 7099 or email stdavids@vt.uniting.org.

Anglicare Riverina - email riverinafc@anglicare.com.au to speak with a financial counsellor who can help you sort out problems with your finances and get you on the right track.

Help available for energy bills

People don't have to put up with unfair treatment from utility providers. Help is available in NSW and Victoria so please share this information with your clients. If people are facing disconnection they should contact the relevant Ombudsman to seek advice.

Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW

Rebates and concessions

EAPA

Changing retailers - energyswitch

Factsheets - Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW

Contact EWON

Energy & Water Ombudsman Victoria

Concessions and grants

Choose an energy plan

Contact EWOV