Returning to normal - Hume Riverina Community Legal Service latest news & info

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A year on from the start of the pandemic, we finally feel as though things are returning to normal. While the situation is on the improve, we know there are still many people struggling with the impact of COVID-19, and this will continue into the future. If you have clients dealing with issues that could be fixed with legal assistance, we have lawyers dedicated to help them, so please contact us. If you are unsure whether someone needs legal advice, please get in touch and ask to speak to a lawyer.

Our service remains busy, helping people with a range of problems. Lawyers continue to work with family violence victim survivors, people battling unfair debts, and our bushfire lawyer Harley Dannatt is picking up more work in Corryong and Bright helping locals affected by the 2019-20 bushfires. We are also back in Corowa, Deniliquin, Lavington Library and The Hub in Albury giving advice in person to people who need our assistance the most.

Advocating for law reform is another important area of our work. You can read about a recent lobbying effort below, calling for the responsible lending laws to remain in place, and a win that was had to stall their windback.

From May 17 onwards, we'll be celebrating Law Week 2021. We are thrilled to be planning our traditional Women in Law Breakfast, with support from the North East Law Association and Albury District Law Society. It will be fantastic to welcome one-time local lawyer Alex Wearne back as our special guest speaker to hear about her experiences, highlights and challenges in her legal career. This event always attracts many women from across the legal sector, and we certainly appreciate that support, and look forward to welcoming everyone to a feature event of our year.

As part of Law Week, we're also pleased to be partnering with the Dispute Settlement Centre - Hume Region, with Harley participating in a panel with the topic 'Dealing with legal issues and disputes post-bushfire'. More details to come on Law Week including more registration information soon.

On behalf of the HRCLS team, we wish you all the best for 2021.

SAVE THE DATE
Women in Law Breakfast
Thursday 20 May

COVID created a legal problem for your clients?

You can find plenty of links in one easy location our website with all the information you need to help clients who might have a legal issue because of the pandemic.

There are links to courts information, legal aids, employment and tenancy Q&As, family law, family violence and mediation services, specialist consumer help and Centrelink queries.

You can also call us on 1800 918 377 or email cls@umfc.com.au and ask us a question if you're unsure what to do.

COVID-19 links

Law Week 2021

It's the biggest week of the year for the legal sector, and lawyers get a chance to talk about one of their favourite topics, the law!

Law Week is about educating people on various aspects of the law, and the Victoria Law Foundation is putting together a packed schedule following on from the success of 2020.

Dealing with legal issues and disputes post-bushfires - Wednesday 19 May

Women in Law Breakfast - Thursday 20 May

Free advice clinics - Monday to Thursday

Phone advice - Monday to Thursday

HRCLS Law Week calendar

Come see us at outreach!

Our lawyers Raissa Butkowski and Taylor Smith-Stephens are out and about giving FREE legal advice at a number of locations. Raissa and Taylor have been re-connecting with our NSW partners, and helping people who need it the most with a range of legal issues.

Intereach Hub Deniliquin - first & third Thursday each month

Intereach Hub Corowa - second & fourth Thursday each month

Lavington Library - first & third Wednesday each month

The Hub Albury - second & fourth Tuesday each month

Our full outreach schedule is on our website, just click on the link below. Please call us on 1800 918 377 with any queries.

Our outreach calendar

NEW Easy English resource - what is a legal problem?

This new, easy-to-read book covers:

what is a legal problem
who can help with a legal problem
how to call the Victoria Legal Aid Legal Help line
Contact other places that can help

The PDF of this book is in Easy English/easy read and has images and words. The Word version only has words. You can use this if you have a screen reader.

VALiD's self-advocacy groups reviewed the resource to make sure the information was relevant and accessible. Input was also provided by Disability Justice Australia, Villamanta Disability Rights Legal Service, and Disability Discrimination Legal Service.

What is a legal problem?
Who can help?

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

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.

Our door is open for tenancy issues

We suspect many tenants are doing it tough, and need help with a housing problem. It could be an issue with rent, problems at the property not being fixed, or a lease agreement.

If you have a client who is stuck trying to solve a tenancy issue, please contact us. You can reach us at 1800 918 377, email cls@umfc.com.au or via our website here.

Results make huge difference for Beth and Claire*

Our collaboration with key services and helping people who need it the most are at the heart of our two latest good news stories. Getting a $70,000 debt from nowhere would be a shock for all of us. For Beth, a woman in her 60s, it was another blow after trying to get back on her feet. Fortunately, HRCLS stepped in and fixed the issue and she can now get on with her life. This story highlights another way in which our generalist legal service can help people with a legal problem. And a pilot program HRCLS was linked with helps sort out a property settlement and Claire gets to keep her home. Click on the link below to read how we achieved positive outcomes for Claire and Beth. *not real names

Our stories

FREE online help for Victorian renters

The end of the COVID-19 temporary 'eviction moratorium’ is 29 March, along with the introduction of Victoria's new rental laws. Justice Connect has launched a new and improved free self-help tool Dear Landlord - for renters in Victoria with rental arrears. Dear Landlord assists:

Generates tailored letters for renters to send to a residential rental provider (landlord) or real estate agent and negotiate a payment plan for rental arrears
Helps renters to navigate VCAT proceedings, including generating VCAT review applications for renters who have missed VCAT hearings
Provides renters with information on ending leases
Refers renters to specialised legal and financial help

The tool is designed to help more people using digital strategies, and will also help identify and reach people when they are looking for help and before they hit crisis point, so that they can be connected to integrated legal services and stay in their homes.

Dear Landlord online self-help tool

Advocacy win for consumers!

HRCLS, along with UMFC, has been lobbying Member for Indi Dr Helen Haines not to support the National National Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Supporting Economic Recovery) Bill 2020. The Bill finally made its way into Parliament for a vote on Monday 15 March. Dr Haines voted against the Bill, which narrowly passed the House, and called on the Government to abandon the windback of responsible lending laws.

While it had been scheduled to appear in the senate, the Bill was removed from the list in a win for the advocacy effort, led by the Consumer Action Law Centre, Financial Rights Legal Centre, Financial Counselling Australia and CHOICE. The lobbying of Senators will continue before the Bill is expected to be introduced to the Senate in coming months.

You can listen to Dr Haines' speech via her Facebook page.

Local lawyer makes NSW bench

Former Legal Aid NSW Riverina Murray office solicitor-in-charge Nicole Dwyer has been named as a Magistrate to the Children's Court in NSW.

It's an excellent reward and due recognition for Ms Dwyer's commitment to the legal profession across more than two decades.

To have a Magistrate with an understanding of rural and regional Australia will also benefit people seeking a judgement in the Children's Court.

From local lawyer to Magistrate

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