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Print this pageConference Program
TUESDAY 4 MAY - Regional, Rural & Remote CLCs and Specialist Centres Only
Opening Plenary: Social Justice in a Rural Environment
Despite increased academic and policy attention to the law & justice needs of regional, remote and rural areas, the work towards achieving social justice in RRR communities retains significant and unique challenges. Geography plays its part, but our greater challenge is to convince policy makers that our communities are diverse, vibrant and equally deserving.
Presenter: Dr Jennifer Nielsen, Head of School of Law & Justice, Southern Cross University
click here to listen to presentation
Session One A: Elder Law: Issues Encountered when Entering a Retirement Village and the Growing Concern of Elder Financial Abuse
The Older Persons’ Legal Service has noticed an increasing trend in elder financial abuse by attorneys appointed under a Power of Attorney. There appears to be misunderstandings in the legal sector and the community at large as to when this document comes into force and what entitlements it provides.
Let us set you straight on the provisions governing the use of Power of Attorney. We explore various case studies that evidence financial abuse happening to older people and the lack of legal provision to protect their interest. We also expand on providing advice that helps to protect the donor by explaining to them how they protect themselves.
Presenters: Nalika Padmasena and Margaret Small, Solicitors, The Aged Care Rights Service
Session One B: Legal Needs: Collecting and Tapping Into Your Own Data
The Legal Needs and Strategic Planning Project (CLCNSW and Judith Stubbs & Associates) aimed to develop a model planning process to assist CLCs to better meet "met" and "unmet" legal needs in their communities. The Legal Needs Strategic Planning Toolkit arising from that project provides a step-by-step guide for CLCs to use a range of data (including CLSIS) to undertake evidence-based planning. This presentation gave an overview of the toolkit and how data is used.
There is a great deal of information hidden in CLSIS regarding our clients and the type of matters they need help with. This information is invaluable for strategic planning and ensuring we are providing the right services in the areas most needing it. This session looked at the type of information available and how to extract it in usable reports.
Presenters: Jane Cipants, Senior Research Associate, Judith Stubbs & Associates; Justin Finighan, Consultant, National Association of Community Legal Centres
click here to view Jane Cipants presentationSession Two A: Engaging With Your Local Gaols
A panel discussion looked at how different services around NSW have approached working with prisoners, their varying experiences and the issues that have arisen.
Guest speaker: Geoffrey Tremelling, Solicitor, Prisoners Legal Service, Legal Aid NSW
click here to view Geoffery Tremelling's presentation
Panel: Patrick O'Callaghan, Principal Solicitor, Western NSW CLC; Phillippa Davis, Principal Solicitor, Hawkesbury Nepean CLC; Chris Grant, Principal Solicitor, Elizabeth Evatt LC
Session Two B: Connecting CLCs – Webex
Webex has a number of valuable uses for RRR centres. This includes online training where you can interact with the trainer. It can also be used for meetings where it is possible to share documents as part of the process. This session demonstrated how Webex can improve communication processes for those of us outside of Sydney.
Presenter: Justin Finighan, Consultant, National Association of Community Legal Centres
Session Three: Specialist Showcasing
Four Specialist Centres provided an overview of their work, highlighting those areas of specific interest to RRR Centres.
Presenters: Welfare Rights Centre, Wirringa Baiya Aboriginal Women’s Legal Centre, Consumer Credit Legal Centre, National Children’s & Youth Law Centre
click here to view Welfare Rights presentationclick here to view Wirringa Baiya presentation
click here to view Consumer Credit presentation
click here to view NCYL presentation
Closing Plenary: Centre Networking and Showcasing Resources
RRR Centres will each spoke about an area of their work that is specific to that Centre.
WEDNESDAY 5 MAY
Opening Plenary: Conference Welcome: The Hon. John Hatzistergos, MLC, NSW Attorney General
Keynote Address: The Hon. Justice Virginia Bell, Justice of the High Court of Australia
click here to view Justice Bell's speech
Session Four: Engaging Communities in Policy Development and Education
This session looked at strategies to ensure effective community participation in policy development and education programs.
Presenters: Chris Hartley, Policy Officer, Homeless Persons' Legal Service; Kevin Simpson, Member, Street Care; Linda Tucker, Solicitor, Kingsford Legal Centre; Lina Cabaero, Coordinator, Asian Women at Work
click here to view Street Care presentation
Session Five: Criminalising Disadvantage: The Prosecution of Social Security Offences
Between 3,000 and 4,000 people are prosecuted for Social Security offences each year. Over 95% of these people plead guilty. Unlike most criminal offences, around 50% of offenders are women. This presentation was given from three perspectives: that of the Welfare Rights Centre; that of a solicitor in private practice; and that of Legal Aid NSW.
Presenters: Dianne Anagnos, Solicitor, Welfare Rights Centre NSW; Patrick Duffy, Solicitor, Duffy and Associates; Nerissa Keay, Solicitor in Charge, Legal Aid NSW Wollongong office
click here to view Dianne Anagnos' presentationclick here to view Nerissa Keay's notes
From extreme weather events to emissions trading schemes, Climate Change is being increasingly recognised, not only as an environmental issue, but one with serious and inevitable impacts on social justice and human rights. This session considered how the law is interacting with climate change in the contexts of: the use of climate change litigation; whether a Federal human rights act would promote 'climate justice'; and how climate change might affect the community sector, the services we provide and our clients.
Presenters: Kirsty Ruddock, Principal Solicitor and Gillian Duggin, Policy Officer, Environmental Defenders Office NSW; Tony Westmore, Senior Policy Officer, Australian Council of Social Service
click here to view Kirsty Ruddock's presentationclick here to view Gillian Duggin's presentation
This session looked at issues and strategies to assist people who have experienced out of home care. How might legal services assist to a) avoid situations developing to the point of removal of children from families; b) keep families connected post-removal; and c) achieve social justice for care leavers and lead to reform of today’s care system?
Presenters: Lynda Holden, Volunteer and Elizabeth Morley, Principal Solicitor, Redfern Legal Centre; Katherine McFarlane, Lecturer, Justice Studies / Criminology, Charles Sturt University
click here to view Lynda and Elizabeth's presentationclick here to view Lynda and Elizabeth's speech notes
Session Eight: Taking Human Rights Cases to the United Nations
International human rights complaints procedures can be an effective tool to advocate for clients and systemic change. This session provided an overview of the procedures, focusing on CEDAW and ICCPR, followed by a facilitated discussion of Australian and international cases, including the TJ Hickey and Corinna Horvath cases. It looked at the obstacles, opportunities and limitations, as well as the motivations that exist behind bringing such cases to the United Nations.
Presenters: Edwina MacDonald, Law Reform and Policy Solicitor, Women’s Legal Services NSW; Tamar Hopkins, Principal Solicitor, Flemington and Kensington Legal Centre, Victoria
click here to view Edwina McDonald's presentationclick here to view Edwina McDonald's handout
- Link to more information on Flemington & Kensington CLC's current UN
communications
Session Nine: Effective Lobbying
This session considered how CLC activists and lobbyists can more effectively lobby government in policy development.
Presenters: Dominic O'Grady, Media and Communications Officer, Carolyn Grenville, Training Coordinator and Louis Schetzer, Research and Policy Officer, Public Interest Advocacy Centre
click here to view Effective Lobbying presentation
Session Ten: Civil and Family Law Needs of Indigenous People in NSW
This session set out the findings of research conducted into the civil and family law needs of Indigenous people in NSW. While there is research seeking to identify the criminal law needs of Indigenous clients, this is the first statewide Indigenous-specific assessment of civil and family law needs. The session also provides a CLC perspective of current issues for Indigenous clients with civil and family law matters.
Presenter: Professor Chris Cuneen, James Cook University
click here to view Chris Cuneen's presentationSession Eleven: Disability and the Law
An update on new developments in the law affecting people with disability, with a focus on: a) Mental Illness and traffic offences - the case for a change in judicial attitudes; b) What the new Fair Work Act, the referral of IR laws by NSW to the Commonwealth, and the amendments to the Disability Discrimination Act, means for employees with disability and c) Guardianship and financial management law in NSW.
Presenters: Michal Mantaj, Senior Criminal Lawyer, Armstrong Legal; Elizabeth Meyer, Solicitor, Disability Discrimination Legal Centre; Ben Fogarty, Acting Director of Pro Bono, Gilbert and Tobin
click here to view Elizabeth Meyer's presentationclick here to view Ben Fogarty's presentation
Between 2007 and 2008 the number of young people on remand in NSW increased by 32%. Proactive monitoring by police, changes to bail laws, onerous bail conditions, as well as unlawful and unnecessary arrests, are some of the factors contributing to this increase.
This session looked at the Bail me Out report by the NSW Youth Justice Coalition and the Children in Detention Advocacy Project (CIDnAP) and examined the advocacy tools used by these groups to tackle the issues leading to the increasing numbers of young people on remand.
Presenters: Katrina Wong, Children’s Solicitor, Marrickville Legal Centre; Vavaa Mawuli, Senior Solicitor - Indigenous Justice Program, Public Interest Advocacy Centre
click here to view Katrina Wong's presentation
THURSDAY 6 MAY
Opening Plenary: Social Justice, Disability and the Criminal Justice System
An exploration of what social justice means in the context of mental and cognitive disability in the criminal justice system. Using findings from a large research project on pathways into prison, evidence is presented of the negative, compounding and funnelling effect of inequitable social institutions, policies and treatment on disadvantaged persons with these disabilities. This presentation will discuss the numerous points at which positive intervention, both early in these pathways and once in the criminal justice system, can be used to prevent people with these disabilities entering the system and assist them to escape the prison cycle.
Keynote Presenter: Associate Professor Eileen Baldry, Associate Dean (Education), Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, UNSW
Panel Discussion: Legal Education and Advice in Prison (LEAP) for Women: Pip Davis, Principal Solicitor, Hawkesbury Nepean Community Legal Centre; Thea Deakin-Greenwood, Solicitor, Wirringa Baiya Aboriginal Womens' Legal Centre; Women in Prison Advocacy Network (WIPAN): Kat Armstrong, Public Officer, WIPAN
click here to view LEAP presentation
Session Thirteen: Working with Indigenous Communities
A discussion of Indigenous issues, including working with the Campbelltown Indigenous communities, and the administrative law mechanisms for aggrieved Aboriginal Land Council members.
Presenters: Erin Lynch, Solicitor and Trevor Binjuda, ALAP Worker, Macarthur Legal Centre; Carl Freer, Aboriginal Legal Officer, Tenants Union NSW
Session Fourteen: CLC Partnerships: Pointers for Productive Pairings
This session looked at ways of developing effective partnerships. It focused on the Older Persons Legal & Education Program, which is a partnership between The Aged-care Rights Service and Legal Aid NSW.
Presenters: Lauren Finestone, Senior Solicitor, Older Persons Legal and Education Unit, Legal Aid NSW; Janna Taylor, CEO, The Aged Rights Service including Older Persons Service; Robyn Gray, Principal, Herne Gray and Associates
click here to view Robyn Gray's presentationclick here to view Robyn Gray's speech notes
Session Fifteen: Law Reforms: Consumer Credit and Tenancy Law
In July 2010 ASIC will become the sole
regulator of credit in Australia, with a whole new Act to administer involving
a licensing regime and new obligations, offences and remedies. This workshop provided an overview on
recent important changes and reforms in consumer credit.
This session also examined the progress of the tenancy law reform legislation
proposed by NSW government.
Presenters: Susan Winfield, Senior Solicitor and Katherine Lane, Principal Solicitor, Consumer Credit Legal Centre; Grant Arbuthnot, Principal Solicitor and Ken Beilby, Litigation Solicitor, Tenants Union of NSW
click here to view Consumer Credit presentationclick here to view Tenancy Law presentation
Session Sixteen: Working With Self Represented Litigants
This session discussed two ways that CLC workers can assist people who don't have legal representation. Natalie Ross provided an overview of LawAssist, a new service of LawAccess NSW launched in May 2010. LawAssist is a website with practical resources to help self represented litigants. Andrea de Smidt shared QPILCH’s experiences of operating the Self Representation Service at the Brisbane District and Supreme Courts, and the multi-jurisdictional Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT).
Presenters: Natalie Ross, Team Leader LawAssist, LawAccess NSW; Andrea de Smidt, Solicitor/Coordinator, Self Representation Service (Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal)
click here to view Natalie Ross' presentationclick here to view Andrew de Smidt's presentation
Session Seventeen: CLE - Never a Last Resort
A discussion of the important role community legal education plays, with innovative ways of engaging people in the legal education process.
Facilitator: Susan Winfield, Senior Solicitor, Consumer Credit Legal Centre. Presenters: John Rafferty, Principal Solicitor, Macquarie Legal Centre; Meredith Osborne, Education and Promotion Coordinator, Elizabeth Evatt Community Legal Centre; Kirsten Cameron, Community Legal Education Coordinator, Legal Aid NSW; Chris Hartley, Policy Officer/Solicitor, Homeless Persons Legal Service; Julie Foreman, Learning and Development Coordinator, Tenants' Union NSW; Sharon Callaghan, CCAS Coordinator, Illawarra Legal Centre; Andrew Boulton from Older Persons Tenant Service.
click here to view John Rafferty's notesclick here to view Meredith Osborne's presentation
click here to view Julie Foreman's notes
click here to view Sharon Callaghan's notes
click here to view 'PhotoVoice' presentation
Session Eighteen: CLCs Work with Asylum Seekers in Australia
An information session on asylum seeker issues in Australia that are relevant to community legal centres. This session looked at issues relevant to generalist CLCs and their work in the community and in detention centres such as Christmas Island.
Presenters: Melissa McAdam, Director, Natalie Zerial and Renee Chartres, Solicitor Case Workers, Refugee Advice and Casework Service; Chris Yuen, Solicitor Case Worker, Immigration Advice Rights Centre
click here to view RACS presentation - part 1click here to view RACS presentation - part 2
click here to view RACS presentation - part 4
Closing Plenary: The Value of Working in the CLC Sector: Life Beyond CLCs
In 2010, the CLC movement in NSW celebrates 35 years of existence. In that time, thousands of people have worked or volunteered in CLCs across NSW. Many of these people have gone onto careers beyond CLCs, such as other public legal service providers, academia, the judiciary, private practice and government bodies. Some have also gone onto careers away from the law. This closing plenary had four former CLC workers talking about their experiences whilst in CLCs and how they’ve valued that time in their careers since.
Panel: Betty Hounslow, Deputy CEO, Fred Hollows Foundation; Michelle Jones, Manager, Women's Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Program, Legal Aid NSW; Ben Slade, Managing Principal NSW, Maurice Blackburn
