This reflective journal is part of Community Legal Centres NSW Regional, Rural and Remote Internship Program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.
Before starting my internship with the Western New South Wales Community Legal Centre, I had volunteered sometime as part of placement for my Criminology/Law degree at the Aboriginal Legal Service in Newcastle and was curious to see how it compared in a rural town. I had also become accustomed to the concrete jungle known as Sydney where I had worked for the past year as a paralegal.
I drove from to Dubbo from Newcastle, which is roughly four and a half hours, I’d been out that way before, but I must admit it was the furthest west I’d ever been. I checked into my humble abode (the motel) which I’d call home for a week and settled myself in to prepare for the week ahead.
Day 1
I woke up to a rather large thunderstorm which continued throughout the day with a fair bit of rain. I turned up to the office at 9 sharp, was greeted by the team and given a brief tour around the office. I wasn’t expecting the office to be in a small house (see image below). The morning was a whirlwind of activity with ‘Opening of Law Term’. We left the office at 9:15 and walked to the Court where I was pleasantly surprised by its grandeur. The Court was presided by Justice Huggett, Justice Anderson SC, and Magistrate Tang. After, we followed the procession to the church down the road. Heels were not a smart choice for the day’s activities. The morning was concluded with a morning tea provided by the Anglican Church with an array of sweets and sandwiches. It was at this gathering I had the chance to meet numerous people and spoke with Chief Justice Huggett briefly about the internship.
The afternoon’s activities involved getting to know everyone and the processes involved. The solicitors provided a great overview of some of the legal issues they may see and what their average day may look like. The day absolutely flew by and before I knew it, it was time to head to my ‘home’ and forage for dinner.
Day 2
I attended an information session hosted by the Women’s Legal Service. This session was highly useful and informative for me as I had minimal knowledge of the resources available and the updates to the laws in terms of coercive control and AVO’s. Interestingly, coercive control only applies to offences which occurred after 1 July 2024, this creates a difficulty in proving the offence occurred. There were some useful tips provided to assist in proving coercive control including; ‘Empower You’ app, texts and emails, statements from family and friends and records that show a drift from clubs, sports and organisations. Further changes to the laws include no longer being required to go required to attend conciliation counselling for a divorce if divorcing before two years and children under 18 can now change their name if the parent is the sole carer.
I found the day highly informative and the take home goodie bag provided was filled with numerous useful resources regarding DV and DCJ contact. I also got to speak to some great people about their roles including the First Nations Women’s Legal Service. I found their work highly interesting and would definitely consider working there in the future.
Day 3
Day 3 started off with a visit from the Ombudsman to provide information on what their role is, how they can help the CLC, and the processes involved in making a complaint. There were many questions from colleagues about what may be eligible to go to the Ombudsman which may be able assist with some of their current matters. It had me thinking about how I had never really considered contacting the Ombudsman before and was not aware of their role. I also considered if I was in this position, how many other young people were unaware of how they could help?
On this day, I joined in my first client interview. This was a great experience as I was able to see how the solicitor communicated with the client and what advice was provided for the matter. During the day the solicitor also made several phone calls to clients about coming back for another appointment, advising of outcomes, file closure and calling other firms about previous documents drafted by them for clients.
The end of the day was different from the start. This involved going through the risk management plan and making sure I knew what my responsibilities were, mainly understanding that everything I see and hear is confidential and I have a responsibility to report any breaches of information across the information wall.
Day 4
Saw one client who needed assistance with their employment matter. We went through the circumstances which had brought them in on that day and discussed what options may be available for them and what may be the best avenue forward. Some aspects of the problem the solicitor was unable to answer on the spot so it was advised that we would do some research to find out other potential options to assist. This matter was very multifaceted, and the client was reluctant at times to provide more information on the matter, however, the solicitor reassured that everything they told us was confidential and that we were not there to judge them and only to help them. This seemed to help the client be more open and forthcoming with providing us information to assist.
The solicitor also attempted to make a series of phone calls to clients for their appointments, but unfortunately most didn’t answer any of the calls made.
Later in the afternoon, I was shown the intake process which is not dissimilar to ones I had previously one, considering I also had previous experience with Actionstep.
Day 5
On this day I had the pleasure of meeting three clients, all of whom had different matters in different areas of law.
The first matter involved a deed regarding previous employment. The solicitor did an excellent job of providing an update on where the matter was up to and what their options were ongoing. The solicitor provided the client some time to consider all of the options provided and was awaiting to hear back with their decision.
The second client involved a car accident where the party at fault did not pay for the damages. The other party did not have insurance, and the client was forced to chase up the other party for the funds. The other party did not respond to any phone calls or texts that the client had sent which led to the client contacting the legal centre for advice. The matter was successful in court and received a default judgment due to the other party not responding. I assisted in a drafting a writ for levy of property and a notice of motion for the write for levy of property.
The final matter involved a power of attorney and enduring guardianship. This visit required me and one of the solicitors to attend the nursing home where the client was living at the time. Before going to the nursing home, there was potentially a question as to whether the client had the capacity to sign the documents. When we met with the client, the solicitor prepared a list of questions to which she already knew the answers to see if the client could comprehend and articulate their responses. Unfortunately, due to their medical condition, it was extremely difficult to understand speech and it was decided that it was not the best day to get them to sign the documents. The solicitor advised the client that she would come back another day to see if they were having a better day.
In the afternoon, the solicitor who I had attended the nursing home with, called the client’s relative to advise that we had decided not to go ahead with the POA and EG. The relative was not happy with the outcome and explained that the doctor had found that the client had capacity. The solicitor did a great job of explaining to the relative that in her own opinion, she did not find the client capable on the day of signing the documents and asked if the client had good and bad times of day. This conversation highlighted that not all clients will be happy with the outcome, but it is important to keep a calm composure and explain why that is the outcome.
The day absolutely flew by and it was now the end of the week, my lovely colleagues reminded me that there would be four people on outreach next week and that I may need a smaller suitcase (I’m almost certain I had packed half of my wardrobe to take away) and that the attire on outreach is slightly more casual than business attire which I had mostly packed. This called for a trip to Kmart which I was quite looking forward to as any excuse to go to Kmart is a good one.
The weekend
Cass (solicitor) had advised me of many great activities to do over the weekend including Toronga Western Plains Zoo, the old Dubbo Gaol and general sightseeing around town. I had a fabulous time seeing the sights and attractions that Dubbo had to offer (see images below).
Day 6
Today was outreach day! I arrived at the office at 8:30am with my suitcase in hand ready for the big drive ahead. We loaded ourselves into the car and hit the road at 9am. This was also Zoe’s (solicitor) first time on western outreach.
We first headed out to Nyngan where I was shown where the appointments are held and visited other services in the town to do some networking and drop off more brochures. These services and businesses may include Vinnies, Mission Australia and other free services for the community. Whilst in Nyngan, I had enough time to grab a quick pic of the big bogan and buy a delicious pie from the bakery.
After Nyngan, we were on the road again to Bourke. Whilst in Bourke, Zoe phoned a client who had missed an appointment whilst the other solicitor and myself did some networking around town and I was shown where the appointments are held. There were no other appointments for the afternoon and I was able to do some sightseeing where I found out that the river that runs next adjacent to the town was once used to bring in goods via boat. We visited the IGA for some supplies where I was shocked by the prices of groceries out there as they were astronomically more expensive than in Newcastle.
We arrived at our accommodation for the night which was slightly out of town. It had the most amazing view of the outback. I was incredibly tired and slept very well.
Day 7
Day 7 was a hugeeeeee day of mostly driving. We started off by driving into town to do our first appointment of the day which I attended with the solicitor, Zoe. This was scheduled to be held in what was once the Fitzgerald’s Post Office Hotel and is now the NSW Outback Division of General Practice. Unfortunately, the client did not show up for the appointment in which Zoe gave the client around 15 to 20 minutes to show and then rang them to see if they still wanted their appointment. Fortunately, the client answered the phone, and we held an over the phone appointment. Their matter involved an array of issues including defamation and leasing agreements which was quite complex. Zoe advised the client that she would look into the issues further as well as look into the digital information provided. This was useful as I observed that it is okay to tell the client you will look into the issues further before providing detailed advice.
After finishing with the client, it was time to find food and do some networking. One thing I’ve noticed about these small towns is that they have the best bakeries. I couldn’t resist buying another pie for the second day in a row. This time it was steak and mushroom.
It was time to leave Bourke and head to our next town, Brewarrina. This town is well known for its’ historical fish traps which are the largest known fish traps in the country and estimated to be over 40,000 years old, constructed by the Aboriginal people. See image of the fish traps in action! Brewarrina had no service, one of the joys of being on outreach and also a challenge if a client needed to be contacted.
I drove the next stretch between Brewarrina and Lightning Ridge. This was a long stretch of nothing but emus and kangaroos. It’s not something that would cross your mind but driving out that way was extremely challenging for a city slicker, especially when the roads were mostly dirt and there was wildlife to look out for.
We arrived in Lightning Ridge in the afternoon and took our time to unwind in the motel. I was looking forward to exploring the small town which is famously known for its opal mining and artisan bore baths. Three of us made our way for a quick afternoon dip once we were off the clock in the natural bore baths that were heated at a sweltering 45 degrees. As the night came to a close, we wandered off to grab some dinner from the local bowling club and finished up early to get a good nights’ rest.
Day 8
I started the morning off with a stroll through the town on search for an opal to take home. Fortunately, I found a shop that had opened early and took home a beautiful reminder of the town I had been to. With all of this done before 9am, I was ready to seize the day.
Zoe and I saw the first clients at 9:30am which involved a will and enduring guardian for the married pair. They were lovely to talk to and had the most amazing stories to share about how they had ended up living in ‘the Ridge’. One of my most favourite experiences about seeing clients is the honest interactions and the stories I hear about peoples’ lives, each and every one unique in their own way. The first appointment went longer than expected, however, the second client did not turn up for their scheduled appointment. I noted how this seemed to be a common issue for outreach and is incredibly frustrating as outreach only occurs once a month meaning that other clients may miss out as there is not enough time for all clients to be seen.
Since the second client did not turn up, we made our way to Walgett for the final appointments of the western outreach for February. This matter involved the client wanting to know how to access the Victims Services recognition payment for a crime that had been committed against them. The solicitor did an excellent job of being compassionate whilst asking the necessary questions to understand the circumstances. The solicitor provided some initial advice about the process and advised that she would get the process started.
The final client that we saw for the day involved a family matter in a domestic violence situation. The solicitor once again provided initial advice, advised she would refer the matter to Legal Aid and also made some recommendations regarding the client’s safety. The solicitor advised the client that she would contact them in the coming days to check on their welfare and safety.
Once the appointments had wrapped up, we headed back towards Dubbo where I would be staying for the night. Living out of a suitcase had become exhausting but most definitely an adventure of a lifetime. I bunkered down for the night and repacked into my smaller suitcase ready for the next leg of outreach.
Day 9
Day 9 marked the beginning of northern outreach. For this outreach I was partnered up with one solicitor, Cass. We left the office at a comfortable time of 9:30am and made our way to Warren. Once in Warren we completed networking at the local hospital where the legal appointments where normally held. On this day, Cass had no scheduled appointments, but she wanted to make sure I didn’t miss out on the authentic northern outreach experience. We drove all around the countryside and even found ourselves in Carinda. Now if you’ve never heard of this town, neither had I but this is where David Bowie filmed the music video, ‘Let’s Dance’. It was also hilariously known for its police station which was accidentally built in the 1960s. Accidentally? Well, this police station was actually meant to be built in Quirindi! It was quite the glamorous upgrade for the one police officer in the town. (See image below.) We dropped off some business cards in the local pub which was the only thing opened in the tiny town at the time.
We once again hit the road and made our way to Coonabarabran. On our way there, we encountered a larger number of drovers and their cows. Cass informed me of what you’re meant to do when driving through a section of road with drovers and their cows, much to her surprise I had never heard of the purpose of drovers! It was fair to say that I had learnt a lot on that day.
We arrived in Coonabarabran late in the afternoon and headed for the hotel. Cass had planned to take me to a lookout in the Worrumbungle mountains to watch the beautiful sunset with our dinner. It was quite a stark difference in scenery compared to where I had been the day before. Once the sunset had gone for the evening, we headed back to the motel and hit the hay (funny country pun).
Day 10
My final day of outreach started at 8:30am where we headed to an emu farm! Before going out west, I had never seen a wild emu. Cass thought it would be a brilliant idea to see one up close and personal.
We left the farm and drove to Gilgandra for our one and only appointment for Northern outreach. We went to the Gilgandra Council building where the appointments are held, and Cass introduced me to the General Manager as well as the rest of the office team.
Unfortunately, our appointment did not turn up and was not answering their phone, so we left and drove back to Dubbo. We arrived in Dubbo early afternoon, I was exhausted. I spoke with the team and gave everyone the rundown of northern outreach and said my final goodbyes. I reassured them that I’d probably see them again when I decide to come back for work. I packed up my things one final time and drove to Mudgee where I was staying for the night as Dubbo had no accommodation thanks to the touch football competition. On my drive, I reminisced about the stunning places I’d been and all the fabulous people that I’d met. I was genuinely sad to be leaving but ready to go home and see my dog.
Final comments
I had the most amazing time away and learnt so many things. Considering I had only ever travelled as far west as Dubbo, I had absolutely seen the sights that regional NSW had to offer and appreciated every moment of it.
The team at the Western NSW Community Legal Centre were amazing and made sure that I felt welcome and like I was part of the team. The team with the domestic violence office were also incredibly welcoming.
After doing my two-week internship, I can confidently say I will be considering coming back to work at the CLC when I complete my degree. (See image below of the fabulous team I worked with!)
