Factsheets and webinars

Black Lives Matter: A roadmap for policing and justice reform in Australia  

On 23 July at 3pm, RLC is holding a free webinar on policing and justice reform, presented together with National Justice Project, Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning, and Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT).

The discussion will be facilitated by Larissa Behrendt, Director of Research, Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning, University of Technology (UTS), Sydney.

Speakers include:

• Lindon Coombes, Jumbunna, UTS
• Samantha Lee, Redfern Legal Centre
• Karly Warner, Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT)
• Thalia Anthony, UTS, Sydney
• Christopher Cunneen, Jumbunna, UTS
• George Newhouse, National Justice Project, Copwatch.

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Traffic, parking and COVID-19 fines: What are your payment & review options?

Have you received a fine? Want to assist clients to deal with fines? Learn about legal options and ask questions of Redfern Legal Centre solicitors.

Join RLC's free webinar from 10am–11am on 30 July 2020.

Speakers:

• Sam Lee, Police Accountability Solicitor, Redfern Legal Centre.
• David Hofierka, Credit and Debt Solicitor, Redfern Legal Centre.

Facilitator: Alexis Goodstone, Principal Solicitor, Redfern Legal Centre.

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Download RLC factsheets

Penalty Notices – Your Review Rights and Payment Options

Court Fines – Your Review Rights and Payment Options

Renting in NSW during COVID-19

People in rental properties who have lost income may need to renegotiate their rent with their landlord.

In response to complex new legislation introduced in NSW, RLC has produced two new videos to help tenants navigate this process.

The videos, along with links to factsheets and advice services, are on RLC's website.

WATCH VIDEOS>

RLC in the media 

“We’re hearing from so many people in desperate situations. People who can’t pay rent, who say their landlords aren’t negotiating, and aren’t letting them leave their tenancies early without paying penalties.” – RLC Solicitor and Tenants' Advocate, Ned Cooke.

Tenancy defenders win reprieve (CIty Hub, 23 April 2020)

Working for change

RLC announces free COVID-19 fines advice service for people in NSW

In just over one month, NSW Police issued over a $1 million in fines for breach of social distancing orders under the Public Health Act 2010 (NSW).

Figures obtained by RLC via access to information laws reveal that a total of 1018 on-the-spot COVID-19 fines were given out to individuals between 26 March to 8 May 2020 by police, $50,000 of which were issued to children.

The complexity of the COVID-19 public health orders and the speed with which they have been introduced has made the law difficult for the public to understand and for police to apply. RLC believes this may have resulted in some fines being issued unlawfully.

RLC is also concerned that many people may not have the means to pay a hefty  $1000 fine at this time.

In response, RLC has set up a free COVID-19 fines advice service to provide the public with their payment and review options. 

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RLC in the media 

COVID-19 fines in NSW alone totalled more than $1 million (The Sydney Morning Herald, 15 June 2020)

COVID-19 fines discussed on ABC TV's The Drum (ABC TV, 21 April 2020)

NSW Government COVID-19 support package for international students 

The NSW Government is providing a $20 million package for international students who are stranded in Australia due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

International students in NSW can now apply for temporary crisis accommodation, as well as other measures including enhanced support through RLC International Student Legal Service NSW.

The relief package includes:

• temporary crisis accommodation delivered through quality student accommodation and homestay providers.
   
• increased support via RLC's International Legal Service NSW and 70,000 free subscriptions to RLC's multilingual app, My Legal Mate.
   
• a dedicated 24/7 international student support hotline (13 77 88) offering free advice and information about medical, mental health, legal, emergency and other support.

“Redfern Legal Centre welcomes NSW Government’s commitment to increase support for international students affected by the coronavirus crisis,” RLC CEO, Joanna Shulman said.

“We are pleased to be an integral part of the State Government’s COVID-19 response, which will enable international students to access emergency accommodation, essential health and wellbeing information, and multilingual legal information 24 hours a day," Ms Shulman said.

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My Legal Mate free download offer

​To safeguard the wellbeing of international students during COVID-19, the NSW Government and City of Sydney have made available 70,000 free licences of RLC's multi-language legal assistance app My Legal Mate to eligible international students in NSW. 

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COVID-19 relief grants for organisations supporting migrants and temporary visa holders

The NSW Government has announced $4 million dollars in funding to support migrant workers and temporary visa holders in NSW impacted by COVID-19.

The emergency relief grants will be distributed  to specialist migrant and settlement NGOs, and multicultural community organisations who are providing basic support to vulnerable people including domestic violence survivors.

Together with the Migrant Employment Legal Service (MELS), the Refugee Advice and Casework Service and a consortium of CLCs in NSW, RLC's employment law service called on the NSW Government for additional measures to protect migrants and temporary visa holders from the impact of the COVID-19 crisis.

​RLC welcomed the announcement of the COVID-19 relief grants, saying it will provide much-needed support to essential workers in NSW. 

“This announcement is an incredibly welcome reprieve for migrant workers and temporary visa holders in NSW." RLC employment solicitor and MELS steering committee member, Sharmila Bargon said.

"These essential workers have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 job losses, and have been without access to other forms of welfare support during the health crisis.

"We are delighted to see such positive action from the NSW Government, which will help thousands of people in NSW on the brink of starvation and homelessness."

The COVID relief grants are now open, available in two streams. Applications close 27 July 2020 at 4pm.

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Other News... 

Domestic violence rates escalating during COVID-19 

Almost one in 10 Australian women in a relationship have experienced domestic violence during the coronavirus crisis, new research reveals.

The Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) surveyed 15,000 women aged 18 years and older online in May about their experience of domestic violence, after COVID-19 first started impacting Australia.

RLC's Financial Abuse Service NSW recognises that financial abuse in intimate partner relationships is increasing during the coronavirus pandemic. 

We have expanded our support during COVID-19, and are taking on additional staff and volunteers to meet demand. If you have experienced financial abuse contact us at www.rlc.org.au/fals or call 0481 730 344.

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International Students and Wage Theft in Australia report 

New research from The Migrant Worker Justice Initiative highlights ongoing systemic exploitation of international students and other temporary migrants in Australian workplaces.

RLC employment solicitor Sharmilla Bargon welcomed the report as a call to action, saying that the current system does not do enough to protect the welfare of international students and other temporary visa holders at work.

"This report lays bare distressing and unsurprising levels of exploitation of international students and other migrant workers," she said.

“Underpaid wages is the most common employment-related problem for clients of our service. There is not a week that goes by that we don’t see international students that have been exploited at work."

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COVID Impact Survey: understanding the experience of temporary migrants during COVID-19 

The Migrant Worker Justice Initiative is running a survey to help understand the challenges faced by international students, backpackers, refugees and other temporary migrants who did not receive federal government support during COVID-19. 

The multiple-choice survey is open for temporary migrants aged 17 and over who were in Australia on 1 March 2020. The survey is anonymous and confidential and take around 12-14 minutes to complete.

Read more and take the survey here
 

Food relief for international students

Emergency food relief is available for international students and temporary visa holders at weekly pop-up Hamper Hubs across Sydney. 

Each week, OzHarvest is providing a limited number of food relief hampers and frozen meals available for pick up at Harbourside Shopping Centre, Darling Harbour, Waterside Shopping Centre, Rhodes, and other locations.

This initiative is proudly supported by the City of Sydney, NSW Government, Mirvac and nib Health Funds.

Study NSW has also partnered with Foodbank NSW & ACT to provide free food hampers to international students in other NSW locations,

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Hamper Hub at Redfern Town Hall (Photo: City of Sydney)

Info and support

Emergency food assistance (Study NSW Welfare Hub)

International student COVID-19 crisis accommodation (NSW Government)

International Student Legal Service NSW (RLC)

RLC and Slater and Gordon launch NSW Strip Search Class Actions Investigation

In May, Redfern Legal Centre joined forces with Slater and Gordon, calling on people to register their interest in a class actions against NSW Police for unlawful strip searches.  

Data shows that young people and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have been disproportionately targeted. Young people accounted for almost half the searches between 2016-18, including among children as young as 10 and 11 years old.

In June, RLC uncovered new figures published by Guardian Australia revealing that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have been disproportionately targeted by police conducting strip searches over a recent two-year period.

This data revealed that 12% of stop searches in NSW between 2016 to 2018 were carried out on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, who make up 3.4% of the population in NSW. 

Speaking to NITV News, RLC police accountability solicitor, Samantha Lee estimated that this data could be even higher.

“What we have found out through the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC) public hearing – which is the police watchdog – is that police are not always recording strip-searches,” she said.

Anyone who has been searched in an invasive or intrusive manner by NSW Police  since 2014 is encouraged to register their interest and share their story: www.slatergordon.com.au/stripsearch

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Becca's story

In 2017, Becca was strip searched at a music festival when she was 22 years old. She experienced lasting trauma as a result.

In May, Becca spoke publicly about her ordeal for the first time, launching RLC and Slater and Gordon's class actions investigation into unlawful strip searches in NSW.

“I felt numb all over,” Becca said. "I was just so aware that people could look in.

"My main concern was the male police officers being so close at the time. There was no real privacy… It just felt very perverted, to be honest," Becca said.

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RLC in the media 

Law firms look to launch landmark strip-search class action against NSW police (The Guardian, 27 May 2020)

NSW police disproportionately target Indigenous people in strip searches (The Guardian, 16 June 2020)

WATCH PRESS CONFERENCE> (Streamed via Channel Seven News, 27 May 2020)

RLC In the Media

International students 'robbed' of super The Canberra Times (AAP) | 20 JULY 2020

Complaints against police exceed targets in two out of three NSW districts The Sydney Morning Herald | 5 JULY 2020

One in four international students earn less than half the minimum wage The Sydney Morning Herald | 30 JUNE 2020

International student Andres tried to access his super but realised it had never been paid SBS World News | 29 JUNE 2020

Data that shows NSW Police target Indigenous people for strip-searches 'could be doubled': Legal experts NITV News | 17 JUNE 2020

My Legal Mate SBS Radio Italian | 12 JUNE 2020

Stranded foreign students rely on free food to survive ABC Radio National Breakfast | 10 JUNE 2020

NSW police took more than a year to complete investigation into 2019 strip-search The Guardian | 9 JUNE 2020
 

Police officer under investigation after slamming Indigenous boy face-first on to pavement The Guardian | 2 JUNE 2020

Possible class action over alleged unlawful misuse of strip searches | SBS World News Radio | 27 MAY 2020

NSW Police could face class action over unlawful strip searches ABC News | 27 MAY 2020

Cycling without a helmet in these suburbs the 'quickest route to police search'  The Sydney Morning Herald | 25 May 2020

International students are trapped in exploitation  Honi Soit | 17 MAY 2020

Australia: NSW police are fining teens for visiting their friends Sydney Criminal Lawyers.10 MAY 2020

Police ease up on COVID-19 fines as pandemic progresses
The Sydney Morning Herald | 10 MAY 2020

NSW Police watchdog finds strip searches of four teenagers at music festivals were ‘unlawful’ ABC News | 10 MAY 2020

Sydney restaurants and relief groups step in to help international students The Sydney Morning Herald. 7 MAY 2020

More RLC in the Media>

Fundraising news

Thank you for supporting
communities in crisis ❤️

RLC's COVID-19 crisis appeal has been one of our most successful fundraising appeals ever.

The support you've shown for our community means that RLC is best placed to help more people in crisis as the fallout from COVID-19 continues to increase vulnerability and disadvantage.

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RLC staff say thank you!  

Support RLC!

RLC relies on community support to sustain our work. Help us create lasting change for communities across NSW by donating to Redfern Legal Centre.

Donations of $2 or more are tax deductible.

Support our work by purchasing an RLC T-shirt or tea towel.