RLC news 

New CEO for Redfern Legal Centre

Outgoing RLC CEO, Joanna Shulman (pictured right), announced late last year that she was stepping down from the role after 12 amazing years of dedicated service.

Katherine McKernan (pictured left) comes to RLC with a wealth of social justice experience, including seven years as Chief Executive of Homelessness NSW, and leadership positions in policy and strategy at NSW Health and the Department of Family and Community Services.

Katherine brings to the Centre significant expertise and strategic nous in a range of important areas that align with RLC’s core values and work, and – most importantly – an innate passion to support people facing disadvantage and vulnerability.

On behalf of the board and staff, we welcome Katherine and congratulate her on her appointment. We are so excited for this next chapter in RLC’s history.

Celebrating Jo Shulman

The past 12 years have seen significant growth for RLC. Jo leaves behind an impressive legacy of innovation, advocacy for systemic change and collaboration resulting in increased access to justice for people experiencing disadvantage.

During her tenure, Jo has forged many long-lasting partnerships, and has championed RLC’s proud tradition of identifying legal need and plugging gaps in the legal assistance available to create lasting change.

In 2010, Jo was responsible for leading an organisational review resulting in the diversification of RLC’s generalist legal service into a range of specialist legal areas – a defining feature which remains a hallmark of RLC’s success to this day. This also saw the reinvigoration of RLC as an authoritative voice in law reform and systemic advocacy.

As well as ushering in specialist state-wide practices in areas including police accountability, and international students, Jo oversaw the introduction of RLC’s Health Justice Partnership with Sydney Local Health District. 

Read the full statement from RLC Board Chair, Kerry O'Brien. 

Working for change

Collaborating to support people impacted by financial abuse 

This month, we invite you to attend the launch of a groundbreaking new report: Addressing Financial Abuse: A Collaborative Service Model for Legal and Non-Legal Support.

In 2021, Redfern Legal Centre (RLC) engaged Consulting & Implementation Services (CIS) to design a best practice holistic model to support people who have experienced financial abuse from an intimate partner.

Building on the approach of RLC’s Financial Abuse Legal Service NSW, the model brings together legal and social service supports for people impacted by financial abuse. By implementing this model, service providers in other Australian states or territories will be able to provide holistic services to people in their jurisdictions who have experienced financial abuse.

RLC is a proud partner of CommBank Next Chapter.

This webinar, co-presented by RLC and CommBank Next Chapter, will provide an overview of the holistic model and the key findings, including:

• Legal and non-legal needs of people who have experienced financial abuse;
• Optimal service delivery elements to achieve desired outcomes;
• Capacity building and reform work that aims to advocate for better outcomes for people who have experienced financial abuse.

Date and time: Wednesday 30 March 2022, 12:00-1:00pm (AEDT)

REGISTER>

Urgent law reform needed to prevent sexual harassment at work

In March, RLC signed a joint statement alongside a coalition of 60+ groups and individuals calling on the federal government to act now to prevent sexual harassment at work.

In April last year, the government announced it would adopt "wholly, in part, or in principle," the 55 recommendations set out in the landmark Human Right Commission Respect@Work report investigating sexual harassment in Australian workplaces.

The Power2Prevent Coalition, who issued the statement, is a group of more than 60 diverse community organisations, unions, academics, peak bodies, health professionals, lawyers and victim-survivors, including RLC and our joint initiative with Kingsford Legal Centre and Inner City Legal Centre, the Employment Rights Legal Service (ERLS).

The coalition sees the effect of sexual harassment every day through their casework, and notes that a number of key recommendations made in the report are yet to be implemented. 

Power2Prevent has called on the Australian Government to implement all remaining recommendations of the Respect@Work report in full, before the impending federal election in May 2022.

Read about the key changes we are calling for by viewing the statement in full here. 

RLC has also submitted our responses to the Federal Government’s survey on the consultation on the remaining legislative recommendations in the Respect@Work Report. 

RLC's earlier response to the National Inquiry (Respect@Work) is available here.

DOWNLOAD STATEMENT>

RLC calls on NSW police to release safe driving policy 

In February, RLC called on NSW Police to release its 'Safe Driving’ policy as a matter of urgency following the death of Jai Wright, a 16-year-old Indigenous boy who died in February after a collision with an unmarked police car.

“Although we do not know the complete details of Mr Wright’s death and whether in fact a police pursuit was involved, it stirs up memories of the tragic death of Thomas Hickey, and is a timely reminder of the issues around police pursuits," RLC police accountability solicitor, Samantha Lee said.

“NSW State Coroners have made numerous recommendations about safe driving in the context of police pursuits, but we still don’t know if NSW Police acted on these recommendations.”

Image: A tribute for 16-year-old Jai Wright by Kalani Ryan, St Peters. Source: SMH.

“This tragic accident highlights again the urgent need to inform the public about whether any of the NSW State Coroners’ recommendations about safe driving have been adopted,” Ms Lee said.

Read RLC's media release>

In the Media

Legal groups call for independent inquiry into death of Indigenous 16-year-old killed by police car LSJ | 23 February 2022

Other news

Eviction, hardship, and the housing crisis: Tenants' Union report

The uncertainty and stress of moving house is something familiar to almost everyone and these feelings are amplified when being forced to move due to eviction. 

A Special Report from the Tenants' Union of NSW, Eviction, Hardship and the Housing Crisis, sheds light on the experiences faced by renters when they are evicted including the costs involved and the potential for some evictions to end in homelessness. It also calls for increased protections and an end to 'no grounds' evictions. 

The report comes at a time when renters are experiencing increased uncertainty with the last remaining protections under the moratorium on evictions concluding on 12 February. 

Redfern Legal Centre has long advocated with the Tenants' Union for an end to evictions without reason. In the wake of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, it is time to end unjust 'no grounds' evictions.  People going through difficult times should not be at risk of having their hardship compounded by an unnecessary eviction.

Image: Dennis Goedegebuure (CC 2.0)

The report proposes a more ‘crisis-resilient’ system in which the interests of tenants and landlords are more fairly balanced, and the true costs of eviction are acknowledged.

Included are a number of ways regulatory arrangements and settings could be improved to ensure people are not forced to move unnecessarily including: 

• ‘No grounds’ eviction provisions in current NSW tenancy law should be replaced with a range of specified reasonable grounds for ending a tenancy
• The landlord should be required to cover basic moving costs for the household where a renting household is evicted for reasons other than breach (for ‘no fault’ evictions).
• Fees for applications for eviction at the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal should be set higher than other matters to reflect the seriousness of and costs involved in eviction proceedings, and to disincentive unnecessary evictions. 

READ MORE>

Fire at Newtown Boarding House

Redfern Legal Centre is deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life in the fire at Vajda House in Newtown last week. The surviving residents have lost their homes and their possessions, and are in urgent need of support.

This tragic incident has exposed just how precarious boarding house living can be. Real questions need to be asked about the regulation of boarding houses and real steps taken to ensure the safety and security of boarding house residents.

Vajda House, Newtown. Image source: Newtown Neighbourhood Centre.

Newtown Neighbourhood Centre are on the ground assisting residents with their immediate needs and have launched an appeal for donations: https://supportboardinghouseresidents.raisely.com/

Disaster Recovery Relief in NSW

Our thoughts are with everyone affected by severe weather events.

If your home or essential household contents have been damaged or destroyed as a result of a natural disaster, you may be eligible for the Resilience NSW Disaster Relief Grant. This financial assistance is provided to individuals to help people to recover from the effects of a disaster and re-establish a basic standard of living.

You may be eligible for financial support if: 

• your home was damaged by a natural disaster 
• you do not have insurance for the damage 
• you are a low-income earner with limited financial resources 
• it has been less than 4 months since the disaster.

For further information phone 13 7788 or visit: https://www.nsw.gov.au/resilience-nsw/disaster-relief-grant-for-individuals

Other Disaster Recovery payments: 

Northern NSW Floods, February 2022 - Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment

The Government has also announced a lump sum payment to help people seriously affected by the Northern NSW floods starting in February 2022. Info here.

If you are eligible, you can receive

• $1,000 per adult
• $400 for each child younger than 16 years

Disaster Recovery Allowance – short-term income assistance (up to 13 weeks). This allowance is available if you've lost income as a direct result of the floods. 

Disaster Assistance Finder - Complete an online questionnaire to receive a personalised list of available programs and services. 

See also: Legal help for flood-affected communities in NSW (CLCNSW)

RLC in the Media

Incredible Imbalance in COVID fines in disadvantaged suburbs

RLC has obtained new statistics under freedom of information laws detailing a breakdown of COVID fines issued by suburb. The total number of fines issued in the 2020/21 financial year was 1,818 compared to 48,078 fines issued between July and October 2021.

The figures show that at the peak of the Delta outbreak, lower socioeconomic areas and regional towns with larger First Nations populations bore the brunt of public health policing, compared with many wealthier eastern and inner west suburbs.

“There is no doubt that those who were over-policed before Covid were just policed more during the pandemic," RLC's police accountability solicitor, Sam Lee, told The Guardian.

Image: NSW Police

“The fines really do discriminate against people from low socioeconomic backgrounds, or those who have a low income, because they are not means-tested.”

RLC continues to call for unlawfully issued COVID fines to be revoked.

Read the full article>

RLC in the Media

Federal review of international student working hours prompts concern

An upcoming review of overseas students’ working hours raises the possibility of changes being reversed and risks uncertainty for those in precarious working conditions.

Khanh Tran reports for Honi Soit

Concerns have been raised by civil organisations over an impending Federal Government review of the working hours limit for international students.

Since early in the pandemic, the Federal Government eased work restrictions for international students working in the health, aged and disability care sectors.

In February, the Federal Government relaxed international student working hours requirements, meaning that students are no longer bound to the previous limit of 40 hours per fortnight. The change was made in response to “workforce shortages” plaguing Australia following two years of strict border control measures.

The policy is set for review in April 2022.

In a statement, RLC expressed significant concerns that the impending review risks exposing international students currently working more than 40 hours per fortnight to financial uncertainty. 

“Many international students and migrant workers are forced into breaching visa conditions by working longer hours than they are legally allowed to survive,” the statement said.

RLC is also calling for reforms targeting employers who fail to ensure a safe working environment, and measures to enable disclosures by students who fall into precarious situations.

“Criminal sanctions for employers exploiting migrants and offering below award pay rates are urgently needed. However, without adequate safeguards to support visa holders to come forward, such protections will be rendered ineffective.”

Read the full article (Honi Soit, 13 March 2022)

RLC In the Media

Federal review of international student working hours prompts concern Honi Soit | 13 March 2022

New CEO to lead Redfern Legal Centre Australasian Lawyer | 10 March 2022

First Nations Communities, Disability & the Royal Commission, and the Police 3CR | 7 March 2022

COVID-19 wrap: unjust laws, vaccine mandates, communications gaps and resources for managing at home Croakey Health Media | 23 February 2022

Call for police to release 'safe driving' policy ABC | 22 February 2022

Behind Closed Doors: The Insidious Challenge of Financial Abuse Hearsay | 6 December 2021 

Public vengeance against COVID offenders won’t make us any safer Sydney Morning Herald | 24 December 2021

Almost 3,000 children in NSW hit with fines of up to $5,000 for minor Covid rule breaches The Guardian | 10 December 2021

More RLC in the Media>

Factsheets and resources

Temporary Graduate Visa information: new factsheet for international students

RLC has released a factsheet for international students who have recently finished their studies and are looking to extend their stay in Australia temporarily.

The factsheet answers questions around the Subclass 485 visa for students considering pursuing further work or study. 

The temporary visa program consists of four streams: 

1. Post-Study Work stream
2. Graduate Work stream
3. Second-Study Work stream
4. COVID-19 Replacement stream

Included in the factsheet are helpful hints as well as information around the specific requirements students must meet such as: 

• holding or having held a qualifying visa
• being under 50 years of age at the time of application, and 
• meeting the eligibility criteria for at least one of the streams. 

DOWNLOAD FACTSHEET>

International students are welcome to contact RLC's International Student Legal Service NSW for free and confidential migration advice. 

See also: Visa information for international students in NSW

Welcome Back! RLC's guide for NSW international students

After two years of disruptions, RLC is excited to see the return of international students to Australian universities. 

RLC has released a comprehensive information pack to specifically support international students transitioning to full-time study in NSW.

The Welcome Back guide includes information on: 

• employment
• tenancy
• healthcare
• banking
• public transport and driving. 

RLC's Welcome Back guide will be made available to education providers across the state and distributed to students via RLC's International Legal Service NSW, and our funding partners and supporters. It can also be accessed via RLC's website.

DOWNLOAD GUIDE>

To access free legal tips, international students can also sign up here for our digital assistant, My Legal Mate.

Join our team!

First Nations Justice Solicitor | Identified Position (Full Time)

RLC is seeking a First Nations Solicitor to develop and provide a new service for First Nations clients of Redfern Legal Centre.

This position suits an enthusiastic and dynamic lawyer who enjoys working with clients experiencing vulnerability, stakeholder engagement and helping to address systemic issues.

This is an Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander identified position

Find further details on the role including position description and selection criteria here. 

Check out our RLC merch!

At RLC, we believe that the best fashion trend is showing your support for social justice. And now that's become even easier with our expanded range of RLC merchandise!  

Not only will you look more stylish, but your purchase will also help support the work of RLC!

Check out our great range of:

• t-shirts
• tote bags
• water bottles 
• coffee mugs
• coasters
• and stickers (yay!)  

Choose between two designs for sale at our online store:

Truth, Justice & the Redfern Way – RLC's 40th-anniversary commemorative design (illustration by Fiona Katauskas).

Safe and Sound - our campaign to change strip search law.