Legal Information Referral Forum (LIRF) Initiatives
Convenor: Law and Justice Foundation of NSW
November 2008
Older people and the law
The November meeting of LIRF focused on the legal needs of older people. Lauren Finestone from
the Older Person’s Legal and Education Unit, based at Legal Aid, gave a presentation on the Older
Person’s Legal and Education Program, a partnership between Legal Aid and the Aged Care Rights
Service. The service undertakes information, advice, community legal education, casework and law
reform. Key areas of legal need that have been identified include moving in with children, ‘inheritance
impatience’, succession planning for elderly parents with a child with a disability, tenancy issues and
‘acute squalor’. Five brochures on key areas of the law for older people have been produced, and one
is planned on grandparents and the law. Additional opportunities for the Program to work with other
services were identified at the meeting, including working with public libraries. The Foundation has
prepared a list of existing programs and resources for older people.
New Initiatives
LawAccess NSW

LawAccess will be advertising its service in 17 languages via SBS radio for 6 months beginning
early next year.

Referral rates to LawAccess from GPs have increased significantly since the start of the GP
project. LawAccess are having discussions with the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research
Council about referral of clients of Aboriginal Medical Services who have legal issues.
Legal Information Access Centre

A new edition of the Law Handbook will be ready in June 2009. The new editor, Mary Fallon, is
asking if there are gaps in content.

The latest hot topics are Health and the Law and Human Rights. The next two will be on
Domestic Violence and Prisoners’ Rights.

LIAC are going to do a print version of their online directory of not-for-profit legal service providers
early in the new year.
Legal Aid NSW

The review of the Women’s Domestic Violence Court Assistance Program will be launched on
White ribbon day (Tuesday 25 November).

A 2 day Aboriginal cultural awareness training is being rolled out across Legal Aid. It will be open
to CLCs and other non profits as space allows.

A mortgage DVD will be released in mid-December.
Law and Justice Foundation of NSW

Free copies of the Getting off the Referral Roundabout training DVD are available from the
Foundation. This is an excellent referral training tool for non-legal organisations and front line
staff.
Legal Information Referral Forum (LIRF) Initiatives
Convenor: Law and Justice Foundation of NSW
National Pro Bono Resource Centre

The centre is carrying out research into the feasibility of retired and career break solicitors
becoming involved in pro bono work. Issues that need to be addressed are insurance and
keeping up a practicing certificate.

National Pro Bono Resource Service’s Pro Bono Referral guide for working with Aboriginal
services is available from the centre.
Local Courts

Forum sentencing, which involves victims and defendants looking at the underlying issues behind
the offence, is being expanded to Burwood and Tamworth local courts.
NSW Attorney General’s Department

The Access and Equity Unit are producing a CDRom for Sudanese people.
Community legal centres

The 2009 NSW CLC directory is available from the state office.

Central coast CLC is undertaking CLE outreach to homeless people.

The Illawarra CLC Start Out Right program based in schools covers issues such as tenancy,
fines, mobile phone contracts.

Redfern is trialling a service for post-release prisoners, with a focus on Aboriginal women to begin
with.

EDO has published a Rural landholders guide to environmental law
http://www.edo.org.au/edonsw/site/publications.php#landholder.

Arts Law have fact sheets on artist rights when entering competitions and for artists working with
children (artslaw.com.au).

Northern Rivers CLC has started an outreach service to Tweed Heads with one solicitor and a
financial counsellor. They have also run an Elder abuse project; including CLE forums on financial
abuse (eg reverse mortgages, bankruptcy).
PILCH

Current projects include stolen wages, children in detention and predatory lending. Provision of
training in RRR areas is also on the agenda.

PILCH partners who work with Aboriginal communities (e.g. in relation to stolen wages) must
undergo Aboriginal cross-cultural awareness training.

PILCH members can assist not-for-profits including CLCs with publications, including launches,
printing and designing.
Future directions for LIRF
It was decided that LIRF was a very useful forum and should continue in 2009. The first meeting in
March next year will focus on credit and debt issues.
Legal Information Referral Forum (LIRF) Initiatives
Convenor: Law and Justice Foundation of NSW
Issues to be referred to NLAF
The lack of access by deaf prisoners to the TTY service because of security concerns was raised for
referral to NLAF.
July 2008
Legal needs of prisoners
The July meeting of the Forum focused discussion on the legal need of prisoners, including a briefing
from the LJF on the recently published report, Taking Justice into Custody, the legal needs of
prisoners in NSW. Key issues included a need to focus on civil and family law and for services to be
accessible and appropriate for a population with high levels of mental illness, illiteracy, cognitive
impairment, drug & alcohol issues, low levels of educational attainment and life skills. Service delivery
needs to accommodate the workings of the prison system including a lack of adequate resources,
(e.g. phones, length of time with solicitors, access to information, welfare staff, and documentation)
and other logistical issues (e.g. the times that prisoners are allowed out of cells may not coincide with
when the legal aid lawyers are present).
It was noted that many issues apply across service providers and areas of law and that the sector
should work together to address the access to justice needs of prisoners. It was agreed that it would
be useful to organise an NLAF roundtable to further discuss needs and possible solutions.
Agency initiatives for prisoners

Legal aid reviewed their Prisoners Legal Service in 2006 and now have an additional civil and
family law solicitor. They have also produce a manual on conduct of parole matters for private
solicitors who do legal aid work is being produced and in collaboration with DCS, have produced
6 DVDs covering, pathways through the legal system (including the court process), care and
protection, victims compensation, debt, fines and tenancy. These will be launched in Sept/Oct of
this year.

LawAccess are negotiating with DCS to extend the current 7 minutes that prisoners are allowed
for phone advice.

LIAC and DCS have put Hot Topics, the Toolkit and case law information into 36 prison libraries
(and 3 professional libraries). LIAC also provides direct services to prisoners through their
research services. It was suggested that legal content could be used during literacy classes.
Some prisoners are also doing the library course.

CRC (Community Restorative Centre) runs a capacity building program to train government
agencies and NGOs on how to work with families of prisoners and ex-prisoners. They are also
commencing two pilot projects, family video link ups to prisoners for those families who can't
travel to the prison, family /offender conferencing training. They have also created a website,
Gimme Shelter, which has information for service providers on how to assist ex-prisoners. CRC
produce information (Eg Preparing for prison, Planning your release, Getting Out Handbook) and
provide assistance to prisoners and families of prisoners.

Redfern Legal Centre is targeting post-release women prisoners (a large proportion of whom are
aboriginal) and NGOs providing post release services (e.g. drug and alcohol services) on civil law
issues including tenancy, housing, family law and credit, debt and fines.

A number of CLCs attend information expos held at prisons. Government departments such as
Housing and Centrelink also attend. CLCs that are located near to prisons do advice sessions at
local prisons.
Legal Information Referral Forum (LIRF) Initiatives
Convenor: Law and Justice Foundation of NSW

Court Services: Prisoners have increased access to Audio Visual Links to court (although it was
noted in the TJIC report that this is a barrier for some prisoners, particularly those with a cognitive
impairment). Video conferencing to increase the time prisoners have with legal aid lawyers will be
piloted in September.

The National Pro Bono Resource Centre is looking at the possibility of establishing a scheme
through university law schools to use students to do pro bono work in prisons. DLA Phillips Fox
and the Sydney University Law Society have developed a proposal to start a legal centre based at
Sydney University which would provide civil law advice to selected prisons using solicitors with
student volunteers providing back up support. (Legal Aid's Prisoner's legal service has identified a
need for pro bono assistance for prisoners who fall outside Legal Aid's guidelines, particularly in
civil law cases)
Issues for particular groups

Aboriginal prisoners: 21% of the prison population is Aboriginal (27% of the sample of
interviewees for TJIC). The ALS only has the resources to do criminal law. (It would be good if
they could do civil and family as well). There are Aboriginal workers in some jails.

Older prisoners: Legal aid has identified particular issues for older prisoners in their submission to
the older people and the law inquiry, (the numbers of whom are increasing). This issue is also
being looked at by the Older Person's Legal and Education Program.
Referral Directories

Local courts are using ServiceLink (HSNet) with mixed feedback.

The Aboriginal Legal Service's Guide to Legal Services for Aboriginal People in NSW and the
ACT (http://www.nlaf.org.au/publications.html) has been evaluated.

National Pro Bono Resource Service's Pro Bono Referral guide for working with Aboriginal
services was published this week

LIAC are going to do a print version of their online directory of not for profit legal service
providers.

The Hunter CLSD region legal referral directory is probably going ahead through the University of
Newcastle.

The difficulty of finding details of solicitors doing Legal Aid work was raised by Hunter CLSD. The
Law Society Solicitor Referral database may have a list of solicitors who do Legal Aid work.
GP referral project

Information about LawAccess has been sent to 34 of the 37 Divisions of General Practice (6522
GPs). 28 Divisions have published articles in their newsletter and LawAccess has done one
presentation to GPs.

The Local Court Senior Registrar at Dubbo (Central West CLSD) is interested in working with the
local Area Health Service.

NSW Health has requested that GPs, as key partners in health service delivery, be granted
access to ServiceLink. Accordingly, a pilot project has now been set up with the Central Sydney
General Practice Network (CSGPN). For more information about the CSGPN Project, contact
Robin Nahum, Human Services Network (HSNet) on (02) 9228 5288 or email
robin.nahum@hsnet.nsw.gov.
Legal Information Referral Forum (LIRF) Initiatives
Convenor: Law and Justice Foundation of NSW
New Initiatives
LawAccess NSW

Have published a new brochure about their services aimed at Aboriginal people
http://info.lawaccess.nsw.gov.au/lawaccess/lawaccess.nsf/files/NLHDL.pdf/$FILE/NLHDL.pdf.

Braille embossed wallet cards about LawAccess are available.

Lawzone (an online tool to assist people with debt matters) will be launched soon.

Translations of the factsheet describing LawAccess services are now available in Arabic, Chinese
Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Croatian, Farsi, Filipino, Greek, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Khmer,
Korean, Macedonian, Russian, Serbian, Spanish, Thai, Turkish, Vietnamese.

There is an NESB search on the LawAccess website – www.lawaccess.nsw.gov.au.
Legal Information Access Centre

LIAC have re-branded their services to the community as "Find Legal Answers"

The Neighbours Hot Topic on has been updated and reprinted as an A5 booklet. Community
services can ask for up to 10 free copies. LIAC may produce this resource annually as there is a
high demand for it.
Legal Aid NSW

LAC is running mortgage stress workshops in Parramatta, Gosford and Rooty Hill in partnership
with a variety of service providers.
http://www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au/asp/index.asp?pgid=609&cid=839&id=805
Cooperative Legal Service Delivery

CLSD is holding introductory meetings in Nowra and Broken Hill for possible CLSD roll-out.

Hunter CLSD partners are developing a joint service outreach in Taree. Services include the
Hunter CLC, Legal Aid Newcastle office and a solicitor under Legal Aid's Regional Solicitor
Program with local agency Manning Support Services, in cooperation with Disability Advocacy.

CLSD has received additional project funding from the Commonwealth Attorney-General's
Department under the Regional Innovations Program in Legal Services (RIPLS) program. An
additional component of RIPLS funding includes monthly outreach clinics in 5 regions which will
be selected in consultation with CLSD partners.

CLSD and PIAC are developing a PPF bid for funding to develop and deliver 'Law for nonlawyers' to all CLSD regions.
Law and Justice Foundation of NSW

Information on grants funded and grant products is available on the LJF website
http://www.lawfoundation.net.au/grants.

The July issue of the Plain Language Law Newsletter has been sent out. A database of current
plain language legal resources is available on the Foundation's site at
http://www.lawfoundation.net.au/pllsearch. It is searchable by format (eg DVD, booklet etc),
language, law type and target group.
Legal Information Referral Forum (LIRF) Initiatives
Convenor: Law and Justice Foundation of NSW

Nominations for the Justice Awards close on 15 August. The Awards are on the 29 October.

Slides from Pascoe Pleasance's presentation on legal needs research are available on the
Foundation's web site at
http://xml.lawfoundation.net.au/ljf/site/templates/powerpoint/$file/Legal%20Needs%20Research%
20-%20UK%20perspective.ppt
National Pro Bono Resource Centre

The National Access to Justice and Pro Bono conference is being held in Sydney from 13-15
November (http://www.a2j08.com.au/program.html).

The centre is starting a project to target transitioning lawyers (particularly women returning from
maternity leave, or retiring solicitors) to get involved in pro bono and will be recruiting a research
officer to coordinate this.
NSW Attorney General's Department

The Capacity Assessment Toolkit for lawyers working with clients with a mental illness or
cognitive impairment has been very popular and they are reprinting http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/diversityservices.
Local Courts

Have produced a new information card on protected persons in AVO http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/local_courts/ll_localcourts.nsf/pages/lc_family_matters#Do
mestic%20Violence.

Changes have been made to forum sentencing so that it is no longer age specific but based on
the offence.

A new diversion program – CREDIT (Court referral of eligible defenders into treatment) is now in
place (like MERIT but with a slightly different scope).

A new code of conduct and handbook for JPs has been produced.

The principles behind the 'DV intervention courts model' have been rolled out to some Sydney
metropolitan courts. DV evidence kits have been distributed to the police in order to encourage
early pleas.

Care Circles are being trialled in Nowra. These are an expansion of Circle sentencing to involve
families in care decisions.

Victim's impact statements have been expanded so that they can be used in the Children's Court.
Family Court /Federal Magistrates Court

The Federal government has reviewed the best way to structure the services of both courts. A
decision will be made very soon on whether they should operate separately or be amalgamated.

The national roll out of mental health training for all client service staff has taken place throughout
all Family Courts

An e-filing capacity will be available soon to lodge supplementary documents for the Family Court
Legal Information Referral Forum (LIRF) Initiatives
Convenor: Law and Justice Foundation of NSW

A child responsive program will commence in Family Courts in order to establish a model of court
services based on greater child inclusiveness and earlier access by children and parents to the
family consultant.

There are currently varied levels of interaction between the courts and family relationship centres.
It can be hard for people to access family relationship centres due to waiting lists.
March 2008
Reaching CALD Communities

The Legal Information and Referral Forum has been focussing on ways to improve access to
legal services by CALD communities. Potential avenues for working with CALD communities
include migrant resource centres, settlement services, public libraries, adult English classes and
religious organisations.
Recent initiatives

The Combined Community Legal Centres Group is planning a forum for CLCs to discuss the
issues around reaching CALD communities.

The Foundation hosted a seminar for public legal agencies on promoting resources to CALD
communities.

Women's Legal Service are investigating the possibility of organising a customised 1 day version
of Law for Non-Lawyers for migrant resource centres. They are also adapting a Victorian poster
on how to use interpreter services for NSW legal service providers.

The Community Relations Commission has done training for CLCs on how to use interpreters. It
may be useful to repeat this.
Recent resources

Legal Aid NSW, Welcome to Legal Aid is a CD Rom for newly emerging communities about
Legal Aid and the legal system. It is available in a range of languages.

NSW Attorney General's have a new website with resources for CALD communities describing
the services of AGs and the local courts —
www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/Lawlink/DiversityServices/ll_DiversitySrvces.nsf/pages/cald_index.

Fairfield Local Council and ICE (Information and Cultural Exchange) has a grant from the
Foundation to produce a DVD on law and order issues for local emerging communities.

The Ethnic Communities Council, Your legal rights, is a CD in Tigrinya aimed at young people
aged 16-24 who have recently arrived from Eritrea.

For a more extensive list of resources for CALD communities, search the Foundation's Plain
language law search by language and/or group. www.lawfoundation.net.au/pllsearch.
New Initiatives
LawAccess NSW

Have developed an older person's communications strategy and are currently developing a
CALD communications strategy.
Legal Information Referral Forum (LIRF) Initiatives
Convenor: Law and Justice Foundation of NSW
Legal Information Access Centre

LIAC has a new brochure and website and toolkit branding — Find Legal Answers.

New hot topic on climate change — www.liac.sl.nsw.gov.au/hot/pdf/release63.pdf

New updated edition on Neighbours and the law.

Defend Yourself, Tim Anderson, 2nd edition, Federation Press, 2008 $29.95 or $25 direct

Provides a wide range of information about court procedure, trials and sentencing for those who
wish to defend a charge in court.

Legal Aid NSW / Cooperative Legal Service Delivery

The Older Person's Legal and Education Program is a joint project of Legal Aid NSW and the
Aged Care Rights Service. The service will have a regional focus and a focus on CLE and
capacity building the profession to work with older clients.

LAC is expanding its services to homeless people in RRR areas.

Chris Cunneen (UNSW) is undertaking research for the commission into the civil and family law
needs of Aboriginal people.

A review is being undertaken of Legal Aid's services to people in domestic violence matters.

LAC has developed two mortgage stress brochures.
Problems paying your mortgage —
www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au/data/portal/00000005/public/53088001205471207687.pdf
They're trying to take our home —
www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au/data/portal/00000005/public/58482001205471293937.pdf

Are you being squeezed for a debt is being updated —
www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au/data/portal/00000005/public/79767001160708438125.pdf

Legal Aid is developing DVDs for prisoners on areas of law commonly encountered by prisoners
including debt and tenancy.
Law and Justice Foundation of NSW

JAPA is a free bi- monthly electronic alert covering innovative programs aimed at improving
access to justice for economically and socially disadvantaged people. Subscribe at
www.lawfoundation.net.au/publications/newsletters/japa.

Legal aid has updated Family Law for Grandparents. It is available on the Foundation's website
— www.lawfoundation.net.au/grants/products/grandparents.

The Foundation's Publishing Toolkit is available in hard copy and on our website —
www.lawfoundation.net.au/information/publishing/toolkit.
National Pro Bono Resource Centre

The Pro bono services guide for Aboriginal people with civil law problems will be completed in
the next few months.
Legal Information Referral Forum (LIRF) Initiatives
Convenor: Law and Justice Foundation of NSW
NSW Attorney General's Department

The Capacity Assessment Toolkit for lawyers working with clients with a mental illness or
cognitive impairment is available at www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/diversityservices.
Local Courts

A NSW Client Service Charter is available online and as a brochure —
www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/local_courts/ll_localcourts.nsf/vwFiles/Client_Service_Charter.p
df/$file/Client_Service_Charter.pdf

A fact sheet are on changes to the information provided to defendants about fines and the
process for applying for further time to pay is available —
www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/local_courts/ll_localcourts.nsf/pages/lc_money_issues#Paying
%20fines.
Legal Information Referral Forum (LIRF) Initiatives
Convenor: Law and Justice Foundation of NSW
LIRF Initiatives: November 2007
Improving referrals from General Practitioners to legal assistance agencies
LawAccess have prepared the first of a number of articles on different topics to be included in the
Division of GPs newsletter. The first topic is 'dealing with debt'. Sue Scott and Lauren Finestone
attended the NSW GPs conference held in October to talk about referral. This was well received and
interest was shown particularly from the Aboriginal Medical Research Councils who would like them to
attend their state meeting.
LawAccess is also planning to extend the initiative into new Divisions of GPs, including NSW Central
West, NSW Outback, Dubbo/Plains, Central Coast, Blue Mountains and Northern Rivers
Legal Aid has begun discussing the project with CLSD regions. The first of those meetings was at
Bathurst last week and the next will be at the Wagga Wagga meeting this week. Elizabeth Evatt CLC
have been working with the Blue Mountains and Central West Division of GPs on mental health
issues and have provided training to 12 regional GPs on powers of attorney, guardianship, wills and
advance directives.
It was noted that Illawarra CLC has a partnership with the local GP division and are developing
referral protocols and that LawAccess could perhaps build on this type of initiative.
Service Link
Feedback on Service Link from LIRF members was given to HS Net. Currently, they do not have the
funding to make any of the requested changes. The only other publicly available legal services
directory is LIACs which is updated yearly. Some CLSDs are considering producing their own local
referral guides. The LJF may work with the Hunter region on this with the aim of producing a best
practice template that other regions could then use.
Legal needs of newly arrived women migrants
The Forum is working together to progress the recommendations from the Women's Legal Service
(WLS) report, A Long way to Equal. MRCs were identified in the report as a key information pathway
to migrant communities and that a collaborative approach to working with them would be a useful way
of promoting a consistent message from the public legal sector.
MRCs hold a bi-monthly general meeting and so WLS will attend the December meeting to discuss

the findings of the report

the role of the Forum

ways to work together to implement the findings

how CLCs can strengthen connections with MRCs

issues in assisting clients with legal problems

to explain LIRF and to suggest that an MRC rep speaks at the next LIRF meeting
In addition, the report found that radio programs are a good way of disseminating legal information to
CALD groups. The State CLC office is therefore putting together a list of key radio contacts from
community ethnic radio programs across NSW and is organizing a session on how to most effectively
Legal Information Referral Forum (LIRF) Initiatives
Convenor: Law and Justice Foundation of NSW
use ethnic media at the CLC quarterly meeting in Feb 2008 and/or at the state conference in
Feb/March 2008. The LJF is organizing a seminar on producing and promoting resources to ethnic
communities to be held in March.
Better ways of working with non-legal CALD groups could also be explored through the establishment
of an NLAF CALD working group which could further explore issues around legal information and
referral, and broader access to justice and legal need issues.
Feedback on LIRF

A discussion on the future of the Forum indicated that members are very happy for it to continue,
with 3 meetings a year, held at the LJF

The focus will continue to be on working with non-legal services as a pathway to the justice
system. In addition to CALD communities, older people were put forward as a potential group to
focus on in 2008
New Initiatives
Family Court

Have commenced their 'client service delivery program' which involves 5 days of training for staff
on mental health issues, working with Aboriginal clients, and people with language barriers and
disadvantaged people more generally.

A duty solicitor service has started in the family court provided by LAC, Mon–Fri 9am–1pm, open
to all for assistance on the day and with referrals

A women's DV support group will be available on Wed and Fri mornings in the Sydney Court. It
will also support women with Federal Magistrate Court matters. It will provide general support
(non-legal) and referral. It was noted that this scheme could potentially work with the LAC DV
court support scheme.
Law and Justice Foundation of NSW

See the Foundation's website for a list of resources and CLE funded by the grants program —
www.lawfoundation.net.au/grants/awarded

The Foundation has produced a set of fact sheets on publishing and promoting plain language
legal resources
LawAccess NSW

LawZone will be launched during Law Week with the interactive debt section finalised by
December.
Legal Information Access Centre

The MOU with DCS to have toolkits in prisons has been extended for two years and LIAC will
continue to provide research services to prisons

Latest Hot Topics — Children and Families, this will be followed by Climate Change
Community Legal Centres

RLC will be focusing on post release issues concerning tenancy and credit and debt, particularly
targeting Aboriginal women
Legal Information Referral Forum (LIRF) Initiatives
Convenor: Law and Justice Foundation of NSW

ICLC has published the Unfair Dismissal Guide — www.iclc.org.au/udg/ — and the Women's
employment rights project (WERP) — www.iclc.org.au/werp/
Legal Aid NSW

National LA has produced information on the Family Court, a guide for grandparents, self
representing litigants and child support

Have commenced a statewide CLE program in prisons in collaboration with the sector and DCS.

LAC and LawAccess have developed referral protocols
NSW Attorney General's Department

Have launched a website for victims of crime who may be called to court as witnesses.

Is developing a draft plain language "Pocket Guide to your Bail Conditions" for defendants on bail.

Local Courts are Rolling out a Client Service Charter across the all courts and tribunals. The
Charter sets out expectations together with standards of service.

The Local Court registry at Fairfield has been redesigned to make it more user friendly. It will
shortly include a facility to enable people to get online access to LawLink.