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annual report

2013/14

arc justice | Annual Report

2013/14

ARC JUSTICE | ANNUAL REPORT 13/142

The Board

John McPherson Chairperson

Mandy Stewart Deputy Chairperson

Barry Keane Secretary/Director

Patrick Boyer Director

Niall Hensey Director

Jennifer Wilson Director

ManageMenT

Peter Noble Executive Officer

Chris Sedgman Operations Manager

adMinisTraTion

Joanne Baker Finance Officer

Jennifer Warren Finance Assistant/Casual

Steve Womersley Communications Worker

housing JusTice

Mim Dineen Manager

Kirsty Waller Lead Worker

Leah Berger Tenant Advocate

Lyndall Blandthorn Tenant Advocate

Denise Williams Reception/Administration

Loddon caMpaspe coMMuniTy LegaL cenTre (LccLc)

Anna Howard Co-Principal Lawyer

Nickie King Co-Principal Lawyer

Chris Casey Community Lawyer

Michael Hennessy Community Lawyer

Bonnie Renou Community Lawyer

Lisa Grealy Community Lawyer

Carolyn Neilson Family Violence Researcher

Robert Southgate Legal Educator

Carolyn Staszkiewicz Reception/Administration

Gemma Cafarella Law Graduate

gouLBurn VaLLey coMMuniTy LegaL cenTre (gVcLc)

Kaz Gurney Managing Lawyer

Sara Molenaar Community Lawyer

Shane Appel Community Lawyer

Amanda Sharp Reception/Administration

seniors righTs VicToria iniTiaTiVe – LccLc TeaM

Caroline Granger Community Lawyer

Elaine Harrington Administration

deparTures

Trevor Elliott Director

Jane Staley Executive Officer

Renee Wilson Acting Principal Lawyer

Natalie Blaney Tenant Advocate

Courtney Lucanto Social Worker and Community Legal Educator

Alison Rees Reception/Administration

Jo-Anne Mason Advocacy-Health Alliance Project Worker

Tabitha O’Shea Community Lawyer

Loddon Campaspe Community Legal Centre

adVocacy and righTs cenTre LTd, Trading as ARC JustiCe

Bendigo54 Mitchell StBendigo 3550

Tel: 5444 4364 or 1800 639 121Fax: 5441 1033

Open 9am-5pm Monday to Fridaywww.arcjustice.org.au

Who we are

incorporating:

ARC JUSTICE | ANNUAL REPORT 13/14 3

What we doVision

An inclusive community built on a foundation of human rights and equality before the law.

Mission

We are a leading and innovative advocacy and rights organisation that delivers client focused services that empower disadvantaged and vulnerable people in rural and regional Victoria. We elevate justice as an issue in public discourse and advocate for systemic change that upholds human rights. We are a leader that strengthens the sector, pursuing best practice and innovation through collaboration.

Where We Work

We work in the rural and regional areas of Central and Northern Victoria. We have legal services in the Loddon Campaspe and Goulburn Valley regions, and a housing service in the Loddon Mallee region. We have offices based in Bendigo and Shepparton and provide regular outreach services.

our prograMs

• Housing Justice (the Social Housing Advocacy and Support Program [SHASP]) is supported by the Victorian Government.

• The Tenant Advocacy Advice Program is funded by Consumer Affairs Victoria.

• Loddon Campaspe Community Legal Centre is funded by Victoria Legal Aid.

• Goulburn Valley Community Legal Centre is funded by Victoria Legal Aid.

• Consumer Advocacy is funded by Consumer Affairs Victoria.

renTaL adVocacy

• The SHASP program operates across the Loddon Mallee region.

• The Tenant Advocacy Advice Program contract offers housing support to private tenants throughout the Loddon Mallee region.

LegaL serVices

• The LCCLC services the Loddon Campaspe region.

• The GVCLC services the Goulburn Valley region.

• Consumer matters are handled across both the Loddon Mallee and Hume regions (including the Goulburn Valley).

• Seniors Rights Victoria Bendigo outreach operates across much of Central and Northern Victoria.

The area We coVer

Our service covers people living across Northern and Central Victoria. Our staff acknowledge that they travel across and work within the traditional lands of many Aboriginal communities.

We acknowledge the Aboriginal people as the traditional owners of the land and we pay our respects to their elders, past and present.


our principLes

> Empowerment

We work with disadvantaged and vulnerable people and our diverse community on strategies to help themselves.

> Equality

We ensure that disadvantaged and vulnerable people have access to services.

> Compassion, Dignity and Respect

We act with empathy and respect the dignity of every person.

> Creativity

We strive to find new solutions and approaches.

> Quality and Accountability

We strive for excellence and rigour in everything we do.

> Social Justice and Human Rights

We ensure that people’s fundamental freedoms are protected and promoted.

> Collaboration

We seek to work with others knowing that through the alignment of effort we are more effective.

corporaTe goVernance

ARC Justice’s Board is strong on governance, meeting monthly to evaluate the organisation’s operations and ensuring that the appropriate policies and procedures are in place to minimise risks.

Areas of focus are:

• strategic vision.• financial accountability.• occupational health and safety.• risk management.• policies and procedures.

accrediTaTion

The organisation underwent its three-year review early in 2013. The review looked at organisational standards and the DHS standards as they apply to housing and homelessness services, in particular to the SHASP.

We continue to be accredited by Quality Innovation Performance in the Homelessness Assistance Service Standards and by the National Association of Community Legal Centres accreditation scheme.

coMMunicaTions

With the rebranding of the organisation under the trading name ARC Justice, our Communications Worker, Steve Womersley, has standardised the online presence for the organisation and its three programs.

LCCLC’s social media presence continues to grow and Steve is often called on to participate in legal sector forums focused on communications and social media. Through its social media channels LCCLC now plays a prominent role across the legal sector and via events such as the annual National Association of Community Legal Centres conference. Through its quarterly e-newsletter, LCCLC now reaches almost 600 subscribers.

In 2013 GVCLC created a Facebook page to increase its engagement with clients and the wider community.

how we work


chairperson’s reportMy first Chair’s Report was in the 2006/2007 year, and this 2013/2014 Report will be my last.

Gladly, Peter Noble’s Executive Officer’s Report details some of the highlights of the year and important operational statistics, allowing this Report to be somewhat more personal than it would ordinarily be.

I came onto ARC’s Board on 5 July 2005, having earlier had involvement with the organisation through the community legal centre needs project, in which the Advocacy and Rights Centre (or ARC, as it was then commonly known) played a leading role. Mandy Stewart was Chair then, and has remained on the Board continuously since.

After the commencement of the Loddon Campaspe Community Legal Centre in October 2005, and its formal launch in December 2005, I assumed the Chair in 2006/2007, remaining in that position until now. My formal resignation as Chair and from the Board will take effect from 4 November 2014.

The decade or so of my close involvement with ARC Justice, and particularly its nurturing and growth of the Community Legal Centre, has been among the most rewarding experiences of my professional career. During this time the organisation has grown four-fold in turnover (from roughly $500 000 to around $2 million), and has greatly expanded its services and policy work. Visited by every Victorian and Commonwealth Attorney-General holding office since its inception (but for the current Federal incumbent), the LCCLC is regarded by knowledgeable observers as among the best community legal centres in Australia.

Housing Justice, our original (now re-branded) housing arm, continues to face significant funding challenges in the near-term, but will doubtless continue to fight for those whom it seeks to serve by taking a leadership role and working in concert with like bodies in the sector against demonstrably harmful government policy and practice.

I have many, many people I would like to thank for their support both of me personally in my role with ARC, and more importantly the organisation itself. They are simply too numerous to mention individually. I must, however, acknowledge the profound contribution made by Peter Noble in the organisation’s development since his appointment in 2005 as LCCLC’s Principal Solicitor/Coordinator. Without Peter’s relentless hard work, generous and open disposition, unsurpassed lobbying and networking efforts, and careful work in cooperation with the Board and its Chair, ARC Justice would be inestimably poorer. Mandy Stewart, former Chair, frequent Deputy Chair, and the longest standing member of the Board, I also sincerely thank for her constant devotion to ARC Justice and its mission.

In closing, then, I thank all current and former staff members and volunteers, without whom none of our important work would be done. I particularly thank members of the Board throughout my time as Chair for their hard work and wise counsel. ARC Justice will continue to make a powerful and positive difference in the lives of many of its clients under Peter Noble’s stewardship, with the support of a revitalised Board and highly capable new Chair.

John McPherson, Chairperson


executive officer’s reportIt is my pleasure to present my first report as Executive Officer, not only because of my pride in the excellent work conducted by our staff and volunteers each day, but because several critical initiatives commenced by my immediate predecessor, Jane Staley, have now come to fruition.

Jane resigned as Executive Officer in November 2013 having set a clear course for the organisation and strengthened it to meet the emerging challenges. We greatly appreciate the warmth, determination and clarity of vision that she possessed.

It is no mean feat to remain responsive to client needs, develop innovative services and manage multiple programs while staying ahead of the policy curve. However, three key organisational shifts during 2013/14 meant that we are now better equipped to juggle these tasks and deliver on our vision of An inclusive community built on a foundation of human rights and equality before the law.

These three shifts were:

• Undertaking a comprehensive strategic planning process that achieves strategic alignment of all programs within a theory of change paradigm and from which all other program and individual workplans cascade.

• Appointing an Operations Manager, Chris Sedgman, in November 2014 who brings tremendous experience in financial management, human resource management and operational development.

• Rebranding to ensure greater program clarity and stylistic consistency. ARC Justice has become the trading name of the Advocacy and Rights Centre Ltd and Housing Justice now refers to our housing advocacy and support program.

While many activities, accomplishments and positive client outcomes during the year warrant specific praise, a few among them are:

• Talking Justice 2014 – a dynamic three-day public engagement event in Bendigo featuring such eminent speakers as Graham Atkinson, Father Frank Brennan, Simon Breheny, Debbie Kilroy, Kate Auty, Anne Manne, Nicholas Cowdery, Arie Freiberg, Raimond Gaita and Martin Krygier.

• An outstanding photo exhibition coordinated by the Seniors Rights Victoria Team marking World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.

• The development of substantial capability and expertise within the Housing Justice team regarding squalor and problematic hoarding.

• State-wide research into the effectiveness of the Social Housing Advocacy and Support Program.

• Commencement of the Advocacy-Health Alliance between Loddon Campaspe Community Legal Centre and Bendigo Community Health Services within the Child Health Invest Program at Kangaroo Flat.

• GVCLC’s coming runners-up at the Law Institute of Victoria President’s Award for Community Lawyer/Organisation of the Year 2014.

• Publication of the interim report for the family violence project “Why Didn’t You Ask”.• The hosting of a highly successful therapeutic justice forum in the Goulburn Valley

and the submission of persuasive evidence to the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into Methamphetamine abuse.

• Our strong social media profile, capability and sectoral leadership.• Installation of communications hardware to support the NBN assisted migration law pilot in

the Goulburn Valley and enhanced inter-office communications.


ARC’s total income was $2,082,419 and our expenditure was $1,896,784, resulting in a net surplus of $185,635. At the end of the year the organisation has carried forward unexpended grants of $269,310, which have been recognised as revenue in 2013/14 but will be expended in the 2014/15 year (see Note 16: Unexpended Grants, in the Financial Statements).

Our employee benefits have increased by 6.6% this year, which reflects a small increase in program staff and the appointment of the Operations Manager. The employee expenses are now $1,415,680, and we have a team of 24 staff.

The organisation has net equity of $1,046,423 after taking into account all provisions for employee entitlements. The cash and cash equivalents total $1,069,129 which clearly covers all liabilities. The net increase in cash held during the year was $90,112.

The financial position of the organisation continues to strengthen and provide a prudent buffer in a context of shifting programmatic and political priorities.

Given that 2013/14 is the last (complete) year that our Chairperson John McPherson will serve as a Director, I take this opportunity to specifically recognise the outstanding contribution that he has made to the organisation. While John joined the Board in mid-2005, his association with the organisation began through his participation in the community legal centre legal needs project in 2004, as a representative of the Bendigo Law Association. Drawing on his deep commitment to human rights and social justice, John not only recognised the need for the Loddon Campaspe Community Legal Centre, he championed it through his networks and among colleagues, creating a critical enabling environment for the development of the Centre.

In his capacity as Chairperson for nine years John has guided the organisation through multiple changes of leadership, accreditation and strategic planning processes, relocations and substantial growth. He has done so with great humour, collegiality and genuine passion. We are deeply indebted to him and recognise the legacy that he has left.

Peter Noble, Executive Officer


Loddon campaspe community Legal centreLCCLC is a generalist CLC undertaking a range of activities, including:

• legal assistance (information, referral, advice and casework).

• community development and legal education.

• law reform and special projects.

GVCLC, based in Shepparton, is a division of the LCCLC practice.

The year in suMMary

2013/14 for LCCLC was a year defined by consolidation, opportunity and collaboration. Despite the competitive funding climate LCCLC attracted funding from a number of sources, enabling the continuation of existing services and expansion of new programs across the practice.

Examples of partnerships that were continued or entered into in the 2013/14 financial year are:

• The Advocacy-Health Alliance project, with Bendigo Community Health Services.

• The GVCLC Migration Service pilot, with the Refugee and Immigration Legal Centre (RILC) (using NBN funding).

LCCLC completed its strategic planning process and built upon its external accreditation requirements by a review and update of its policies and procedures.

Various notable achievements, from law reform to community engagement, were achieved across the practice this year, including:

• GVCLC’s shortlisting at the Law Institute of Victoria President’s Award for Community Lawyer/Organisation of the Year 2014.

• GVCLC’s submission (including the oral presentation of Managing Lawyer Kaz Gurney) to the recent Victorian Parliamentary inquiry into the Supply and

use of Methamphetamines, which was influential in the Inquiry’s report.

• GVCLC’s one-day forum in Shepparton on Therapeutic Justice, which featured a number of speakers from the judiciary, the legal profession, the health profession and justice agencies. Nearly 100 people attended the forum that provided the framework for our successful submissions to the Legal Services Board for funding of the forthcoming therapeutic justice project.

• LCCLC’s Talking Justice sessions in May 2014 that saw a distinguished line-up of speakers address the place of the law and justice in a free society. More than 240 people bought tickets to this inaugural Bendigo event at the La Trobe University Visual Arts Centre and several sessions were booked out.

• LCCLC’s submission to the Victoria Law Reform Commission on proposals to reform forfeiture laws in Victoria (to better respond to the needs of women who kill, and have been the victim of family violence).

• SRV Bendigo’s continued advocacy against elder abuse. The regional awareness of SRV continues to grow as a result of engagement and community legal education with community groups and service providers. The photographic exhibition ‘The Best is Yet to Be’ marking World Elder Abuse Day was a great success, attracting quality entries and significant exposure.

• The Victoria Law Foundation funded project Bridging the Divide – Delivering legal education to health workers at Bendigo Community Health Services.

LCCLC’s commitment to sector development continued in 2013/14. Three staff participated in the Federation of CLCs’ Adaptive Leadership Program (Bonnie Renou, Chris Sedgman and Sara Molenaar). From January to April 2014, LCCLC hosted another graduate from


the Federation of Community Legal Centre’s Graduate Lawyers Scheme: Gemma Cafarella.

We also participated in the Productivity Commission submission processes of the Federation of CLCs and appeared before the commission on the issue of integrated legal services, law reform / advocacy work. LCCLC staff members are active members on a number of the Federation Working Groups, including Family Violence, Child Protection and Civil Law.

The year saw some additions and changes to our staff. At GVCLC we welcomed Shane Appel as a Community Lawyer and in Bendigo, Nickie King joined the team as the Advocacy-Health Alliance Lawyer. LCCLC also welcomed Caroline Granger as the new SRV Loddon Lawyer and Carolyn Neilson and Robert Southgate as Project Workers for the ‘Why Didn’t You Ask? Project. Renee Wilson was appointed Acting Principal Lawyer while Anna Howard took maternity leave.

The year ahead

The pattern of growth and development is likely to continue for LCCLC in 2015 and beyond. Notably, the GVCLC has been successful in securing a three-year grant from the Legal Services Board to deliver a therapeutic justice model in the Goulburn Valley. This will comprise a full-time lawyer and full-time case manager who will work collaboratively at the Shepparton Magistrates’ Court to integrate therapeutic justice services into Court processes. The case manager will be a senior social worker with broad experience supervised professionally by and based at Primary Care Connect (PCC). The TJ lawyer will work out of GVCLC but will also be able to access a hot desk at PCC.

The case manager’s main role will be to consult with defendants and victims

attending Shepparton Magistrates’ Court, perform mini-assessments to determine any underlying issues related to their Court appearance (mental health, substance abuse, homelessness, intellectual impairment, financial distress), make appropriate referrals to support agencies in the community, and provide and interpret reports for the information of the Court. The TJ lawyer will provide limited legal advice and casework for selected clients at the Court, conduct specialist community legal education for support agency workers so that they are better able to respond to the Court’s needs for appropriate information about individual client issues, and provide a drug outreach service through schools and other organisations to the broader community.

Now that the video-conferencing infrastructure has been installed with the funding received through the NBN, we will aim to start delivering migration services before the end of 2014 in partnership with RILC.

The Advocacy-Health Alliance pilot will move into its second year and is likely to continue the trend of increasing referrals and positive, impactful outcomes for clients.

The Why Didn’t You Ask? Project is entering its final year, which will culminate in the final project report. During this final year we will complete gathering women’s experiences via interview and survey results; deliver a series of trainings about identifying the signs of family violence, asking the question, and making timely referrals for women experiencing family violence; utilise the learnings of the project in speaking with local representatives about the unmet needs of women in our catchment; and, make recommendations for improving legal responses to family violence.


serVice sTaTisTics

In addition to the figures below, LCCLC and GVCLC assisted with 79 matters that arose from our work delivering community legal education and advice sessions at the Family Relationship Centres in Bendigo and Shepparton.

LCCLC service provision

For the financial year ending 30 June 2014, LCCLC assisted clients in 1200 matters. Of these, 29.9% of clients indicated that they had a disability, 65.6% relied on Centrelink benefits for income and 3.6% of clients indicated that they identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.

LCCLC client activities by location

Advocacy-Health Alliance 34

La Trobe University, Bendigo 20

Bendigo Court 266

Bendigo Other 458

Bendigo SRV 138

Mon/Thurs afternoon service (Bendigo) 239

Wednesday night service (Bendigo) 325

Echuca 39

Echuca Court 104

Maryborough 23

Maryborough Court 81

Kyneton 30

Kyneton Court 60

Swan Hill Court 54

Bendigo Family Relationship Centre 4

Consumer Advocacy Assistance Program (Bendigo)

54

Consumer Advocacy Assistance Program (Hume)

5

GVCLC service provision

For the financial year ending 30 June 2014, GVCLC assisted clients in 881 matters. Of these, 34.3% of clients indicated that they had a disability, 60.5% relied on Centrelink benefits for income and 8.7% of clients indicated that they identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.

GVCLC client activities by location

Cobram 21

Cobram Court 49

Seymour 29

Seymour Court 132

Shepparton 479

Shepparton Family Relationship Centre 5

Shepparton Court 163

Night Service 167

LCCLC areas of law

Family 280

Family violence 454

Personal safety IVO 102

Wills, POA & guardianship 92

Credit & debt 67

Traffic 17

Consumer 73

Civil 75

Employment 29

Crime 19

MVA 49

Tenancy 22

Administration & social security 44

Injuries 23

Neighbourhood disputes 28

Discrimination 3

Note: These figures exceed the number of matters because some involved multiple areas where assistance was required.


GVCLC areas of law

Family 212

Family violence 268

Personal safety IVO 92

Wills, POA & guardianship 107

Credit & debt 53

Traffic 31

Consumer 30

Civil 40

Employment 22

Crime 84

MVA 26

Immigration 7

Tenancy 21

Administration & social security Consumer complaints

31

Injuries 12

Neighbourhood disputes 7

Social security / admin 30

Discrimination 3

Note: These figures exceed the number of matters because some involved multiple areas where assistance was required.

Funding

LCCLC gratefully acknowledges funding from the Victorian Government (Department of Justice) and the Commonwealth Government (Attorney-General’s Department, administered by Victoria Legal Aid), the Clayton Utz Foundation, the Victoria Law Foundation, the RE Ross Trust and the City of Greater Bendigo.

• Victorian Government funding was applied to provide all core generalist CLC services, expanded services in the Goulburn Valley, the Seniors Rights Victoria initiative and consumer advocacy for disadvantaged and vulnerable consumers in the Hume region.

• Commonwealth Government funding supported the expansion of services in the Goulburn Valley, the NBN regional justice project, operation of a clinical legal education program with La Trobe University and legal assistance services at the Family

Relationship Centre.• Clayton Utz Foundation funding enabled

a pilot Advocacy-Health Alliance to be established in Bendigo.

• The Victoria Law Foundation funded a legal curriculum development project to complement the AHA pilot, delivering legal education to health staff at Bendigo Community Health Services and beyond and the Talking Justice seminar series.

• The RE Ross Trust supported the evaluation of the Advocacy-Health Alliance

• The City of Greater Bendigo supported the Seniors Rights Victoria photographic exhibition The Best is Yet to Be.

core serVices

Bendigo-based generalist services

Telephone advice, Wednesday evening advice clinic, day clinics and outreach to Echuca, Maryborough and Kyneton.

Shepparton-based generalist services

Tuesday evening advice clinics, day clinics and outreach to Cobram and Seymour.

Family violence prevention legal services

Attending courts to provide regular family violence prevention duty lawyer services at Bendigo, Kyneton, Maryborough, Echuca, Swan Hill, Seymour, Cobram and Shepparton. (Kerang and Castlemaine as required.)

Seniors Rights Victoria

Legal assistance, legal education, policy development and participation in local networks. Monday to Friday 10am–4pm; outreach and home visits by appointment.

Family Relationship Centre

Legal information sessions in Shepparton (twice weekly) and Bendigo (weekly); legal advice and casework by appointment.

Community Legal Education Program

Community legal education is a core component of LCCLC’s work. A better-educated community is better able to assert its rights and to access relevant support. We frequently respond to ad-hoc requests from schools and community organisations to deliver plain-language legal education to students, staff and members.


In early 2014 LCCLC presented Talking Justice, a weekend series of public lectures at the La Trobe University Visual Arts Centre that explored notions of law and justice in a free society. The program sourced diverse voices and perspectives and brought together some of Australia’s finest writers and thinkers. Over the weekend, more than 250 people attended this inaugural event.

Talking Justice was sponsored and/or supported by La Trobe University, Victoria Law Foundation, Arnold Dallas McPherson, Stuthridge Legal, The Good Loaf, Strategem Community Foundation, Bress Winery and Apple Annie’s Bakery Café. We are very grateful for their support.

GVCLC hosted a therapeutic justice forum in Shepparton. It also devised a series of sessions in local schools concerning issues in criminal sentencing, which were very well received by the students.

GVCLC also presented at UnitingCare Cutting Edge’s “Outside the Square” forum for GLBTI youth, its Law & Discrimination seminar and its Arabic-speaking drivers seminar. It presented sessions to schools and other community groups on Powers of Attorney, road safety, sexting, positive ageing, criminal sentencing, working with Support Workers and road rules for Asylum Seekers.

We also deliver community legal education around family law to separating parents via our work with the Family Relationship Centres in Bendigo and Shepparton.

key prograMs/proJecTs

Older persons’ legal assistance

Seniors Rights Victoria (SRV): elder abuse prevention and response services were provided by LCCLC, a partner in the Seniors Rights Victoria consortium.

LCCLC’s Bendigo SRV team organised Bendigo-based events in recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD), 15 June 2014. The aim of the day was to raise awareness about elder abuse, celebrate ageing and recognise the contribution that seniors make to the community. Bendigo Senior Secondary Students and SRV Bendigo collaborated to

host a photographic exhibition “The Best Is Yet to Be” which was held at McGillivray Hall at Bendigo TAFE. The exhibition featured images of positive ageing. The historic former Bendigo Post Office building was lit up in a purple hue (purple represents WEAAD) and Bendigo trams sported a WEAAD banner.

The Palliative Care Legal Program at Bendigo Health (assisting patients with life-limiting illnesses) has continued with the support of local lawyers. The program has responded to many urgent referrals for assistance throughout the year, undertaking wills, powers of attorney and a range of other legal work for clients.

Advocacy-Health Alliance Project

Health Education Project

In the first half of 2014, LCCLC community lawyer Chris Casey led the preparation and implementation of our education and training program to staff at BCHS. This teaching program was successful in increasing staff awareness of the possible avenues of legal redress that exist, prompting staff to consider a referral to the AHA service. A staff survey conducted after the program showed a significant increase in staff confidence and knowledge around identifying issues that could be referred to the service for resolution.

It is hoped that as this project becomes more embedded at BCHS, we will be able to maintain and deliver a quality service while also identifying systemic issues affecting the client catchment of BCHS, Kangaroo Flat. It is hoped that these issues may then be championed by the partnership to argue for change in the community.

Advocacy-Health Alliance Project

AHA project Lawyer, Nickie King, was employed in late October 2013. Nickie is based at BCHS’ Kangaroo Flat site three days each week, while also checking emails remotely and receiving referrals by telephone and email.

Throughout the early months of the project, the focus of the AHA project lawyer was on preliminary issues, including developing a draft evaluation framework proposal, preparing a service and client brochure


and the development and roll out of a staff baseline knowledge survey. The organisation-wide survey, completed in early 2014 by a majority of BCHS staff at Kangaroo Flat, has provided data that has allowed us to better understand the prevalence and staff knowledge of legal issues facing clients of Bendigo Community Health Services.

The AHA service has been receiving client referrals since January 2014. The referring teams from Kangaroo Flat are: Counselling and Family Services (comprised of Family Support workers, counsellors and a financial counsellor), Child Health Invest (a multi-disciplinary team completing development assessments of children), the Early Years team (supporting families of children with a disability aged under six years), and alcohol and other drug services (providing forensic counselling, support and assistance for individuals with addiction problems).

Recent casework assistance as part of the AHA project has included advice and representation in multiple child protection matters in the Family Division of the Children’s Court. A significant advantage of the AHA partnership, particularly in child protection matters, is that family service workers can identify those families that need legal advice and assistance early before the matter is in the Children’s Court and children are removed from their parents.

We have also appeared in the Federal Circuit Court for a mother involved with the Family Services team. We have appeared in the special circumstances list in the Magistrates’ Court for a client with multiple driving offences committed at a time when she was experiencing extreme family violence, was involved with DHS and did not always have a safe place to live with her children. In this matter we worked closely with the client’s family services’ worker at BCHS to provide a coordinated and compassionate response that successfully ensured that this vulnerable client’s particular mitigating circumstances were considered as part of her sentence. We have assisted several clients, in collaboration with the BCHS’ financial counsellor and generalist counsellors to resolve property

issues and debts arising from separation.

The AHA service is also regularly consulted by BCHS staff in relation to a range of general legal issues impacting on clients. Specifically, we have provided advice to the Early Years Team about the obligations of parents where there are parenting orders providing for equal shared parental responsibility. We have also provided advice and assistance in relation to child protection matters when BCHS’ client is the child.

In the 2013/2014 financial year, the AHA service has seen over 30 advice clients at Bendigo Community Health Services and assisted a similar number of individuals with ongoing casework. Of the advices, the majority were family matters, while 14 were civil and four criminal in nature. Of the cases, 22 were family, six civil and three criminal.

We have continued our active involvement in promoting AHA partnerships in the community; contributing to an article in the Law Institute Journal in November, participating in the Justice Connect led working group and participating and presenting at the NSW Legal Aid Health-Justice Partnership forum.

Why didn’t you ask?

LCCLC established the ‘Why didn’t you ask?’ project to improve the safety, social and health outcomes for women who are at risk of or are experiencing family violence. ‘Why didn’t you ask?’ is a three-year project funded through a grant from the Legal Services Board. It employs a researcher (Carolyn Neilson), a lawyer (Bonnie Renou) and a Legal Educator (Robert Southgate).

We know that women often arrive at court not knowing what to expect from the legal process or how an Intervention Order will meet their needs. We also know that the courts often make assumptions about what victims of family violence want from the legal system. So we decided to take a step back and to ask women themselves what they wanted.

There are a number of components to the project, which aims to highlight women’s voices and demonstrate women’s experiences


of the legal and justice system.

Our finalised survey data, completed at court by women who have experienced family violence, have highlighted that upon coming to court:

• a high proportion of women wanted their concerns for safety to be heard and respected (97% responded ‘very much’ or ‘somewhat’).

• 76% of women wanted to make their children safer.

• 84% of women wanted to begin to heal from the harm that has been caused.

• 64% of women ranked ‘very much’ that they wanted the offender’s behaviour to be monitored.

Through the in-depth interviews being conducted by Carolyn Neilson, survey participants are responding some months after finalisation of their case, and telling us whether they feel these needs have been met through this process. They are also discussing with our interviewer strategies they have developed themselves to achieve safety where the legal system had fallen short.

‘Why didn’t you ask?’ also addresses the geographic disadvantage, or ‘postcode disadvantage’, that inhibits the delivery of consistent services across the population. During this project, LCCLC’s Family Violence Legal Service was extended from three to five courts in our region to include Bendigo, Echuca, Maryborough, Kyneton and Swan Hill.

The project has formed and strengthened partnerships with specialist family violence support organisations, regional Aboriginal collectives and community health providers to further the long-term goals of the project.

‘Why didn’t you ask?’ also aims to demonstrate the benefits of Advocacy-Health Alliances. We are undertaking research into when and how health professionals screen for family violence and how they provide referrals to legal and other supports. ‘Why didn’t you ask?’ will deliver education sessions in relation to screening and referral options for women who experience family violence and who present to their healthcare professional.

The project also delivers community legal

education sessions on family violence and legal protections for those at risk of family violence.

Consumer Advocacy Assistance Program

Our partnership with Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) gained momentum in the 2013/14 financial year. We have noticed that many of our clients struggling with consumer-related matters are experiencing difficulties with solar panel installations, motor vehicles and caravans. Our experiences have been fed back to CAV for it to use in its preventative work. We look forward to continuing working with CAV and the Consumer Action Legal Centre in 2014/15.

Family Relationship Centre legal assistance

We continued to build on our strong relationship with the Family Relationship Centres (FRCs) in Shepparton and Bendigo in 2013/14. We have worked with the FRCs to streamline administrative procedures, which have led to parents being able to access our legal advice appointments more quickly. We look forward to developing new community legal education projects, including presentations to schools, and to continue to explore new opportunities for legally assisted family dispute resolution in 2014/15.

Bendigo Student Association (BSA) Student Legal Service

BSA and LCCLC commenced a pilot legal service based at the La Trobe Bendigo campus in August 2012. The service continued over this past financial year to provide students with free legal advice and referrals, a Justice of the Peace service and ongoing community legal education opportunities. BSA and LCCLC now provide ongoing services throughout the university year and the Student Legal Service is now considered a part of BSA’s ‘core’ service provision to the Bendigo student body.

Clinical Legal Education Program

LCCLC hosted four students throughout the second semester of 2013: Ashley Patterson, Emily Chamberlain, Kristen Fury and Lauren Taylor. All students successfully completed their placements and maintained the high standard of enthusiasm and assistance we have come to expect from the La Trobe University Bendigo students.


The funding for the clinic program has been rolled over for one further year – concluding at the end of 2nd semester 2014. We provided a written submission to the Attorney-General’s Department in support of further ongoing funding for the program and have yet to receive a formal response. The submission included a breakdown of our research into students’ clinic experiences over the duration of the program and proposals for how the clinic program should continue.

We have progressed discussions with La Trobe University Bendigo about our capacity for ongoing involvement with the clinic program should no further funding be available. These discussions are continuing.

pro Bono supporT

We strongly believe that all lawyers can make a pro bono contribution and greatly value this work. While the contribution varies between individuals and firms, a strong ethic of structured pro bono is patently evident in the local private profession, with practitioners volunteering through a range of services provided or facilitated by ARC. These included approximately:

• 36 practitioners supporting the Bendigo evening advice service.

• 9 practitioners supporting the Shepparton evening advice service.

• 3 practitioners supporting the Outreach at Bendigo Health program.

Practitioners also contribute by providing secondary consultation to LCCLC lawyers, access to libraries, and community/professional legal education. ARC Justice has continued to benefit from a sustained pro bono commitment by top-tier firm Clayton Utz. Assistance provided by Clayton Utz has included:

• funding the Clayton Utz Foundation Fellowship.

• digital dictation services.• access to library services.• secondary consultation and receipt of pro

bono case referrals.• expert legal advice, underpinning legal

research and policy work by LCCLC.

cooperaTiVe/coLLaBoraTiVe acTiViTies WiTh oTher LocaL serVice proViders

The Seniors Rights Victoria initiative is delivered by a consortium of services including Council on the Ageing (COTA), Public Interest Law Clearing House (PILCH), Eastern CLC and LCCLC. Various local elder abuse prevention and health service networks have supported direct service provision and promotion.

The Goulburn Valley CLC grew out of a strong partnership with UnitingCare Cutting Edge.

Our Clinical Education Program is based on a partnership between La Trobe University, Bendigo Campus, and LCCLC.

The Student Outreach at La Trobe University, Bendigo was formed through a collaboration between the Bendigo Student Association and LCCLC.

Our Family Relationship Centre services are based on a partnership between the Shepparton/Bendigo Family Relationship Centres and LCCLC.

Our Family violence legal assistance services are delivered in cooperation with workers from the Centre for Non-Violence and Annie North, Njernda, the Bendigo and District Aboriginal Cooperative and the Swan Hill and District Aboriginal Cooperative. Education initiatives, including participation in the Women’s Health Loddon Mallee’s Take a Stand project, have also been supported by local partnerships and connections

Our Bendigo Advocacy-Health Alliance Pilot is a partnership formed with Bendigo Community Health Services to focus services on children (and their families) serviced by their Child Health Invest Project.

The GVCLC Migration Service Pilot is a partnership with the Refugee and Immigration Legal Centre (using NBN funding)

LccLc VoLunTeers

Lawyers – Bendigo

Megan Aumair

Peter Baker

Matt Barkla

Mark Bolton

Annette Brewer

Zoe Broadbent

Daniel Cole

Peter Cutting

Ian Dallas

Elizabeth (Liz) Davidson

Luke Docherty

Mark Donaldson

Paula Glassborow

Peter Goffin

Laura Hall

Amy Hondo

Trevor Kuhle

Alastair Lyall

Kirstie Lyons

Sam McGee

Luisa McGrath

John McPherson

Michelle O’Sullivan

Gaayathri Periasami

Rosa Raco

Russell Robertson

Annalise Romer

Lachlan Singe

Cameron Spink

Simon Swayn

Alithea Thompson

Rose Walsh

Catherine Wardrup

John Whelan

Hannah Wilson

Tom Wolff

Lawyers – Echuca

Skye Engwerda

Kate Freshwater

Rachel Kelly

Lawyers – Shepparton

Ashleigh Barri

Rebecca Carne

Ben Franklin

Tom Kilmartin

Felicity Dalle Nogare

James O’Brien

James Oldfield

Simon Pogue

Alice Robinson

Stephen Rodgers

Natasha Russo

Stephen Tuck

Andrew Westman

Ashlyn McCurdy

Students – Bendigo

Sian Briggs

Emily Chamberlain

Aaron Day

Kristen Furey

Sarah Gordon-Nilsson

Jessica Hellsten

Robert Houston

Alison Ingle

Gabrielle Jack

Tom Lawler

Johnathan Lim

Keely McDonald

Jess James-Murphy

Stephanie Mein

Verity Pickles

Kimberly Parker

Ashley Patterson

Nicole Smith

Robert Southgate

Lauren Taylor

Pavithra Tissera

Kathryn Wright

Students – Shepparton

Rachael Clifford

Ramadan Hamidon

Lauren King

Nathaniel Loorham

Annabelle Mendoza

Christopher Mingah

Kristen Nicholls

Andrew Westman

Andrew McCowan

Christine Mellino

James Corrigan

Bill Tennant

Angelina Bell

Carla Sellwood

Administration – Bendigo

Bev Garlic

Heather Osland

Administration – Shepparton

Irene Lia-Oster


LccLc case sTudies

Life tenancy secured for woman with mental illness

Jenny* had a psychiatric illness and in the past had suffered several episodes of acute mental illness. Life was a struggle. Her mother was aware of Jenny’s difficulties and attempted to account for these in her will. In particular, her will sought to provide Jenny with secure housing.

When she died, her mother’s will provided sums of money for Jenny’s brother and sister. Jenny was not given a lump sum but a life tenancy of a property and $25,000 in trust for the maintenance of the property.

Jenny welcomed this development as it offered her the stability she needed to improve her mental health and quality of life. However, Jenny’s sister was the executor of the will and trustee of the estate and she refused to allow Jenny to occupy the property. She then spent the trust money on property renovations. The property was rented out and Jenny received a regular amount of money that was far less than the rent.

Jenny wanted to live in the property in accordance with her mother’s will, but she could not afford a lawyer and her matter was ineligible for Legal Aid. So she came to us.

Our initial approaches to Jenny’s sister were unsuccessful, so we applied to Justice Connect, a community legal centre that finds free legal representation for people with worthy cases but limited resources. Justice Connect found a willing barrister who recommended another approach to Jenny’s sister. The second approach was also unsuccessful.

Nonetheless, the barrister was still willing to handle Jenny’s case. Proceedings were commenced in the Supreme Court of Victoria. We applied for and received an exemption for Court fees as Jenny lacked the means to cover them.

Once Jenny’s sister had sought legal advice, she agreed to allow Jenny to occupy the property. However, Jenny’s sister wished to resign as a trustee. The Court required Jenny to find two substitute trustees. (There should

have been two trustees to start with.)

The matter went before the Court seven times while the parties argued over the terms of the resignation of the sister as trustee and indemnity for the incoming trustees. Eventually the terms of a deed of indemnity and release were agreed to and the matter was settled.

An accountant and a psychiatric caseworker agreed to be trustees. We provided advice about trustee management of the property and applied for the property to be transferred to the new trustees. The matter took more than 12 months to resolve but Jenny eventually took possession and regained a sense of security that we hope allows her to live a full and healthy life.

*Not her real name. Story retold with client’s consent.

Exceptional circumstances argument spares a mentally ill woman from prison

Louise* was a 34 year old woman who made an appointment to see us at one of our Goulburn Valley outreach services. She had recently been charged with speeding and driving whilst suspended. Regrettably, the charge of drive whilst suspended, if proven, would trigger a suspended sentence of imprisonment that she had received earlier in 2013.

Louise was in full-time employment, was living in stable accommodation and was working with counsellors, drug and alcohol workers and mental health professionals to overcome long-term mental health issues. She was just getting back on her feet after a long period of instability. Due to her health issues her licence had been subject to an ongoing administrative medical review. However, because Louise had changed address she had not received the notice of suspension, hence was unaware that she was driving while suspended.

Compounding Louise’s misfortune was the fact that she was ineligible for legal aid and could not afford a private solicitor. Contravention proceedings for suspended sentences are complex matters and difficult for lay people to understand. It is essential they have legal


representation.

Even criminal advocates need a high level of skill and experience to get the best result for the accused in these circumstances. They must provide the sentencing court with exceptional circumstances as to why the suspended sentence should not be served immediately. In the vast majority of cases defendants will be compelled to serve the suspended sentence.

If Louise was forced to serve the suspended sentence the consequences would have been tragic. Three years of therapeutic work would have been undone, including the loss of her job and accommodation. We helped Louise by taking an extensive personal history, consulting with her support workers and drafting factual and legal submissions for the sentencing court.

Our solicitors were able to examine her situation and use their legal knowledge to identify what could be relied upon to make submissions in her favour. We were able to determine that Louise had good prospects at not serving the suspended sentence.

On the day of hearing, we entered pleas of guilty and made the relevant submissions. The Magistrate agreed with our submission in relation to exceptional circumstances. The Magistrate noted the massive efforts undertaken by Louise to get her life back on track and held that she did not have to serve the suspended sentence. Instead she imposed a fine of $1000 for all offences.


inquesT inTo deaTh in poLice cusTody

In late 2014 Loddon Campaspe Community Legal Centre participated in the Inquest into the death of Mr Stephen Niit in the cells at Echuca Police Station in 2009.

Loddon Campaspe Community Legal Centre, which was given leave to appear at the Inquest as an interested party, argued that Stephen’s death was preventable and that his death represented a number of institutional failings.

LCCLC acknowledged that Police members treated Mr Niit with respect and compassion

when they made the ill-fated decision to leave the cell door open on a hot summer evening. But had the cells been equipped with adequate air conditioning this would not have been necessary and would not have provided Mr Niit with a hanging point.

We submitted that “institutional failure to recognise the danger of placing an intoxicated person, who was suffering from post-traumatic stress and who had exhibited self-harming behaviour prior to arrest, into a cell with access to a hanging point and a ligature and then failing to monitor Mr Niit in line with standard operating procedures, culminated in Mr Niit’s death”.

We pointed out that police officers in our regional stations are placed in a difficult position when assessing their duty of care to intoxicated persons and those suffering from mental ill health. Amongst our recommendations, we argued that there should be improved information exchange between regional police stations regarding custody management issues, especially in relation to critical incidents and near deaths in custody.

Coroner Dr Jacinta Heffey effectively endorsed this recommendation when she urged “Victoria Police [to] institute an ‘alert’ process to be widely broadcast and disseminated amongst members providing information about both deaths and ‘near-misses’ in respect of persons in custody in police cells.”

Loddon Campaspe CLC thanks Sara Dennis and Daniel Bolkunowicz (Clayton Utz), Barrister Karina Popova and deaths-in-custody expert Charendev Singh for providing pro bono legal support throughout the inquest.

Thank you

• Anne Manne• Apple Annie’s Bakery Café• Arie Freiberg• Arnold Dallas McPherson• Bendigo and district legal community• Bendigo Community Health Services (BCHS)• Bendigo Health (BH)• Bendigo Regional Institute of Technology

(BRIT)• Simon Breheny• Bress Winery• CatholicCare Sandhurst• CentaCare• Central Victorian Restorative Justice

Alliance• Charendev Singh• Clayton Utz Foundation• Commonwealth Attorney-General’s

Department• Council on the Ageing (COTA)• Council to Homeless Persons (CHP)• Daina Richmond• Daniel Bolkunowicz• David Hillard• Debbie Kilroy• Department of Human Services (DHS)

> Office of Housing• Department of Justice

> Victoria Legal Aid (VLA) > Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV)

• Father Frank Brennan• Federation of Community Legal Centres

Victoria• Graham Atkinson• Karina Popova• Kate Auty• La Trobe University

> Law Faculty > Social Work Faculty > Visual Arts Centre

• Law Institute of Victoria (LIV)• Legal Services Board• Loddon Mallee Homelessness Network

(LOMA)• Martin Krygier• National Association of Community Legal

Centres (NACLC)• Nicholas Cowdery• Public Interest Law Clearing House (PILCH)• Raimond Gaita

• RE Ross Trust• Sara Dennis• Seniors Rights Victoria (SRV)• Strategem Community Foundation• Stuthridge Legal• The Good Loaf• UnitingCare Cutting Edge• Victoria Law Foundation• Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service (VALS)• Victorian Public Tenants Association (VPTA)• Victorian Association for Restorative Justice


The year in suMMary

It’s been a busy and productive year for Housing Justice. The Tenant Advocacy and Support (TAS) team contributed to the strategic planning that occurred across the organisation. This strategic planning aided in the move toward our new program title of Housing Justice and the Advocacy and Rights Centre’s move to trading as ARC Justice. Housing Justice challenges us to think beyond specific tenancy issues and we look forward to working even closer with our sector partners to strive toward our vision of affordable, safe and stable housing for all in the Loddon Mallee. The strategic planning also provided a pivotal framework to inform our annual workplan and individual staff performance reviews.

Housing Justice services in the Mallee region were provided via outreach from Bendigo until the beginning of a sub-contract arrangement in March 2014. Haven; Home, Safe now provides this service from their Mildura office. The Housing Justice team work closely with Haven; Home, Safe and their Advocacy Support Worker to ensure this service to the Mallee is strengthened by being provided locally in the Mallee.

core serVices

Social Housing Advocacy Support Program (SHASP)

SHASP is an assertive outreach case management program funded by the Department of Human Services (DHS) to support public housing tenants whose tenancies are at risk and those who need specialised support to establish new tenancies.

Housing Justice has worked closely this year with other SHASP providers to enable a three-month data snapshot across the state-wide service. This project asked for all SHASP workers to document client demographics and outcomes for all SHASP clients seen from July-September 2013. Housing Justice’s specific data has been summarised below and was

presented to the local Housing team at DHS in Bendigo.

The data from this project has contributed to a SHASP Discussion Paper - Support that works – released in September 2014.

Tenant Advice and Advocacy Program (TAAP)

The Tenant Advocacy Advice Program is funded by Consumer Affairs Victoria. Advocacy is provided for vulnerable people in private rental when matters require negotiation or assistance and representation at VCAT. Access to the service is through referrals from Bendigo, Mildura or Melbourne Consumer Affairs Victoria offices, as well as self-referrals.

A Duty service began in November 2013 to optimise access for tenants to advocacy during the Victorian Civil Administration Tribunal (VCAT) residential tenancy sittings. Since the beginning of this service Housing Justice has attended at least 80% of Bendigo sittings, with 48 clients assisted during this service.

proJecTs

Housing Justice became a co-facilitator of the Hoarding Working Group in the Loddon Campaspe region. This group looks at service coordination to address issues related to hoarding, animal hoarding and squalor. Housing Justice often works with SHASP clients to address conditions of property and poor living skills that put their tenancy at risk.

Housing Justice also continues to take an active role in local homelessness service networks (LASN and LOMA), the SHASP Managers’ network, TAAP network and the Community Legal Centres’ Tenancy Working Group.

cLienT FeedBack

Client feedback forms are provided to clients at the completion of the service. Of the 23 respondents:

• 96% of respondents were very satisfied with

housing Justice


the services provided by the worker.• 91% of respondents felt the worker was very

focussed on their needs.• 96% felt the worker allowed them to talk

about what they felt was important.• 95% felt their personal information would

be kept confidential.

Client quotes

“Things I liked - the receptionist was friendly and cheerful either in person or on the phone. My worker was great at her job. I didn’t feel like I was just another client (which I was). But as she took the time to listen and treated me with respect (which a lot of places don’t) she got the job done. Things I disliked – NONE.”

“I really liked that I could be myself, be able to tell my story, but were backed up by [the worker] and she would fill in any blanks where needed. I very much appreciated her calm presence and clear vision where to go. Her understanding of my feelings was very comforting as well. Best decision to walk into her office when I did.”

coMMunicaTions

This year our website was updated with its new web address of www.housingjustice.org.au

The website now has links and contact details of local agencies and government departments. We have included access to our feedback form and welcome comments from clients, community agencies and the general community.

consuLTaTion

In early 2014 we sought feedback from local community agencies and sector partners to support our strategic planning. Below are some quotes from these agencies.

“TAS [now Housing Justice] is a key player in mediation and support for rental clients – although if more funding support was available much more could be done.”

“TAS [now Housing Justice] are proven partners that are enthusiastic and have are led by a can-

do attitude.”

“ TAS [now Housing Justice] is a local voice for human rights.”

serVice sTaTisTics

Service numbers and targets

Housing Justice has consistently exceeded agreed targets. Relevantly, when benchmarked with other SHASP agencies, Loddon Mallee targets were significantly higher. Housing Justice has been working with the local DHS office to review service targets and achieve sustainable practices.

Client demographics and outcomes

ARC Justice recently contributed to a state-wide SHASP benchmarking activity. Data collection went beyond that usually captured. For the July-September 2013 collection period 118 Housing Justice clients from the SHASP program were included in the data.

• 61% of these were case management clients.

• 38% of clients were single parents and a further 50% were lone persons.

• There were also 118 known dependents/other household members = 236 persons assisted.

• 60% of primary clients were female. The majority of clients were between ages 26-65 with 14% between 21-25 years, 46% 26-45 years and 35% between 46-65 years.

• The main presenting issues identified the diverse work SHASP staff do with clients across a number of needs (see Chart 1). Advocacy work is significantly higher than the state’s rate of 4% of which ARC Justice’s work accounted for 75%.

• Client outcomes identified strong success rates of intervention with 47% sustaining their tenancy. The 35% of ongoing clients highlights that the case management model requires longer service episodes to optimise a positive client outcome (see Chart 2 for details).


Other1%

Propertycondition

19%

Financialdif�culties

22%

Unknown 2%Drug and alcohol 1%

Family or domesticviolence 1%

Hoarding and squalor 5%

Advocacy(maintenance,

transfers)24%

Mental health 7%

Neighbourhood/social issues 5%

Social isolation/new tenancy13%

Chart 1: ARC main presenting issues July- Sept 2013

Sustainedtenancy

47%

Did not engage13%

Evicted 3%

Ongoingclient35%

Relinquishedtenancy

3%

Chart 2: ARC client outcomes July- Sept 2013


Taap serVice sTaTisTics

TAAP services in the two financial years leading up to 2013/2014 had experienced declining service hours due to a number of local factors. Since June 2013 the TAAP service demand continued to increase as shown In Chart 3. The Duty Advocacy service at VCAT has also assisted in this trend of increasing service need.

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0Apr-June

2013July-Sept

2013Oct-Dec

2013Jan-Mar

2014

TAAP hours as a % of target

Apr-June2014

Chart 3: TAAP hours as a % of target

7%

35%

15%17%

15%

7%

4%

Info and advice

VCAT full redress for tenant

Successful negotiation

VCAT partial redress for tenant

Referred to CAV or community agency

VCAT no redress for tenant

Chart 4: TAAP client outcomes


The year ahead

The Housing Justice team continues to work within Housing and Homelessness sector changes and future reforms that include Services Connect, Sector Reform and possible changes to the Victorian Homelessness Action Plan framework.

The SHASP Discussion Paper - Support that works - highlights the successful SHASP model and how it can be better used across public and private tenancies.

Funding

We acknowledge the ongoing funding from the Department of Human Services (Office of Housing), Consumer Affairs Victoria and the Department of Justice.

core serVices

Bendigo Office

54 Mitchell Street, Bendigo5444 4364 or 1800 639 121

Mallee service

Provided by Haven; Home, Safe 143A Lime Ave, Mildura

Outreach

By appointment at Robinvale, Echuca, Kerang, Kyabram, Swan Hill, Castlemaine, Maryborough and Kyneton.

Student placement

Certificate IV in Community Services: Belinda Pearson. Aug-Oct 2013

housing JusTice case sTudies

Addressing barriers to a tenancy

Ben* was referred to the SHASP program due to the condition of his one-bedroom unit. Part of its condition was due to his physical disability. Ben’s carpets were heavily stained, the walls were covered with black grime and there was an accumulation of rubbish in all rooms. There was also significant mess caused by his animals.

A SHASP worker provided Ben with support over the next three months. During this time Ben was able to work with Green Clean Team through the Support for High Risk Tenancy

funding and the SHASP worker to maintain the property. Ben disengaged with services as he felt he could maintain his own property. Six months later Housing Justice received a further referral as Ben’s home had deteriorated in condition again. With support from the worker Ben was able realise he required more ongoing support and was referred to a local ongoing home assistance agency and also Home Care services.

The SHASP and Haven; Home, Safe staff worked together providing supports for Ben with a focus on basic living skills. Ben appeared to be managing his property well. The SHASP worker found the poor condition of Ben’s property (sometimes labelled squalor) and the animal hair were ongoing barriers to Ben receiving Home Care services via HACC. This barrier was also resolved by the SHASP worker. Ben continues to live independently in his property.

*Not his real name. Story retold with client’s consent.

Duty advocacy at VCAT

Liz* was a private tenant who attended VCAT, without an advocate, due to rental arrears of $1150. The duty advocate on the day was able to negotiate with the agent and consent was given for a repayment plan. The key to the negotiation, which Liz was not aware could occur, was a specific repayment plan with set amounts and dates. This agreement allowed Liz to address the arrears whilst ensuring that the landlord received payment in a timely manner without the costs of eviction and finding a new tenant. This type of negotiation is a win win situation for all parties involved.


A tenant in need of advocacy

We recently assisted Muriel*, a 64 year old lady with a history of trauma who was living alone in a rental property. When she signed the lease and moved in she did not know that the unit was on the same title as a local business. The business owner continually accessed her rear yard for business purposes and also blocked access to her driveway. When approached by Muriel the business owner became verbally


abusive and refused to make any changes. The Advocacy Support Worker was unsuccessful in attempts to negotiate with the landlord so a VCAT application was made. Through the VCAT hearing Muriel was assisted to successfully end the tenancy with no costs incurred.

Housing Justice then supported Muriel with a further VCAT application for compensation of the cost of removalist required to move to an appropriate new home.



Financial report For the year ended 30 June 2014ADVOCACY AND RIGHTS CENTRE LIMITED (A Company Limited By Guarantee) A.C.N. 082 541 240


noTes To The FinanciaL sTaTeMenTs For The year ended 30 June 2014.

Advocacy and Rights Centre Ltd, trading as ARC Justice

Bendigo54 Mitchell StBendigo 3550

Tel: 5444 4364 or 1800 639 121Fax: 5441 1033

Open 9am-5pm Monday to Fridaywww.arcjustice.org.au

annual report 2013/14arcjustice.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/arc_annualreport_1… · arc...

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