In this episode we speak to Marrickville Legal Centre in Sydney about their new chatbot called NALA and Legal Aid NSW about their new traffic offences guided pathway. Both are integrating these new online tools into their client intake processes. We hear why they developed their tools, which clients will benefit and how.

Timestamps:

• Interview with Marrickville Legal Centre starts at 1:57 mins

Use links below to find out more about information discussed in this episode.

Marrickville Legal Centre – click on the chat box on their home page – www.mlc.org.au

Legal Aid NSW Traffic Offences guided pathway - https://traffic.guidedpathways.legalaid.nsw.gov.au/

Legal Aid NSW FineFixer NSW guided pathway – https://nsw.finefixer.org.au/

Financial Rights Legal Centre Motor Vehicle Accidents Problem Solver guided pathway - https://mva.financialrights.org.au/

LawAccess NSW – Do you have a legal problem in NSW web page? With all 9 NSW guided pathways - https://legalhelp.lawaccess.nsw.gov.au/

To speak to a human for free legal information and referrals contact LawAccess NSW on 1300 888 529, Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 5.00pm or use their live chat function on their web home page - https://www.lawaccess.nsw.gov.au/

You can listen to the other episodes in this technology series:

Episode 2 – FineFixer NSW 

Episode 3: Simple, smart separation - How amica can help (podbean.com)

Disclaimer: This podcast is a general guide to the law. You should not rely on it as legal advice. We recommend that you talk to a lawyer about any particular situation. The information is correct at the time of publishing but it may change. For more information, start with our team at LawAccess NSW via webchat at www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au or on 1300 888 529. 

In this episode you will hear from Callum Hair a lawyer from the Mental Health Advocacy Service at Legal Aid NSW and Dr Jean Hollis a psychiatrist and Tribunal member at the NSW Mental Health Review Tribunal.

The episode explores mental illness and what process people go through at the Mental Health Review Tribunal (“MHRT”). You’ll also hear about Legal Aid NSW’s Mental Health Advocacy Service (“MHAS”) and when it is appropriate to refer clients to them.

This episode is a longer one so here are some time stamps that can help you navigate the episode:

• From 1.16 hear Callum describe what Legal Aid NSW’s MHAS does and also what they don’t do, hear about the legal definition of a ‘mental illness’,  the process that someone goes through before they appear at a Mental Health Review Tribunal hearing, and get some insights into what a MHAS lawyer will do for their client and why the work is so important.

Please contact Law Access NSW on 1300 888 529 if you would like more information about the work MHAS does or would like a referral to them.    

You can visit the Mental Health Review Tribunal website here: Mental Health Review Tribunal - The Tribunal (nsw.gov.au) and there is a video that helps explain what happens at a hearing here: Mental Health Review Tribunal - The Tribunal Process - Short Films (nsw.gov.au)

Here is a link to Mental Health First Aid Australia’s website: Homepage | Mental Health First Aid (mhfa.com.au)

Lifeline Australia offers a range of training programs based on the development of mental health awareness and skills. See more here: Workplace Training - Lifeline Australia People can also call Lifeline’s crisis support line on 13 11 14 if they or someone they’re working with needs confidential short-term support because they are feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty coping or staying safe.

For general information about your legal rights you can find information here: Welcome to LawAccess NSW

The Department of Communities and Justice capacity toolkit is a useful resource if you are trying to assess whether someone you’re working with has capacity. You can find that here: Capacity Toolkit (nsw.gov.au)

Disclaimer: This podcast is a general guide to the law. You should not rely on it as legal advice. We recommend that you talk to a lawyer about any particular situation. The information is correct at the time of publishing but it may change. For more information, start with our team at LawAccess NSW via webchat at www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au or on 1300 888 529. 

In this episode we speak to Sally Dews, a Conciliation Officer with Anti-Discrimination NSW. Sally talks about the types of unlawful discrimination that people can complain about in NSW, the conciliation conference process used by Anti-Discrimination NSW when a complaint is received, and the types of outcomes people can achieve through these.

For more information about discrimination and the law use these links:

Anti-Discrimination NSW

Anti-Discrimination NSW Enquiry Service

Australian Human Rights Commission

Australian Human Rights Commission complaints

Free legal help with discrimination matters 1300 888 529

Legal Aid NSW Discrimination toolkit

Anti-Discrimination law in NSW recorded webinar – April 2021

Legal Aid NSW Stop Public Threats website which includes translated factsheets in Turkish, Urdu, Hindi and Dari

Stop Public Threats videos – Legal Aid NSW YouTube – July 2020

Disclaimer: This podcast is a general guide to the law. You should not rely on it as legal advice. We recommend that you talk to a lawyer about any particular situation. The information is correct at the time of publishing but it may change. For more information, start with our team at LawAccess NSW via webchat at www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au or on 1300 888 529. 

We speak to Nicola Cannon a solicitor in the government law team — specialising in social security. She will be giving us an overview of recent changes to Centrelink payments and what those changes mean for our clients.

Referrals and more information

LawAccess NSW 1300 888 529

Contact Legal Aid NSW  to speak to a lawyer. Please check www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au for updates about availability of legal advice.

Centrelink’s dedicated COVID-19 page — this website is being regularly updated.

Appealing Centrelink decisions and advice Review of Decision Form

Welfare Rights Legal Centre

Financial counselling

Timeline of changes to JobSeeker Payments

Newly Arrived Resident’s Waiting Period

Special coronavirus security arrangements to end

Subscribe to our Alerts for community and health workers to stay up-to-date

 Look after yourself

We want this to be a safe space for listeners. If you need support, there are services that can help:

• Beyond Blue -1300 224 636

In this episode we talk to Katherine Boyle. Katherine is the Executive Director of the Welfare Rights Centre. The Welfare Rights Centre is a specialist legal service helping people across NSW with Centrelink problems including debts.

Katherine talks about her burning issues around Centrelink debts, the help provided by the Welfare Rights Centre lawyers and different ways that community workers can support their clients when they get a Centrelink debt they don't understand.

The links below are for the services and resources discussed in the episode.

You can contact the Welfare Rights Centre by phone on 1800 226 028 during one of their advice intake times. This number is toll free if you are calling from outside the Sydney metro area.

The advice intake times are:

• Monday – 9.:30am to 12.30pm

If your matter is urgent, such as if you have lost your payment and have no other source of income, you can call on the office number – 02 9211 5300 - to speak to a lawyer straight away.

You also have the option to make an online enquiry through the website – https://welfarerightscentre.org.au/need-help. Scroll down on the home page and click on the link to making an online enquiry.

There are also factsheets on the website that you can download about a range of Centrelink legal problems.

If you live in the Illawarra, Shoalhaven or South Coast you can contact the Illawarra Legal Centre Welfare Rights Service

You can also contact the Legal Aid NSW Government law team to talk about Centrelink problems. Call LawAccess NSW on 1300 888 529 to be referred to this team.

Call the National Debt Helpline if you need help with any money problems on 1800 007 007. The NDH also has a Centrelink Debts step by step guide that you can download.

Economic Justice Australia is the peak body for Welfare Rights Centres across Australia. See their Economic Australia Centrelink Debts Factsheet – last updated April 2020.

Disclaimer: This podcast is a general guide to the law. You should not rely on it as legal advice. We recommend that you talk to a lawyer about any particular situation. The information is correct at the time of publishing but it may change. For more information, start with our team at LawAccess NSW via webchat at www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au or on 1300 888 529. 

Have you or your clients been affected by recent floods and storms?

In this episode Ma’ata Solofoni from the Disaster Response Legal Service NSW talks about insurance basics following a disaster and how the DRLS can help.

The types of legal issues we can help with include insurance claims, tenancy, financial hardship, credit and debt, Centrelink and issues with employment. If you need more information, call the Disaster Response Legal Service NSW on 1800 801 529.

Referrals and more information

• For information, advice, referrals and where to find your closest Legal Aid NSW office call the Disaster Response Legal Service NSW on 1800 801 529.

Look after yourself

We want this to be a safe space for listeners. If you need support there are services that can help:

• Beyond Blue -1300 224 636

Disclaimer: This podcast is a general guide to the law. You should not rely on it as legal advice. We recommend that you talk to a lawyer about any particular situation. The information is correct at the time of publishing but it may change. For more information, start with our team at LawAccess NSW via webchat at www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au or on 1300 888 529. 

'Hard conversations' is a 6-part podcast series exploring the complexity of elder abuse.

In this 5th episode we talk with Maria Berry. Maria is a community development officer from the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN).  She will talk about her personal experience of elder abuse in a rural community and her work with OPAN.

Throughout this series you will hear from lots of different people about their understanding of elder abuse, the ways they think about it in their communities and how we can start to address it together.

There is no one right answer, there are lots of things we can do to help people who may be experiencing or are at risk of elder abuse and we will talk about some of them.

This series has been made in partnership with the Legal Aid NSW Central Coast Elder Abuse Service, and the Central Coast Community Legal Centre. 

This series has been made in partnership with the Legal Aid NSW Central Coast Elder Abuse Service, and the Central Coast Community Legal Centre.  

Other episodes of hard conversations:

• Ep1: Talking about elder abuse

Referrals and more information

• Legal Aid NSW 1300 888 529

If you need an interpreter, please call the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450.

Music produced by Gambirra. Editing by Bernadette Nguyen from Audiocraft.

Please send your questions, comments and feedback to: [email protected].

Disclaimer: This podcast is a general guide to the law. You should not rely on it as legal advice. We recommend that you talk to a lawyer about any particular situation. The information is correct at the time of publishing but it may change. For more information, start with our team at LawAccess NSW via webchat at www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au or on 1300 888 529. 

'Hard conversations' is a 6 part podcast series exploring the complexity of elder abuse.

In this 4th episode we talk with Diana Bernard. Diana was the former manager of education and special projects at the Seniors Rights Service.  She will talk about their work in the area of elder abuse and some of the strategies they use in their education work with diverse communities.

Throughout this series you will hear from lots of different people about their understanding of elder abuse, the ways they think about it in their communities and how we can start to address it together.

There is no one right answer, there are lots of things we can do to help people who may be experiencing or are at risk of elder abuse and we will talk about some of them.

This series has been made in partnership with the Legal Aid NSW Central Coast Elder Abuse Service, and the Central Coast Community Legal Centre.  

Other episodes of hard conversations:

• Ep1: Talking about elder abuse

Referrals and more information

• Legal Aid NSW 1300 888529

If you need an interpreter, please call the translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450

Music produced by Gambirra.  Podcast edited by by Jessica Sullivan from Legal Aid NSW and Bernadette Nguyen from Audiocraft.

Please send your questions, comments and feedback to: [email protected]

Disclaimer: This podcast is a general guide to the law. You should not rely on it as legal advice. We recommend that you talk to a lawyer about any particular situation. The information is correct at the time of publishing but it may change. For more information, start with our team at LawAccess NSW via webchat at www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au or on 1300 888 529. 

In this episode we speak with Isabella Wallington and Bud Crawford from the Revenue NSW Hardship Program. This Program commenced in 2020 and aims to implement a range of strategies to reduce the negative impact of fines debt on vulnerable young people and First Nations people. You will hear about a range of initiatives underway and what is planned for 2021 and beyond. We also talk about how you can help your vulnerable clients speak to Revenue NSW to take advantage of these initiatives and break the cycle of disadvantage associated with fines debt.

To get in touch with Revenue NSW and for help with fines - referrals and more information

• To contact us on behalf of your customers about managing a debt and to access the Advocacy Hotline, you and any individual employees who may deal with us will need to  register with us. During registration, you will need to acknowledge that you’ve read and agreed to the Advocacy  Charter https://www.revenue.nsw.gov.au/help-centre/resources-library/advocate-charter . The Charter ensures advocates understand where they stand with us. It establishes a common understanding of the obligations and standards of conduct and behaviour expected of our advocates.  Information on how to register etc. is available from the following RNSW website link https://www.revenue.nsw.gov.au/fines-and-fees/advocates For more information, visit advocates and sponsors. 

Edited by Bernadette Nguyen from Audiocraft.

Disclaimer: This podcast is a general guide to the law. You should not rely on it as legal advice. We recommend that you talk to a lawyer about any particular situation. The information is correct at the time of publishing but it may change. For more information, start with our team at LawAccess NSW via webchat at www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au or on 1300 888 529. 

'Hard conversation's' is a 6 part podcast series exploring the complexity of elder abuse.

In this 3rd episode we talk with Jenelyn Terkildsen -the Multicultural Access Project Officer -from ConnectAbility on the Central Coast about her work and thoughts about elder abuse in culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

Throughout this series you will hear from lots of different people about their understanding of elder abuse, the ways they think about it in their communities and how we can start to address it together.

There is no one right answer, there are lots of things we can do to help people who may be experiencing or are at risk of elder abuse and we will talk about some of them.

This series has been made in partnership with the Legal Aid NSW Central Coast Elder Abuse Service, and the Central Coast Community Legal Centre.

Other episodes of 'Hard conversations':

• Ep1: Talking about elder abuse

Referrals and more information

• Legal Aid NSW 1300 888 529 - and Legal Aid NSW Elder Abuse Service 02 4324 5611 (Central Coast only)

If you need an interpreter, please call the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450.

Music produced by Gambirra. Edited by Jessica Sullivan Legal Aid NSW

Please send your questions, comments and feedback to: [email protected].

Disclaimer: This podcast is a general guide to the law. You should not rely on it as legal advice. We recommend that you talk to a lawyer about any particular situation. The information is correct at the time of publishing but it may change. For more information, start with our team at LawAccess NSW via webchat at www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au or on 1300 888 529.