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

Lifeline -13 11 14

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

Wednesday – 9.30am to 12.30pm

Thursday – 1.30pm to 4.30pm

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.

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.

Legal Aid NSW webpage – Legal Help for victims of natural disasters has information and links to useful publications.

Read our comprehensive fact sheet What to do after a natural disaster and Order FREE factsheets for your service

Call LawAccess NSW on 1300 888 529

SES NSW 132 500

Financial Rights Legal Service Flood factsheets

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

Lifeline -13 11 14

'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

Ep2: Working with first nations communities

Ep3: Working with CALD communities

Ep4: Engaging with diverse communities

Ep6: Dr Kay Patterson Age Discrimination Commissioner

Referrals and more information

Legal Aid NSW 1300 888 529

OPAN (Older Persons Advocacy Network) – 1800 700 600

Ageing and Disability Abuse Helpline - 1800 628 221

Connect Ability – 02 4962 1000

Seniors Rights Service NSW 1800 424 079

Seniors Rights Service video and audio resources

Elder abuse support and mediation service - Relationships Australia 1300 364 277

Staying home leaving violence

1800 respect - 1800 737 732

NSW Aboriginal Land Councils – 02 9689 4444

Speak my language: A community radio project from the Ethnic Communities Council

Settlement Services International and Northern Settlement Services 49 693 399 43 343 877(Central Coast)

COTA NSW – 1800 449 102

Carers NSW - 1800 242 636

Compass- Guiding action on elder abuse -resources and support directory

LawAccess

Lifeline   131114   Beyond Blue  1300 22 4636

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].

'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

Ep2: Working with first nations communities

Ep3: Working with CALD communities

Ep5: Rural and regional communities

Ep6: Dr Kay Patterson Age Discrimination Commissioner

Referrals and more information

Legal Aid NSW 1300 888529

Seniors Rights Service NSW 1800 424 079

Ageing and Disability Abuse Helpline - 1800 628 221

Seniors Rights Service video and audio resources

OPAN (Older Persons Advocacy Network) – 1800 700 600

Connect Ability – 02 4962 1000

Staying home leaving violence

Elder abuse support and mediation service - Relationships Australia 1300 364 277

1800 respect - 1800 737 732

NSW Aboriginal Land Councils – 02 9689 4444

Speak my language: A community radio project from the Ethnic Communities Council

Settlement Services International and Northern Settlement Services 49 693 399 43 343 877(Central Coast)

COTA NSW – 1800 449 102

Carers NSW - 1800 242 636

Compass- Guiding action on elder abuse -resources and support directory

Lifeline   131114   Beyond Blue  1300 22 4636

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]

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. 

The Revenue NSW Advocacy Hotline provides advocacy groups a priority service and it is supported Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 5pm. The hotline number is 1300 135 627

Revenue NSW WDO and First Nations Hotline – 1300 478 879

Revenue NSW brochure – help with your fines = getting back on track brochure for young people - https://www.revenue.nsw.gov.au/help-centre/resources-library/fines-getting-back-on-track-youth.pdf

Revenue NSW brochure – help with your fines = getting back on track brochure for First Nations people - https://www.revenue.nsw.gov.au/help-centre/resources-library/fines-getting-back-on-track-aboriginal-peoples.pdf

For free legal help call LawAccess NSW on 1300 888 529

For information about work and development orders (WDOs) to clear NSW fines – go to the Legal Aid NSW WDO service web page - https://www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au/what-we-do/civil-law/work-and-development-order-service

For information about the Cooperative Legal Service Delivery (CLSD) program, regions and contact in your local area – go to https://www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au/what-we-do/community-partnerships/cooperative-legal-services-delivery-clsd-program

Edited by Bernadette Nguyen from Audiocraft.

'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

Ep2: Working with first nations communities

Ep4: Engaging with diverse communities

Ep5: Rural and regional communities

Ep6: Dr Kay Patterson Age Discrimination Commissioner

Referrals and more information

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

ConnectAbility – 02 4962 1000

Settlement Services International and Northern Settlement Services 49 693 399:43 343 877(Central Coast)

Speak my language: A community radio project from the Ethnic Communities Council

Central Coast Community Legal Centre 02 4353 4988

Staying home leaving violence

Seniors Rights Service NSW 1800 424 079

Mingaletta - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation – 02 4324 7515

Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council – 02 4351 2930

NSW Aboriginal Land Councils – 02 9689 4444

Elder abuse support and mediation service - Relationships Australia 1300 364 277

1800 respect - 1800 737 732

COTA NSW – 1800 449 102

OPAN (Older Persons Advocacy Network) – 1800 700 600

Carers NSW - 1800 242 636

Ageing and Disability Abuse Helpline - 1800 628 221

Compass- Guiding action on elder abuse -resources and support directory

LawAccess

Lifeline   131114   Beyond Blue  1300 22 4636

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].

Thanks for listening to this short promo about how to vote in the Listeners' Choice in the 2020 Australian Podcast Awards. Here's where to vote! You'll need to search for 'Law for Community Workers', confirm your email - and that's it! You have until 18 November 2020 to vote.

Thanks for your support and keep an eye out for more new episodes coming soon.

https://australianpodcastawards.com/vote

Are you new to "Law for Community Workers on the go"? Listen to this short taster to get the idea of what we do!

This podcast started in early 2018 to deliver legal education for an audience of community, social and health workers, especially workers in regional and remote areas. We interview lawyers and specialists about everyday legal problems, what’s new in the law and how people can get free legal help. Our aim is to improve access to justice for vulnerable people in the community by educating frontline workers. 

In this taster, you'll hear from:

Teela Reid and Merinda Dutton talking about The Stolen Generations Reparations Scheme (22 October 2019) 00.00-05.19

Jessica Sullivan learning What to expect from a Recovery Centre (10 March 2020) 00.46-02.50

Nicola Cannon talking about Centrelink in the time of COVID-19 (27 March 2020) 00.53-2.14

Jeremie Quiohilag and Nohara Odicho talking about the Legal Aid NSW Refugee Service (22 March 2019) 7.14-9.50

Kerry Wright talking about the Law Check Up in Stop the snowball effect - deal with legal problems early! (15 August 2019) 10.40-12.50

Have your say about the National Redress Scheme now until 30 September 2020. Find more information about the second anniversary review on the knowmore website here and in this podcast.

In this podcast, we talk to knowmore legal service about the National Redress Scheme for people who have experienced institutional child sexual abuse.

The National Redress Scheme started on 1 July 2018 and runs for 10 years. knowmore is the legal service that is funded to help people through the scheme.

You’ll hear about emerging issues related to the National Redress Scheme, including:

eligibility for the scheme including for priority clients

how prior payments are treated by the scheme

financial implications of receiving a redress payment

the 2 year review of the scheme and how you can have your say

And what community workers and lawyers can do to help clients through this process.

The information is correct at the time of broadcast but can change. Please look at the websites below for the latest updates.

 Referrals and more information

To find more information about where your clients can get help contact:

knowmore legal service 1800 605 762, Specific resources for service providers, including NRS manual, factsheets and videos

National Redress Scheme 1800 737 377

Look after yourself

Some of our topics may contain sensitive or confronting content. We want this to be a safe space for listeners. Please check the topic and description of the podcast before you tune in. If you need support there are services that can help:

Beyond Blue -1300 224 636

Lifeline -13 11 14

Free legal help

If you have a legal problem you can call our helpline LawAccess NSW 1300 888 529 between 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday.

Comments and feedback

Please send your questions, comments and feedback about this podcast to [email protected].

Interested in webinars or workshops?

To find out about Legal Aid NSW upcoming free workshops, webinars and podcasts for community workers, subscribe to our Law for Community Workers Alerts here: https://www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au/about-us/media-and-newsletters/legal-aid-news/subscribe-to-legal-aid-news