Who are we?

Domestic violence can have a big impact on your housing situation and can cause problems with Centrelink and Public Housing.

Canberra Community Law is a specialist legal service that can provide free advice and assistance with Public Housing and Centrelink. We also have a dedicated service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients.

Public Housing

Experiencing domestic violence can have a big impact on your housing situation. Getting into public housing can be difficult.

If you are already a public housing tenant, you may need to move properties or you may have a debt if your partner has damaged the property.

Some examples of common housing issues for people experiencing domestic violence include:

• Problems getting into public housing
• Problems getting a transfer
• Housing repair debts

Social Security (Centrelink)

Domestic violence can cause problems with Centrelink. These problems can occur for many reasons, including:

• the way that Centrelink calculates your income and assets
• whether Centrelink think you are a member of a couple
• any rules that affect whether you can apply for a payment

Some examples of common Centrelink and social security issues for people escaping domestic violence include:

• Claims refused because of a partner’s income
• Debt recovery because Centrelink thinks you have been overpaid
• Problems with Parenting Payment and Family Tax Benefit
• Not being able to claim Centrelink because of a compensation preclusion period

How can we help?

We can provide you with free legal advice on your situation and the options you have.

In some cases, we may also be able to:

• Talk to Housing ACT or Centrelink on your behalf
• Help you to make an application for public housing or Centrelink
• Help you to appeal decisions
• Represent you in the Tribunal

Getting in touch with us:

Social Security and Housing Law

Phone: (02) 6218 7900

Download brochure

Domestic Violence — Housing and Social Security Legal Help Brochure (PDF, 2.4MB)

Dhurrawang Aboriginal Human Rights ProgramLegal advice and assistance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the ACT on housing, Centrelink and race discrimination issues on (02) 6218 7900.

We also have a series of factsheets on common problems faced by people in public housing and common issues with Centrelink. These are available from our office (on request) and can be found on our website at www.canberracommunitylaw.org.au

Canberra Community Law acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work in the ACT and surrounding region and pay our respects to the Ngunnawal elders past, present and future for they hold the stories, traditions, and the cultures of their people. We are grateful that we share this land and express our sorrow for the costs of this sharing to Australia’s First Peoples. We will continue to acknowledge the legacy of our history and strive in our goals to empower our community through social justice. We hope that our efforts will continue to a realisation of equity, justice and partnership with Traditional Custodians of this land.

It is sometimes hard to know which legal service you need to talk to. We have included the available free legal services in the ACT and the legal areas they can help you in.

To make it easier for you we have also included the prison phone extension number (look for #)so that you can call the legal service for free (where this is an option).

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples

Aboriginal Legal Service – #39 or 6249 8488 Criminal and family law

Canberra Community Law’s Dhurrawang Program – #48 or 6218 7977 Race discrimination, Centrelink and public housing

Housing and Centrelink

Canberra Community Law – #48 or 6218 7977 For ACT public housing, community housing and occupancy agreements and Centrelink matters

Canberra Community Law’s Dhurrawang Program – #48 or 6218 7977 For Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples

Legal Aid ACT – #75 or 1300 654 314 For ACT private rentals

Criminal law

Street Law – #48 or 6218 7995 For minor criminal offences if you’re homeless or at risk of homelessness

Legal Aid ACT – #75 or #49 (existing clients) or 1300 654 314 For all criminal matters

Aboriginal Legal Service – #39 or 6249 8488 For criminal matters if you are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander

McKenna Taylor -0413 458 650 For free representation for women – parole matters only

Victims of Crime Financial Assistance and Protection Orders

Legal Aid ACT Domestic Violence and Personal Protection Unit – #75 or 1300 654 314 For Domestic Violence Orders and Personal Protection Orders

Women’s Legal Centre – #95 or 6257 4499 For Domestic Violence Orders, Personal Protection Orders and Victims of Crime financial assistance for women only

Legal Aid ACT – #75 or 1300 654 314 Victims of Crime financial assistance

Debts, fines and consumer matters

Street Law – #48 or 6218 7995 For people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness

The Consumer Law Centre of the ACT – 6143 0044

CARE Financial Counselling Services – #13 or 1800 007 007

Legal Aid ACT – #75 or 1300 654 314

Family law

Divorce, separation, property settlement, child custody, care and protection

Legal Aid ACT – #75 or 1300 654 314

Women’s Legal Centre – #95 or 6257 4499 Available to women only

Aboriginal Legal Service – #39 or 6249 8488 Available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples

Employment law

Street Law – #48 or 6218 7995 For people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness

Legal Aid ACT – #75 or 1300 654 314

Women’s Legal Centre – #95 or 6257 4499 Available to women only

Discrimination

Canberra Community Law’s Disability Discrimination Lawyer – #48 or 6218 7918 For disability discrimination matters

Canberra Community Law’s Dhurrawang Program – #48 or 6218 7977 Race discrimination matters for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples

Legal Aid ACT – #75 or 1300 654 314

Women’s Legal Centre – #95 or 6257 4499 Available to women only

If you’re not sure who to contact about your legal problem, you can also email Street Law on streetlaw@canberracommunitylaw.org.au

Please include your name, date of birth and a brief description of your legal issue (including the name of any other parties to your matter). If we can’t help you, we’ll put you in touch with someone who can.

To add Street Law to your approved email list you will need to complete the AMC ‘Request to alter, add email and web addresses’ form. Please put Michelle Barclay as the contact name and 6218 7995 as the contact number.

Call Dhurrawang on (02) 6218 7900

Who are we?

Dhurrawang is a specialist legal service of Canberra Community Law. We provide advice and representation to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in the ACT. We can also assist Aboriginal and Torres Islander communities in south-east NSW with Centrelink matters.

Our work is informed by the human rights principles of participation, inclusion and self-determination. This means that we make sure that you can participate in and have access to all information relating to the decisionmaking processes that affect your life and well-being. We will seek your input about how we can improve our service and make it more receptive to your needs.

We use human rights laws to support your case and provide human rights education to communities.

Our lawyers are culturally competent and respectful. We will work with you and your family in a way that suits your needs and respects your culture. We are happy to meet you at our office or to meet you somewhere else where you are more comfortable. Above all we will ensure that you understand and are involved in every aspect of your legal case.

If you are deaf or have a hearing impairment or speech impairment contact us through the National Relay Service at www.relayservice.gov.au

How can Dhurrawang help you?

We can give you advice and assist you in dealing with:

Housing problems in the ACT, for example:

• Problems with getting housing
• Rent arrears
• Evictions
• Housing transfers
• Housing debts

Centrelink problems, for example:

• Applying for Centrelink payments
• Appealing Centrelink decisions
• Debts
• Payments cut off
• Claims refused

Race discrimination, where you have been treated unfairly because of your race, colour or descent in:

• Employment
• Education
• Accommodation
• Getting or using services
• Accessing public places

If you need help about something that is not listed here, we can help you to find the right person to help. Just call on (02) 6218 7900 or Free Call 1800 445 665 (from South East NSW for Centrelink matters) and let us know what we can help with.

Acknowledgment of Land

Canberra Community Law acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land on which we work in the ACT and surrounding region and pay our respect to the Ngunnawal elders past, present and future for they hold the stories, traditions, and the cultures of their people. We are grateful that we share this land and express our sorrow for the costs of this sharing to Australia’s First Peoples. We will continue to acknowledge the legacy of our history and strive in our goals to empower our community through social justice. We hope that our efforts will contribute to a realisation of equity, justice and partnership with traditional custodians of this land.

Artwork Acknowledgement

We acknowledge Wiradjuri artist Leanne Pope for the use of her artwork ‘Fresh Life After Rain’ 2017 for our identifier, marketing and promotional materials.

The original artwork is located at the offices of Canberra Community Law, Canberra ACT.

An Outreach Legal Service for the Homeless

Call Street Law on 1800 787 529

Who Street Law helps

Street Law is a specialist program of Canberra Community Law. Street Law is independent of government.

We provide help to people who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of homelessness. This can include people who are sleeping rough, couch surfing, staying in a refuge or other temporary accommodation. Street Law may also be able to help if your housing is unsafe or insecure or if you are at risk of losing your home.

How can Street Law help you?

Street Law provides free, independent and confidential legal advice and assistance. For example, we can help with a range of legal issues including:

• Proof of ID
• Traffic and other types of fines
• Centrelink issues
• Housing issues
• Minor criminal law
• Employment law
• Debts
• Consumer issues

We may also be able to help in other areas of law or refer you to another service that can help.

Not sure if you have a legal problem?

Contact us and we can help you work through the issue or put you in touch with someone that can help.

No wrong door

Not sure if we are the right service? Street Law can also help connect you with other legal and non-legal services that may be able to help you.

Street Law knows that one problem can lead to another and that early action is important.

How we can help

Our lawyers can usually…

• explain what your legal issues are
• explain how you can access your rights
• put you in touch with other organisations that can help you.

We may be able to…

• assist you with your legal issues
• help negotiate with organisations, government services, lenders and others
• help with tribunals or court hearings
• help with practical problems.

How to contact Street Law

You can contact Street Law by:

• calling Street Law on 1800 STRLAW (1800 787 529) or (02) 6218 7900
• coming to one of our outreach sessions
• dropping into the office to make an appointment
• speaking to any community organisation who can make an appointment for you.

What else does Street Law do?

Community Legal Education

Street Law provides training to the community sector on how to spot a legal issue.

This training can empower workers to refer clients who need legal help.

Street Law can also provide advice to workers about identifying legal issues and help workers refer their clients to the right service.

Street Law also provides training to clients on issues that impact them.

Street Law has developed training on working with vulnerable clients to assist junior lawyers in private firms and government who wish to undertake pro bono work.

Law Reform & Policy

Street Law is well placed to see when a law or process is causing problems for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

When we see a problem, we will work to have the law changed to benefit the community and our clients.

Street Law’s law reform campaigns are driven by real problems experienced by our clients.

Street Law also works with other services and community legal centres to seek law reform and contribute to good policy.

Canberra Community Law acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work in the ACT and surrounding region and pay our respect to the Ngunnawal elders past, present and future for they hold the stories, traditions, and the cultures of their people. We are grateful that we share this land and express our sorrow for the costs of this sharing to Australia’s First Peoples. We will continue to acknowledge the legacy of our history and strive in our goals to empower our community through social justice. We hope that our efforts will contribute to a realisation of equity, justice and partnership with Traditional Custodians of this land.

Think you’ve been treated unfairly because of your disability?

Call Disability Discrimination Law on (02) 6218 7900.

Have you been treated unfairly because of your disability?

Disability Discrimination Law is a specialist legal service of Canberra Community Law (formerly Welfare Rights and Legal Centre).

We provide free, independent and confidential legal assistance in disability discrimination law.

Disability Discrimination Law is independent of Government.

What is discrimination?

Discrimination happens when a person is treated unfairly because of their disability in any of the following areas of life:

• Employment,
• Education,
• Access to premises,
• Provision of goods, services and facilities,
• Accommodation,
• In relation to an estate or interest in land,
• By a club and incorporated associations,
• In a sporting activity,
• In the administration of Commonwealth laws and programs,
• In requests for information.

This is not intended as legal advice but as a guide to assist you in deciding whether you might benefit from our assistance.

Who can we assist?

• Anyone who has a disability and has been treated unfavourably because of the disability
• Anyone who is associated with a person with a disability (such as a carer, friend or family) who has been treated unfairly because of that association
• Anyone who is a carer, friend or family member of a person with a disability who has been treated unfavourably because of the disability and who requires supported or substituted decision-making.

How can we help you?

We can provide you with legal advice on:

• Whether the law covers your situation
• Your legal options and what option might work best for you
• How to best present your case
• Your chances of success
• The types of outcomes you may be able to obtain.

We may be able to assist you to write your complaint or, in some cases, represent you.

Our other services are listed on the back of this brochure.

Think we can help?

You can speak to a solicitor by calling us on (02) 6218 7900

If you need an interpreter please call the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) on 131 450 and ask them to ring us.

If you are deaf or have a hearing impairment or speech impairment, contact us through the National Relay Service (NRS) at www.relayservice.gov.au.

TTY users phone 133 677 then ask for (02) 6218 7900.

Speak and Listen users phone 1300 555 727 then ask for (02) 6218 7900.

Internet relay users connect to the NRS (www.iprelay.com.au/call/index.aspx) then ask for (02) 6218 7900.

SMS relay users phone 0423 677 767 and ask for (02) 6218 7900.

If you prefer to communicate in writing please email us at — info@canberracommunitylaw.org.au

We acknowledge and celebrate the First Australians on whose traditional lands we work and pay our respects to the elders of the Ngunnawal people past and present.