North Coast Voices: Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (ATSILS) calling for urgent funding relief - representation at Byron Bay Local Court & 12 other regional courts to cease until further notice from 15 May 2023 for all new ASTI matters

Wednesday 3 May 2023

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (ATSILS) calling for urgent funding relief - representation at Byron Bay Local Court & 12 other regional courts to cease until further notice from 15 May 2023 for all new ASTI matters

Aboriginal Legal Service, News, 28 April 2023:

Alongside other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (ATSILS) around Australia, we are facing a crisis and calling out for urgent funding relief from the Commonwealth Government.

Demand for our services has almost doubled since 2018 but our core Federal Government funding has decreased in real terms. This means we are being pushed harder than ever before.

We are dedicated to maintaining high quality, culturally safe legal services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people – the services that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people expect and deserve.

This is only possible when we prioritise the physical and mental health of our teams so they can do their best work for community. Right now our teams are stretched and without an emergency support package from government we are unable to continue the fight for community at the current pace. Service freeze in 13 Local Court locations

If we do not receive the emergency government funding, we will be forced to freeze ALS criminal law services at the following Local Courts beginning Monday 15 May 2023:

Byron Bay
Eden
Forster
Junee
Lithgow
Moss Vale
Muswellbrook
Scone
Singleton
Temora
Tenterfield
West Wyalong
Wauchope.

This will mean the ALS is unable to act for people facing new criminal charges in these Local Courts from 15 May.

We will do all we can to ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with criminal law matters listed in these Local Courts receive legal help from another provider, such as Legal Aid NSW.

We will be in touch directly with current clients who have matters listed in these Local Courts.

This decision does not affect other courts that the ALS currently services.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Privacy Statement

North Coast Voices no longer allows the Facebook Button sited at the end of each blog post to activate when it is clicked on by a reader.

This button has been deactivated because it has become clear that Facebook Inc. is not now and has never been a corporation genuinely committed to principles of digital privacy and security of Internet users' personal information and other associated data.

Unfortunately, because Blogger installs this button as part of a set, Gmail, Blog This!, Twitter, Pin Interest and Google + have also been deactivated and, we apologise to readers who may use these features.

Moggy Musings

Hi! My name is Boy. I'm a male bi-coloured tabby cat. Ever since I discovered that Malcolm Turnbull's dogs were allowed to blog, I have been pestering Clarencegirl to allow me a small space on North Coast Voices.

A false flag musing: I have noticed one particular voice on Facebook which is Pollyanna-positive on the subject of the Port of Yamba becoming a designated cruise ship destination. What this gentleman doesn’t disclose is that, as a principal of Middle Star Pty Ltd, he could be thought to have a potential pecuniary interest due to the fact that this corporation (which has had an office in Grafton since 2012) provides consultancy services and tourism business development services.

A religion & local government musing: On 11 October 2017 Clarence Valley Council has the Church of Jesus Christ Development Fund Inc in Sutherland Local Court No. 6 for a small claims hearing. It would appear that there may be a little issue in rendering unto Caesar. On 19 September 2017 an ordained minister of a religion (which was named by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in relation to 40 instances of historical child sexual abuse on the NSW North Coast) read the Opening Prayer at Council’s ordinary monthly meeting. Earlier in the year an ordained minister (from a church network alleged to have supported an overseas orphanage closed because of child abuse claims in 2013) read the Opening Prayer and an ordained minister (belonging to yet another church network accused of ignoring child sexual abuse in the US and racism in South Africa) read the Opening Prayer at yet another ordinary monthly meeting. Nice one councillors - you are covering yourselves with glory!

An investigative musing: Newcastle Herald, 12 August 2017: The state’s corruption watchdog has been asked to investigate the finances of the Awabakal Aboriginal Local Land Council, less than 12 months after the troubled organisation was placed into administration by the state government. The Newcastle Herald understands accounting firm PKF Lawler made the decision to refer the land council to the Independent Commission Against Corruption after discovering a number of irregularities during an audit of its financial statements. The results of the audit were recently presented to a meeting of Awabakal members. Administrator Terry Lawler did not respond when contacted by the Herald and a PKF Lawler spokesperson said it was unable to comment on the matter. Given the intricate web of company relationships that existed with at least one former board member it is not outside the realms of possibility that, if ICAC accepts this referral, then United Land Councils Limited (registered New Zealand) and United First Peoples Syndications Pty Ltd(registered Australia) might be interviewed. North Coast Voices readers will remember that on 15 August 2015 representatives of these two companied gave evidence before NSW Legislative Council General Purpose Standing Committee No. 6 INQUIRY INTO CROWN LAND. This evidence included advocating for a Yamba mega port.

A Nationals musing: Word around the traps is that NSW Nats MP for Clarence Chris Gulaptis has been talking up the notion of cruise ships visiting the Clarence River estuary. Fair dinkum! That man can be guaranteed to run with any bad idea put to him. I'm sure one or more cruise ships moored in the main navigation channel on a regular basis for one, two or three days is something other regular river users will really welcome. *pause for appreciation of irony* The draft of the smallest of the smaller cruise vessels is 3 metres and it would only stay safely afloat in that channel. Even the Yamba-Iluka ferry has been known to get momentarily stuck in silt/sand from time to time in Yamba Bay and even a very small cruise ship wouldn't be able to safely enter and exit Iluka Bay. You can bet your bottom dollar operators of cruise lines would soon be calling for dredging at the approach to the river mouth - and you know how well that goes down with the local residents.

A local councils musing: Which Northern Rivers council is on a low-key NSW Office of Local Government watch list courtesy of feet dragging by a past general manager?

A serial pest musing: I'm sure the Clarence Valley was thrilled to find that a well-known fantasist is active once again in the wee small hours of the morning treading a well-worn path of accusations involving police, local business owners and others.

An investigative musing: Which NSW North Coast council is batting to have the longest running code of conduct complaint investigation on record?

A fun fact musing: An estimated 24,000 whales migrated along the NSW coastline in 2016 according to the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and the migration period is getting longer.

A which bank? musing: Despite a net profit last year of $9,227 million the Commonwealth Bank still insists on paying below Centrelink deeming rates interest on money held in Pensioner Security Accounts. One local wag says he’s waiting for the first bill from the bank charging him for the privilege of keeping his pension dollars at that bank.

A Daily Examiner musing: Just when you thought this newspaper could sink no lower under News Corp management, it continues to give column space to Andrew Bolt.

A thought to ponder musing: In case of bushfire or flood - do you have an emergency evacuation plan for the family pet?

An adoption musing: Every week on the NSW North Coast a number of cats and dogs find themselves without a home. If you want to do your bit and give one bundle of joy a new family, contact Happy Paws on 0419 404 766 or your local council pound.

North Coast Voices

Wednesday 3 May 2023

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (ATSILS) calling for urgent funding relief - representation at Byron Bay Local Court & 12 other regional courts to cease until further notice from 15 May 2023 for all new ASTI matters

No comments:

Privacy Statement

On Twitter

Clarence River Protest 2016

Proudly supporting public broadcasting

North Coast Scenes

Northern Postcard

NSW North Coast

Australian Bureau of Meteorology

Moggy Musings

Blog Archive

Pages

Contributors

Site Meter

*************************

North Coast Voices Comments Policy

OZ Blogs & Assorted Others