COVID-19

Supreme Court COVID fines challenge case

In this episode, Stephanie Hawes explores a recent case run by Redfern Legal Centre where the validity of some COVID fines issued by New South Wales Police was examined. We hear from the senior lawyer Sam Lee about the legal aspects of the case as well as the outcome and its effect on the community. We then chat with Rohan Pank, the plaintiff in the case, about his experience and journey to the Supreme Court.Redfern Legal Centre: https://rlc.org.au/
Transcript: https://bit.ly/3VN6FiEMusic: Wind Marching for Rain by Puddle of Infinity 

Shared parenting and COVID-19 restrictions - what you can do and who can help

This episode was recorded on 12 August 2021. The information was current at that time in accordance with the public health orders in place to manage the COVID-19 situation in NSW. At the time of publishing, it is a reasonable excuse to leave your home if you need to continue existing arrangements for access to, and contact between, parents and children.  You can keep up to date with the changing rules around reasonable excuses using these links:
Greater Sydney restrictions | NSW Government
Regional and rural restrictions | NSW Government
We speak to Joshua Mestroni, a family lawyer with the South West Sydney Legal Centre. Joshua answers questions about how to manage shared parenting arrangements during the current COVID-19 public health order restrictions, particularly in Greater Sydney.  The links below are for the organisations and resources mentioned during the conversation.
Free legal help from South West Sydney Legal Centre go to our website for all contact details - www.swslc.org.au
online referral form for community workers only – https://www.swslc.org.au/online-referral/
email address – info@swslc.org.au
For free legal help and referrals to family lawyers in other parts of Sydney and across the whole of NSW, call the Legal Aid NSW Family Law Early Intervention Unit on 1800 551 589
Federal Circuit Court National COVID 19 list - The Family Court of Australia and the Federal Circuit Court of Australia have each established a court list dedicated to dealing exclusively with urgent family law disputes that have arisen as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Go to http://www.federalcircuitcourt.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/fccweb/about/covid/covid-list/national-covid-list
Legal Aid NSW COVID-19 legal factsheets for families, relationships and children - https://www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au/get-legal-help/covid-19
NSW Health COVID-19 factsheets - https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Pages/isolation-guidelines.aspx
NSW Health Aboriginal Health COVID-19 resources - https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Pages/aboriginal-resources.aspx
Look after yourself - Family Relationships Online - https://www.familyrelationships.gov.au/covid-19
To keep up-to-date, subscribe to the Legal Aid NSW Law for Community Workers Alert newsletter.
 
Edited by Tiffany Dimmack from Audiocraft

UPDATE - Centrelink in the time of COVID-19

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

The Refugee Service answers community worker’s COVID-19 legal questions

In this episode, we speak to Christina Alkhamisi, Civil Solicitor, who answers some frequently asked questions from Community Worker who work with Refugee communities on the COVID-19 changes. She provides us with a clear summary of Public Health Order fines, Centrelink and Immigration changes, and information about where to get more information and help for your clients.
Referrals and more information
LawAccess NSW 1300 888 529 or visit
Legal Aid NSW Refugee Service 87136725 or visit https://www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au/what-we-do/civil-law/refugee-service
Visit the Legal Aid NSWwebsite to find a local advice service.
For more information on Work and Development orders, please visit the Legal Aid website at https://www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au/publications/factsheets-and-resources/covid-19/covid-19-public-health-orders-what-do-i-need-to-know
For more information on COVID changes, please visit the LawAccess website at https://www.lawaccess.nsw.gov.au/Pages/news-articles/covid19.aspx
For more information on Centrelink changes please see Legal Aid’s ‘Centrelink in the Time of COVID-19 Podcast’ or visit the Centrelink website.
Centrelink’s dedicated COVID-19 page — this website is being regularly updated.
If you need an interpreter, please call the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450.

Law Week Special - Where to find legal info and support during COVID-19

For Law Week 2020, Legal Aid NSW wants everyone in NSW to have access to the legal information they need in these challenging times. In this special Law Week episode, we talk to Kerry Wright about the best places to find legal information whether you have a COVID-19 related legal issue or a more general legal issue.
In this episode we discuss:
Legal Aid NSW legal resources
Find Legal Answers website
Law Access website
Law Access legal information line: 1300 888 529
Legal Aid NSW Youtube channel

Centrelink in the time of COVID-19

We speak to Nicola Cannon senior solicitor, Social Security, about the COVID-19 measures that have been introduced by Centrelink.  She provides us with a clear summary of the changes, and information about where to get help.
As the situation evolves, we will be speaking to Nicola again, so please subscribe to Law for Community Workers on the go to stay informed.
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.
How to register your intention to claim a Centrelink payment - coronavirus (COVID-19)
 More information and a full list of eligible Centrelink payments
Guardian guide to applying for Jobseeker payment
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
Time stamps
02.30 —Summary of the changes — Coronavirus supplement payment
04.49 — Changes that are already active — asset testing, newly arrived resident waiting period, ordinary waiting periods, seasonal workers and additional documents
07.35 — Economic support payments
08.21 — date update regarding economic support payments
11.10 — Already receiving a payment?
11.40 — Jobseeker payment definition
16.30 — Other types of payments — carers, students and families
20.50 — Contacting Centrelink on behalf of your client
23.15 — Wanting to receive a Centrelink payment?
27.58 — Payment and service finder website — other immediate support
28.40— How Legal Aid NSW and other organisations can help

Do you want to know more about your rights at work in the time of COVID-19?

In this first of our ‘COVID-19’ special episodes, we talk to Alex Yiannikas from Employment Law team about the rights for casual and permanent employees in these unprecedented times.
The podcast audio is taken from a live webinar we recorded on 18 March 2020 and answers questions from our Community Worker audience.
As the situation evolves, we will be talking to our employment lawyers again to keep you updated, so subscribe to Law for Community Workers on the go to stay informed.
 
Referrals and more information
Free legal help
LawAccess NSW 1300 888 529
Legal Aid NSW
Legal Aid NSW - 02 9219 5000 to check eligibility for free legal advice about rights at work. Please check www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au for updates about availability of legal advice.
Migrants and temporary visa holders in NSW can call the Migrant Employment Legal Service on 02 8002 1203 – www.mels.org.au
Publications
Your workplace rights during a disaster
Order FREE Publications
Fair Work Ombudsman 13 13 94
Information about workplace entitlements and obligations for people affected by the outbreak of coronavirus.
Further information
SafeWork NSW has information about Coronavirus and your workplace -
For enquiries about Workers Compensation, contact the Workers Compensation Independent Review Office on 13 9476
Unions NSW
ABC Radio National program — not enough sick leave?
Centrelink
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