Working groups

Overview

Working groups, comprised of staff from different member organisations, are hubs of expertise in specific areas of the law. The members in the working groups use this expertise to address and develop strategic responses to sector, policy, law reform, justice and legal system issues.

Current working groups

Access to Interpreters Working Group
Concerned with the access of non-English speaking clients to legal information and education within their communities, and access to translation and interpreting services.

Anti-Terrorism Laws Working Group
Coordinates the Federation’s response to federal and State anti-terrorism laws and supports community education about these issues.

Bushfire Legal Help Working Group
Provides free legal support to victims and survivors of the 2009 Victorian bushfires.

Child Protection Working Group

Child Support Working Group
Supports child support workers in community legal centres in casework, CLE and law reform activities; works closely with the National Child Support Network.

Children & Youth Issues Working Group
Involved in issues ranging from support for young people during police interviews, to chroming, PERIN fines, family violence and models of youth participation.

Civil Law Issues Task Group
Focused on consumer rights, debt, motor vehicle accidents, wills and probate, tort, tenancy disputes and civil procedure in VCAT and the Magistrates’ Court; also covers some aspects of anti-discrimination, victims of crime compensation and social security law.

Community Development & Legal EducationWorking Group
Seeks to improve community members’ access to quality legal information through innovative community development projects.

Corrections Working Group
Seeks to advance the human rights of imprisoned people.

Disability Working Group
Seeks to improve access to community legal centres for people with a disability.

Human Rights Charter Working Group
Seeks to raise awareness of the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities; to encourage and support community legal centres to comply; to promote best practice; to pursue effective advocacy work on behalf of clients and to liaise with government and public authorities to promote the human rights of all Victorians.

Infringements Working Group
Monitors the impact of the infringements system on disadvantaged communities and advocates improvements to the system. The Working Group participates in the Department of Justice Infringements Standing Advisory Committee and provides training to community workers on the infringements system.

Older Persons Law Task Group
Works on improving access to justice for older people.

Police Issues Working Group
Seeks to promote progressive policing models as opposed to law and order; to promote a fully independent and best-practice police complaints mechanism; and to support community legal centres in addressing local policing issues.

Professional Standards Working Group
Assists Victorian community legal centres and community legal centre lawyers to meet their obligations under the national scheme for professional indemnity insurance.

Violence Against Women and Children Working Group
Examines government and police responses to family violence; has links with women’s refuges and domestic violence services and meets with relevant agencies, including magistrates and the Victorian Law Reform Commission.