Justice and Equity Centre (formerly the Public Interest Advocacy Centre)

Last week with Mounty Aboriginal Youth & Community Services, we led a refresh of the Youth Justice Coalition, a partnership challenging unfair policing and keeping government accountable on youth justice. We brought together First Nations organisations, lawyers and youth workers, and youth ambassadors to begin forming a coalition led by Aboriginal young people. The coalition will respond to young people’s voices and community advocacy priorities. The Youth Justice Coalition has a strong track record of winning change on over-policing, leading the successful campaign to abolish NSW Police’s discriminatory and unjust Suspect Targeting Management Plan. We’re standing alongside young people and communities and we look forward to working with YJC members in 2026. In picture, left to right: Annaliese Gielingh, Sharleigh Crittenden, Peta MacGillivray, Kate Sinclair, Dilasha P., Nicole Mekler, Taleigha Glover, Georgia Christian, Damien Corbridge, Adam McKeller, James Clifford, Grace Gooley, Daniel Daylight, Sarah Sack, Jack Lumsden, Jason Teoh

Many people in critical need of a home will have an easier time accessing NSW Government housing and Temporary Accommodation, thanks to changes pushed for by our Homeless Persons’ Legal Service, StreetCare advocates and the Sydney Zero coalition. ‘Homes NSW is trialling fast-tracked housing support for people with complex needs, which will help some of the people most vulnerable to homelessness access a secure home faster,’ explains the JEC’s Alannah Daly. ‘Another pilot will make it easier to re-apply for Temporary Accommodation, known as TA. This short-term accommodation should be a circuit breaker, giving people in crisis a stable place to stay and regroup while they find a more permanent home.' ‘For years, HPLS and StreetCare advocates have highlighted unrealistic re-application requirements for TA, involving long visits to government service centres every few days, where people report feeling traumatised and disrespected. Letting people re-apply over the phone is a no-brainer, giving them time to seek other supports and longer term accommodation.’ ‘We hope these pilot programs become on-going and are followed by further improvements to the social housing safety-net.’

On World Toilet Day, we’re calling on the NSW Government to recognise that public toilets are essential for public health and safety – particularly for people without a home. ‘Public toilets are more than conveniences. For people who are homeless, and especially for women, they’re critical for safety, sanitation and dignity,’ says Rocky, one of our StreetCare advocates with lived experience of homelessness. ‘When StreetCare gave evidence to the NSW Parliamentary inquiry into public toilets, we emphasised that we need public toilets to be available across communities in NSW. And we need them to be clean and safe for the people who use them.’ ‘Women are placed in danger by a lack of access to public toilets, or if public toilets are isolated and poorly designed.’ We’re calling on the Government to implement the recommendations of the inquiry report, which was shaped by StreetCare’s evidence and other advocates from communities most affected by inadequate access to public toilets.

Tanya Plibersek and the Federal Government must listen to growing calls to withdraw their proposal to cancel Centrelink payments for people who have been charged with a serious offence but not gone before the court or been found guilty.   “This is an unprecedented attack on fairness and due process which will shake public confidence in our legal system. Under this legislation, people’s benefits could be stripped away simply because they are unaware police have issued a warrant for their arrest, and without any opportunity to access legal help,” said NATSILS Chair, Karly Warner.   “The proposed amendments will inevitably have a greater impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, who are grossly overrepresented at every stage of the criminal process.”   See the full list of organisations opposing the Bill here: https://lnkd.in/gvdNfq2h

We’re pleased to welcome Nicola Colagiuri to the JEC, as a Senior Solicitor in our Strategic Litigation team. Nicola will be working across disability rights and policing and detention projects. ‘Nicola brings extensive litigation experience from past roles in government and corporate practice. And her pro bono work shows a strong commitment to the values the JEC stands for,’ says Principal Solicitor Ellen Tilbury. ‘Nicola has previously collaborated with the JEC’s Homeless Persons’ Legal Service, as a pro bono team leader running an outreach clinic to provide free legal help to people facing homelessness. We’re delighted she’s now joining our Strategic Litigation team, to contribute to our test cases and law reform work.’

Start your career at two leading social justice legal centres making change on First Nations justice. Our First Nations Social Justice Graduate Program is open to Aboriginal and / or Torres Strait Islander law students in their final year or who have recently graduated. It’s an opportunity to gain hands-on experience while working towards admission as a lawyer. The role includes paid Practical Legal Training and admission fees, followed by a transition into a solicitor position. The program involves working on both criminal and civil law matters and is flexible and can be altered to suit the requirements of different law degrees. The program is a partnership between the Shopfront Youth Legal Centre and the Justice and Equity Centre. You’ll be working with experienced mentors and dynamic teams challenging injustice, disadvantage and inequality.

We were in the Federal Court in Melbourne this week, fighting the National Disability Insurance Agency. Our client Lee Eastham won against the NDIA in the Administrative Review Tribunal, securing $7,334 to fund a mobility scooter. The NDIA is appealing that decision. Lee lives in regional Victoria and his vision impairment means he can’t drive a car – but he does have enough vision to ride a mobility scooter. Lee’s mobility is limited by other health issues, so he needs the scooter to get into town for shopping, medical appointments and to stay connected to his community. The Tribunal agreed Lee is entitled to NDIS funding for the scooter. But the NDIA is pushing back with legal action that is far more expensive than the scooter’s cost. We hope a successful outcome for Lee will be a win for the entire disability community who rely on the NDIS, by clarifying the NDIA should take a ‘whole of person’ approach to funding disability supports. Pictured L-R: Counsel Thomas Liu and Amir Chowdhury, and JEC Senior Solicitor Sheetal Balakrishnan Thanks also to Senior Solicitor Mitchell Skipsey for his work on this case.

Thanks to NSW Treasury for inviting our Towards Truth team to share our legal truth-telling work. It’s critical that today’s policy-makers understand Australia’s shared history and the far-reaching consequences of Government decisions for First Nations people. Project Director Anna Harding presented research on Housing in NSW, showing how laws and policies can have ongoing effects. Research Manager Elizabeth Clark joined an expansive panel discussion with Corey Smith, a Treasury Advisor and former Towards Truth manager, Principal Economic Analyst Husam El-Tarifi and Ali Murphy-Oates from Create NSW. The panel covered the importance of ensuring non-First Nations people participate in the work of truth-telling and why grassroots truth-telling processes must be supported. Treasury staff outlined how Towards Truth’s research could be applied to better understand the long-term effects of policy decisions. A special thank you to the NSW Treasury Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group for the invitation. Pictured: Elizabeth, Husam, Corey, Sam Hudson. GAICD, Anna, Edwina Chen and Ali.

The JEC takes on powerful institutions and corporate giants to win lasting change that improves lives. For more than 40 years, we’ve been on the side of people bearing the weight of unfair systems. And we’ve helped them push back: in courts, parliaments, the offices of decision-makers and the media. Because justice should serve everyone, not just the powerful. Can you support us to hold power to account? We’re making society stronger and fairer – and our success relies on people like you who understand the work it takes to make change. You can make a donation at https://lnkd.in/gEG_Gd2W