|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Media Release 6 February 2001 6 February 2001 Rural communities learn about their legal rights People living in remote country areas need better access to information that helps explain their rights and how to assert those rights in the legal system. Although keen to find out more about the law, rural communities are disadvantaged by not having direct and easy access to a legal aid office or a community legal centre. Concern about access to justice for people living in remote areas has led to a group of legal centres and government departments in Sydney coming together to present a series of legal education workshops. Called Working out West., the workshops will particularly target Aboriginal people who make up a large proportion of the local population. Working out West is a joint project between Wirringa Baiya Aboriginal Women's Legal Centre, Legal Aid NSW, the NSW Attorney General's Department, the Department of Aboriginal Affairs, the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission, the Women's Legal Resource Centre and Sydney law firm Blake Dawson Waldron. These agencies will work together over the next 12 months to educate the local community about their legal rights and help bridge the gap between rural and urban New South Wales. Cleonie Quayle, coordinator of Wirringa Baiya says, "It is important we work together in partnership with local communities to address law and justice in rural New South Wales, rather than work in isolation. Law and justice issues cannot work in isolation without taking a holistic approach in addressing all the other issues that people face daily in the community." Workshops to be held in Bourke and Walgett over the next 12 months will cover discrimination, consumer issues, family violence, police powers, how the law works and getting the most out of government. The first in the series of workshops next week will address young people's rights in public spaces. Workshops will be held in Walgett on Monday 12 February 2001 and in Bourke on Tuesday 13 February 2001. The two workshops will be presented by Cleonie Quayle, Coordinator, Wirringa Baiya Aboriginal Women's Legal Centre and children's lawyer Chris Grant from Legal Aid NSW. Organisers hope that the series of workshops on a diverse range of topics will serve as a forum to build positive community relations and develop strategies for working towards self-determination and reconciliation. "Rights are important but they only work if people know what they are," says Ms Quayle. "Working out West gives us a chance to talk about the issues and all work together towards better understanding and tolerance in the community." After the first 12 months, Working out West project members will identify other isolated rural areas where workshops will be held in 2002. Legal Aid lawyer, Chris Grant says, "Wirringa Baiya has made us aware that there is a real need for legal education in communities in Western NSW. I am therefore very excited to be working together with indigenous organisations and communities to improve the level of legal services, including legal education, to Aboriginal people." The first workshops on young people and public space will be held at Walanbaa Yinnar Wharoo, 37 - 38 Wee Waa Street, Walgett at 10.00am on Monday, 12 February 2001 and at Gundabooka, 23 Hanson Street, Bourke at 10.00am on Tuesday, 13 February 2001. If you're interested in attending at Walgett please contact Virginia on 6828 3143 or Cleonie Quayle on 1800 686 587 or 9569 3847 for either Walgett or Bourke. |
|
|
|