News Archive
Board Director (Voluntary)
We have 3 vacancies on our Board of Directors. Opportunities exist to contribute expertise in one or more of the following areas: Governance Not-for-profits Disability lived experience or professional experience in the sector Aged Care sector experience ...
Social Worker
Mental Health Legal and Advocacy Service (MHLAS) is a 2 year pilot program that will focus on; legal issues relating to mental illness specifically. discrimination in relation to employment, education and insurance. housing issues, including problems relating to...
Community Solicitor
Mental Health Legal and Advocacy Service (MHLAS) is a 2 year pilot program that will focus on; legal issues relating to mental illness specifically. discrimination in relation to employment, education and insurance. housing issues, including problems relating...
Financial Counsellor
Be part of the development of a high-impact specialist service supporting vulnerable Territorians Join a cohesive team of innovative and experienced lawyers and advocates Work in a best-practice environment where staff development and opportunities are prioritised...
Managing Solicitor
Managing Solicitor Take the next step in your legal career as our Managing Solicitor and start making a tangible difference throughout the Top End region today! Earn an industry-competitive salary + superannuation and enjoy fantastic benefits, including relocation...
Intake Officer x 2
About Darwin Community Legal Service Darwin Community Legal Services (DCLS) is located on Larrakia county. We acknowledge the Larrakia people as the Traditional Owners of the Darwin region and we acknowledge Traditional Owners of lands throughout the Northern...
Make Renting Fair in the NT
In April this year, the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, detailed a plan in the National Cabinet in Brisbane to strengthen the rights of renters across the country. Housing Ministers from each State and Territory will be tasked with developing proposals for National...
DCLS contributes to review of the NDIS Act
In advance of, or probably because of, the commencement of hearings for the Disability Royal Commission, the Commonwealth Government has commissioned a review of the NDIS Act and is proposing a Participant Service Guarantee to set service standards for the NDIS. DCLS...
Residential Tenancy Reform – too little, too late?
DCLS supports reform that will ensure Residential Tenancy regulation is fair, safe and certain for tenants and landlords. A comprehensive reform of the current 20 year old legislation was promised in May last year and had bipartisan support. After a truncated...
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) finally accepted as NDIS permanent disability
The Seniors and Disability Rights Service working with NT Legal Aid have broken ground nationally in securing recognition that ADHD is a permanent disability under the NDIS. Getting to this point required traversing many hurdles along the way for 8 year old Stewart....
Umbakumba Community Outreach – Financial Abuse
Advocates from SDRS undertook outreach in October and travelled to Groote Eylandt where they met with the community at Umbakumba. Members of the community came to meet with SDRS and talk about financial abuse and matters related to the NDIS. Financial abuse in the...
Update from DCLS Executive Director
Our year has had many highlights but most have come from working collaboratively with other organisations in the NT. Together we are stronger and more effective and the sharing of skills and knowledge enhances our services and the outcomes for our community. We joined...
DCLS welcomes new leadership team!
With the addition of Shelley Landmark as our Principal Solicitor, the new DCLS Leadership team has some familiar faces and some new blood, giving us the skills to respond to the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities ahead. Tamara and David form the...
Concerns for participants in guardianship proceedings
DCLS, along with Katherine Women’s Legal Service and the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency met recently with the Attorney-General, the Hon Natasha Fyles MP to raise concerns about support and representation for participants in guardianship proceedings. The NT...
Coolalinga Outreach – reaching more members of our community
The General Legal Service has commenced a new rural advice clinic at Coolalinga. The Clinic runs every Friday fortnight, from 9am – 11am at the electorate office of Kezia Purick, MLA. There has been with slow growth in walk-in clients and a number of repeat clients...
Tenancy Team expanding outreach services
Tenancy Solicitor Myles Brown travelled with the Seniors and Disability Rights Team to East Arnhem recently as part of the TAS team’s commitment to expanding our outreach across the NT. He met with the Department of Housing staff, real estate agents, Anglicare and...
Northern Territory tenants in need of real reform
The review of the NT Residential Tenancy Act has finally been initiated with a discussion paper recently released by the Northern Territory Government. While we acknowledge the government progressing this much needed area of reform, the process has been rushed, the...
New Charter of Aged Care Rights to positively impact service delivery
As of July 1 2019, the Commonwealth Government launched a new Charter of Aged Care Rights, with the aim of simplifying the identification of rights for older people receiving Government funded aged care services. The Charter applies to people receiving any Australian...
Advocating for residents of Supported Independent Living
The Seniors and Disability Rights Service (SDRS) provides support to those receiving NDIS disability supported accommodation and their families. Advocates Elaine Walton and Sharon Binns were invited to visit a new Supported Independent Living/Short Term Accommodation...
Update from DCLS Executive Director
Darwin in the dry season is the place to be as meetings, conferences and commissions descend on us to take advantage of the weather. Over 1000 delegates arrived in Darwin for the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) National Housing Conference in...
Santa Teresa decision triggers departmental policy overhaul
Jasmine Cavanagh is one of 70 residents from the remote community Santa Teresa, south of Alice Springs, who brought a class action against the Government in 2016 for failing to maintain their public housing. The tribunal found that the residents should be compensated...
Assistive technology aids NDIS client to develop independence
The Seniors and Disability Rights Service have seen an increase of positive client outcomes due to the utilisation of technology. A five-year-old child was referred to DCLS on 9 May 2019 by KeepMoving, an assistive technology service provider. The client had Cerebral...
The road to independence is paved with NDIS rejections
DCLS client Mark Moodie this year started his own business, an Indigenous mining and energy consultancy, where he hopes to train young Aboriginal people to use drone technology. He is also a tetraplegic. He sought support from the NDIA to help him overcome some of...
Submission – Royal Commission on Aged Care Quality and Safety
The Seniors and Disability Rights Service has been active in advocating the NT position in relation to the Royal Commission’s inquiry. Our submission to the Commission can be found at the link below. We have also been involved in convening forums of relevant...
Update from DCLS Executive Director
It’s that time of the year when attention turns to funding and keeping our services going for another year. Key issues impacting the sustainability of community services include the issue of NT Budget Repair and uncertainty around the newly elected Coalition...
Thin Markets Project
The DCLS Seniors and Disability Rights Service Thin Markets Project submission is now available to view. The Thin Markets Project outlines some of the key issues faced in the Northern Territory in relation to services for people with a disability under the National...
FREE WORKSHOP – Identifying legal issues for your clients – 13 May
As part of Law Week 2019, we are holding a workshop to assist you to identify legal problems your clients might have and the appropriate solutions. Learn how we can work together for the best outcome for your clients, before matters escalate. For more information and...
Community forum: Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety
We have had a lot of inquiries from workers, organisations and clients about how they could participate in the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. DCLS and NTCOSS will be holding a Community Forum for interested organisations on Friday 22 March to...
The postcode lottery
Budget repair has captured the headlines of late and DCLS have been active in promoting the important role of human services in the economy. The Australian Government’s Job Outlook identifies Health Care and Social Assistance as the top industry for jobs growth over...
Transition to Community-managed housing
Transition to Community-managed housing: The Tenants' Advice Service has been involved in monitoring recent transfers of Territory Housing properties to management by community service providers to ensure minimum disruption for the tenants and the transfer of tenant...
Successful NDIS review to set precedent for future applications
The issues around accessing services in the NT, particularly in remote communities are well known. However, the roll out of the NDIS in the Northern Territory fails to take these issues into account and generally refuses the inclusion of transport in NDIS plans. In...
Migrant workers exploited by ambiguous employment arrangements
The General Legal Service has this year seen a great influx of matters involving the exploitation of employees who are on sponsored work visas. One ongoing theme involves workers being brought in from overseas with the promise of increased pay and better working...
Final report: Elder Abuse in the NT
The Darwin Community Legal Service Elder Abuse Prevention Project Final Report is now available. Click this link for the full report: Elder Abuse Prevention Project Final Report The Final Report on our Elder Abuse project was released in February subsequent to the...
FREE workshop – advocacy and the NDIS
The Seniors and Disability Rights Service will be hosting a free workshop aimed at increasing your knowledge regarding the NDIS. DATE: Thursday 28 February 2019 TIME: 6.00pm - 8.00pm WHERE: Level 1 Winlow Houe, 75 Woods St Darwin During the workshop we will: answer...
Free NDIS advice clinics!
Starting on the 25th of February 2019, DCLS will be operating NDIS advice clinics after hours across the Darwin Region. The clinics operate on a first-come-first-serve basis. You will have the opportunity to speak one on one with our specialty advocate regarding any...
Advocate – Seniors and Disability Rights Service
Darwin Community Legal Service is a multi-disciplinary service that provides a range of legal and advocacy services to the community to underpin access to justice. The SDRS Advocate is part of a small team that represents the rights and interests of disabled and older...
NT Human Rights Awards
DCLS was honoured to be nominated for the NT Human Rights Justice and Social Change Awards last night. Worthy winners of these two categories were the YWCA Women of Worth program for their work in transitioning women from prison and reducing recidivism, and the...
Christmas Closure
Darwin Community Legal Service will be closed over the Christmas and new year period from COB Friday 21 December and will reopen on Wednesday 2 January 2019. Wishing you all a safe and happy festive season.
Media release – “Disrupted” report calls for fairness for renters
5 December 2018 Rental stress, poor living conditions, lack of responsiveness to repairs, discrimination in accessing housing and lack of security are all commonplace for those who rent their home. As renting becomes the new normal it is clear that laws and policy...
Changes to After Hours Clinics
Our final free legal session for 2018 will be on Thursday 13th December in our Darwin office. The sessions will resume in 2019 on Thursday 31st January. There will be some changes to the free legal advice service in the new year as we trial a new timetable. Details...
Protecting older Australians from financial abuse
This month we met with ASIC Connect and other members of the finance sector to discuss solutions to protect older Australians from financial abuse. We also raised the need to improve access to financial and banking services for people with disabilities. We were...
Media release – NT renters no longer subject to unjust ‘blacklisting’
New laws starting this week provide protection to Northern Territory renters from being unfairly ‘blacklisted’ and excluded from the private rental market. The new laws will ensure that renters are notified of listings and provide them with the opportunity to correct...
Elder Abuse Prevention Project Survey Report
On Friday the 15th June DCLS hosted an event to mark World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Participants were involved in an information and discussion session to outline the issue and presence of Elder Abuse in the Northern Territory. Following the theme of 'RESPECT -...
NDIS workshop – register now!
The Seniors and Disability Rights Service will be rolling out a series of NDIS workshops which are funded by NDIS Innovation Grant. Please see the below image for further details.
MEDIA RELEASE – Reforms for renters long overdue
Today the Northern Territory Parliament marked its commitment to modernising tenancy law in the Territory by passing long overdue reforms to the Residential Tenancies Act to increase protections for tenants across the Territory. The amendments will remove the...
MEDIA RELEASE – Federal budget puts spotlight on Elder Abuse
Elder Abuse is the exploitation of the vulnerability of older people. This can be by scams targeting the elderly and also by close family members such as adult children. Financial abuse is a large component of elder abuse. DCLS is pleased that the Federal Budget...
MEDIA RELEASE – Unjust convictions wiped from the record
The Chief Minister made a formal apology in Parliament today to those convicted of consensual “homosexual offences”. Although the offences were removed in 1984, criminal records still exist for those convicted of these offences. Darwin Community Legal Service...
Reforms for regulating ‘blacklists’ and updating the Residential Tenancies Act progressing
The Introduction of laws improving protections for tenants against the misuse of Residential Tenancy Databases, or ‘blacklists’, made further progress this week. Northern Territory tenants are a step closer to at least having basic protections in relation to the...
DCLS’s free Law Week workshop – register now!
DCLS is proud to announce our free professional development workshop ‘Identifying legal issues for your clients’ is all new for 2018 Supported by the Public Purposes Trust, the event will be held at Darwin Hilton 9.30-4.30 Monday 14 May A free lunch at the Hilton and...
Disability advocate helps client get the year off to a great start
Darwin Community Legal Service aged care and disability advocate Trudy Lee has helped one of our clients get the year off to a great start. Ben (not his real name) is a homeless, double amputee who approached DCLS for help getting his wheelchair repaired. Trudy...
Statement on elder abuse prevention strategy announcement
As our population ages, elder abuse and greater supports and services for the aged increasingly require a societal response. Darwin Community Legal Service and the Council of the Ageing NT are united in calling for governments at all levels to step up in dealing with...
Elder abuse prevention project community survey
The Elder Abuse Prevention Project has been funded by the Office of Senior Territorians for 12 months to raise awareness of elder abuse in the community and to identify strategies to protect older people from abuse and mistreatment. As part of this work, DCLS is...
Campaign for reforms to the Residential Tenancy Act hits significant milestone.
The introduction of laws improving protections for tenants against the misuse of tenancy blacklists has begun today with the tabling of the Residential Tenancy Amendment Bill 2018 in the Northern Territory Parliament. The reforms will regulate the practice of...
Elder abuse prevention project
The Seniors and Disability Rights Service operating within Darwin Community Legal Services has received 12 months of funding from the Office of Senior Territorians to minimise elder abuse in our communities. We are doing this by raising community awareness around the...
Legal victory sets precedent in tenant security
Darwin Community Legal Service recently represented a tenant seeking compensation for items stolen during a home invasion robbery. The case was heard at The Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NTCAT) which found that the landlord had failed in their...
Last advice session for the year and shut down dates
Tonight's free legal advice session in our Darwin city office will be the last for the year. Make sure you get in early! There are some things we cant work on, for more information please click here. The next sessions will be- Palmerston library, Monday January 29th...
Rights on Show exhibition opening and award winners
The opening night and awards ceremony for the 2017 Rights on Show was held last night at the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory. There were some incredible entries this year, and it was a real challenge deciding the winners. Highly commended: Michael Rule – for...
2016-2017 Annual General Meeting
DCLS held its Annual General Meeting this week at which Julie Davis was re-elected Chair. DCLS would like to take this opportunity to thank our board members for their dedication, hard work and commitment to helping us achieve our vision and meet our purpose. Our...
Introducing our new Executive Director
Darwin Community Legal Service is pleased to announce the appointment of Linda Weatherhead as our new Executive Director. Linda brings a wealth of skill and knowledge to DCLS gained through her years of experience working with community legal services, commercial...
NT HUMAN RIGHTS AWARDS LUNCHTIME TALKS
The second of the 2017 Human Rights Awards talks was delivered this week by Pat Sims, coordinator of Football Without Borders. Football Without Borders is a free to join, volunteer-run, non-profit community program that aims to build strong relationships between...
NT Human Rights Awards lunchtime talks
In the lead up to the 2017 NT Human Rights awards a special series of lunchtime talks are being held. Yesterday Jared Sharp, human rights lawyer and NT General Manager, Jesuit Social Services, gave a presentation titled, How can we make sure the human rights of...
Darwin Community Legal Service supports people making NDIS appeals
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a new funding scheme intended to revolutionise how people with a disability are supported and funded. The NDIS has already been rolled out in Katherine and remote areas, including East Arnhem Land. Darwin and...
23rd Annual Rights on Show human rights art award and exhibition
Rights on Show provides a forum for people to exhibit art with a human rights focus, promoting human rights dialogue in the community. Art can provide a vehicle for social change and expression, challenge social norms and highlight the right to freedom of expression....
Darwin Community Legal Service calls for NT rental law reform
Darwin Community Legal Service (DCLS) has called upon the Attorney General, the Hon Natasha Fyles, to urgently review the Residential Tenancies Act (NT) to improve protections for tenants against aggressive real estate practices and commercial database companies. The...
Darwin Community Legal Service issues privacy warning on Residential Tenancy Databases.
Darwin Community Legal Service has issued an urgent warning to tenants in the Northern Territory about the potential for real estate agents to share their personal and private information with commercial database companies. These companies aggregate and cross...
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Newsletter July 2017
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DCLS Newsletter March 2017
Thanks for taking a moment to read our latest newsletter. Community Legal Centres Australia wide are facing funding cuts from 1 July 2017. If the cuts are not reversed, Darwin Community Legal Centre – along with other community legal centres in the Northern Territory – will have to reduce services.