Done By Law

PEOPLE SMUGGLERS GOING HOME

The Indonesia people smugglers, recently processed through the Victorian Courts, are (mostly) heading home. We speak to Sarah Westwood of the Commonwealth Crime Team of Victoria Legal Aid about the mammoth effort in Victoria to defend poor Indonesian fisherman charged with people smuggling for crewing boats to Australia filled with asylum seekers. Sarah reflects not only on their stories and process through an unfamiliar legal system but also on some lessons for good legal practice- how to coordinate a strong cohesive defence response to a challenge that was new to our jurisdiction.

NO PLACE LIKE HOME: ROOMING HOUSES IN VICTORIA

With housing affordability reaching crisis point, many Victorians have little choice but to live in rooming house accommodation. But what are conditions like in the growing number of rooming houses around Melbourne and what happens when rooming house operators take advantage of vulnerable residents? Rooming house resident Walter Hernandez and Mike Williams from the Tenants Union join Done By Law to explain why Victoria should introduce a licensing system for rooming house operators.

Injured at work - know your rights

Injured workers are often forced to undergo unreasonable medical examinations. There have been recent reports that some employers have even attended medical appointments with them.

So what are the rights and obligations of injured employees who are told to attend medical testing?

Tonight on Done By Law we speak with Zana Bytheway Executive Director or JobWatch about the rights of injured workers when it comes to medical tests.

Monash City Council take on the pokies… take 2

A decision in May this year by the Victorian Commission for Gambling and LIquor Regulation to approve extra pokie machines at a Clayton hotel was met with dismay by the Monash City Council which is acutely aware of the harm caused by problem gambling.

Tonight we will be speaking with th Mayor of the City of Monash, Councillor Stefanie Perri in relation to the Council’s decision to appeal the Commission’s May decision in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

Regular listeners may recall we interviewed Councillor Perri In April this year before  the Commission’s decision was handed down.

Consumer Debt - Denis Nelthorpe chats about debt problems

A recent Australian Bureau of Statistics study found that 70% of Australian Households have credit card debt. For many members of our community the burden of debt they can’t repay forces them to turn to short term, high interest loans, creating a downward spiral of debt. Many people aren’t aware of the services available to help them sort out their debt problems, or of the limits the law places on the power of service providers and debt collectors.

Tonight we’re joined by Denis Nelthorpe, a lawyer who has been fighting tirelessly for disadvantaged members of our community his entire legal career. He’s the Executive Director of the Footscray Community Legal Service and Wyndham Community Legal Centre and a Board Member of the Financial Ombudsman Scheme. One of his recent innovative projects is the National Bulk Debt Project which he has kindly agreed to talk to us about tonight.