Legal lowdown newsletter#6

LEGAL LOWDOWN

NEWSLETTER #6 December 2013

Merry Christmas from CLSST

2013: A YEAR IN REVIEW

WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE YEAR 2013 AND WHAT WE ACHIEVED FOR OUR COMMUNITY. In this edition of Legal Lowdown we take a look at the achievements and accomplishments of 2013. We review our services and outreach clinics and provide you with an insight into the new and exciting programmes and initiatives we will be providing in 2014.

As 2013 draws to an end CLSST would like to take the opportunity to celebrate the many successes of our community. We acknowledge the efforts of all those who contributed to the operation of CLSST events and services, and show our sincerest appreciation for the invaluable support you have provided to our clients and service participants.

“Mā tōu rourou, mā tōku rourou, ka ora ai te iwi – with your contributions and my contributions the people will survive” From the CLSST staff and Trust Board we wish you all a Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year and a safe festive season!

PO Box 61112, Otara Phone: (09) 274 4966 Fax: (09) 274 4967 www.otaracommunitylawcentre.com

OUTREACH CLINICS: ENGAGING WITH OUR COMMUNITY

As part of our commitment to our community, we hold several outreach clinics throughout our service area to maintain face-to-face engagement with our clients. Our outreach clinics are made possible by the community partnerships we have forged and maintained over the years, and through the sharing of service facilities. We are delighted to receive positive feedback from our outreach clinic partners for 2013.

MANUREWA:

Manurewa Marae

“…The opportunity for clients to meet a lawyer in an accessible, familiar and non-threatening location is a huge benefit to the community. The clinics work very well and we find they help with the unspoken cultural barrier that some community members face when seeking legal assistance…[The Lawyers] make themselves accessible to the community by being available by phone and are always willing to arrange appointments for any walk in clients that may not already have an appointment on the day of the clinic…”

MANUKAU:

Salvation Army

PUKEKOHE: Heartland Services

Heartland Services & Franklin Family Support Services

PAPAKURA: Citizens Advice Bureau “…the service has been a great success in the local area with many people enquiring about the service having heard good results from friends, family and acquaintances…the lawyers who come to the Bureau are friendly, approachable and have a sense of dedication towards the clients. It is a well worthwhile and highly regarded service to the Papakura Community.”

Inga Nu’u, Manager, Papakura Citizens Advice Bureau

FLAT BUSH: Hilltop Community Centre “…We wish to thank the staff of the [formerly] Otara Community Law Centre Trust for another successful year of attending our community centre. We have a whole range of parents who attend our preschool, afterschool programme, church and midwifery clinic and the legal advice given to them is of tremendous value. Thank you very much!!”

Tony Bracefield, General Manager, Hilltop Community Centre

“…We at Chapel Downs Family Service Centre feel the outreach law service really benefits the low income people in our community. People feel safe and comfortable coming into our family oriented environment and see faces of people they know and can trust… Our multicultural community find it helpful and like it as it is non judgemental.”

Chapel Downs: Chapel Downs Primary School Family Service

Rosemary Buckley, Chapel Downs Family Service Centre Coordinator

MAORI LAND: Maori Land Court & Te Mata Law

“…thank you for initiating this kaupapa, without that first step, we would not have had such a positive impact with our clients and the community this year therefore nga mihi nui…

Secondly, thank you all from Te Mata for providing your expertise to support our clients.

I am more than happy to continue to support the clinics next year. I thoroughly enjoyed working alongside everyone and hope next year brings about more positivity.

Toni Welsh, Maori Land Court – Tamaki Makaurau

LEGAL EDUCATION 2013

We have had huge successes with our legal education sessions this year. Through our education services we have reached out to schools, youth groups, Marae, churches, community organisations and individuals. Throughout the year we have been fortunate enough to have guest speakers from Financial Services Complaints Limited, Maori Land Court & Te Mata Law Barristers, amongst others who gave their time to deliver education on different aspects of community rights. Next year we will be rolling out a number of new legal education seminars and look forward to implementing new education techniques. We would like to send a huge thank you to our guest speakers and participants for assisting us in providing legal education to the community

CLSST SERVICES

2013 EVENTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS CLSST Staff & Trustees at NZ Law Awards 2013

NEW ZEALAND LAW AWARDS 2013 This year we were fortunate enough to be nominated for the New Zealand Law Awards, Community Services category.

We are extremely happy to know that there are so many law firms and organisations out there, serving the legal needs of our community. Congratulations all round!

MARAE BASED LEGAL SERVICES – Open Day In October Manurewa Marae opened its doors to the public to see the legal services we and our community partners provide on the Marae. Presenters included the Maori Land Court, Tamaki Makaurau, Te Mata Law, CLSST and Manurewa Marae Kaumatua (elderly). The open day was mainly attended

by Auckland University Law Students and the general public. We were pleased to have received such positive feedback and are currently in preparation for next years’ open day.

Manurewa Marae – Manurewa.

CLSST CHRISTMAS DINNER

ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION NATIONAL TRAINING HUI Our lawyer Wi Pere Mita was fortunate enough to present at the Equipping AE 2013 –Education for the Whole Person’ Hui on 9 October. Wi Pere provided training to educators throughout New Zealand on the rights of youth to education. CLSST also extended the invitation to Equal Justice Project to spread the word on our law in schools programme partnership. Both CLSST & EJP were extremely grateful for the opportunity.

COMMUNITY LAW NATIONAL HUI

CLSST Trustees, left to right: Poutoa Papalii, Patrick McCann (Chairperson), Yvonne Matson, Lin Kaiou (Deputy Chairperson), Ava Faamoe & Vaaloa Tupua.

In October CLSST Management and Governance attended the Community Law National Hui in Wellington. This was an opportunity for CLSST and the other law centres throughout New Zealand to meet with the Ministry of Justice and others to discuss issues that affect our communities and continued funding and support from the Government to allow us to continue providing legal services to our communities.

LOGO & NAME CHANGE In July we adopted a new logo entitled “manukura”. The manu or bird has special significance to the Counties-Manukau area as it is said that the Manukau Harbour takes its name from the whaling birds or manu-kau which led the Tainui Canoe ashore.

Following on from the logo change we also adopted a new name in September – Community Legal Services South Trust. This name change occurred after our contract was extended to cover the Counties-Manukau and Franklin areas. We also gave our office a face-lift with new signage and decals depicting our name change and logo change. Both the name change and logo change is part of our vision and commitment to service the needs of our community.

GOING ONLINE & SOCIAL MEDIA To ensure that our community can have better access to our services, resources and contacts, May 2013 we developed our CLSST website and our first ever newsletter the “legal lowdown”.

We have received great responses from the community and organisations about our online services, so much so that in November we launched our new Facebook and Twitter pages. We continue to look at ways of connecting with our community through whatever medium possible and look forward to rolling out more online resources in 2014!

FREE MAORI LAND CLINICS In May 2013 we began providing free Maori Land services in partnership with the Maori Land Court – Tamaki Makaurau and Te Mata Law Barristers. The free clinics are designed to provide clients with free legal education, information and advice on Maori Land matters and also information and advice about Court applications, process and trustees training. The clinics have been a huge success. A BIG THANKS to all who contributed to making ou Maori Land clinics a success.

VOLUNTEER GROUPS This year we entered discussions and partnerships with several pro-bono law services including Equal Justice Project, Pacific Justice Project and Law for Change.

The purpose of our discussion and partnerships was to ensure that we pool resources with other service providers so that our community can be best served.

We also provided mentoring, training and work experience to those within the aforementioned organisations who are law students or recent law graduates.

MAORI CAUCUS – COMMUNITY LAW From 24 -25 May this year, the inaugural Māori Caucus of the Coalition of Community Law Centres o Aotearoa was held at Owhata Marae in Rotorua.

The Hui was attended by representatives from most of the Community Law Centres from the North to the South of Aotearoa.

Distinguished Guest speakers included Moana Jackson and Annette Sykes who spoke of the importance of the Community Law movement, not only for the beneficiaries of Community Law services but for the wider legal profession.

Legal Education Programme 2014

NEWS Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart Programme The Government has invested $100 million in a three year insulation programme called Warm Up New Zealand: Healthy Homes. The programme provides subsidies for home insulation and is targeted at those on low-incomes who are prone to higher risk of health issues.

The programme is led by Energy Efficiency Conservation Authority (“EECA�) which works with project partners to provide drier, warmer and healthier homes. The grants will pay up to 60% of the cost of insulation. Some of the project partners will top of the grants to provide free insulation to eligible households.

To check your eligibility for this programme please call 0800 749 782 or go the ENERGYWISE website: http://www.energywise.govt.nz/fundingand-programmes/insulation-programme

Waimahia Inlet Affordable Housing Development Tenancy Office Relocation The Auckland Tenancy Office has moved from Level 3, 41 Shortland Street, Auckland to: New address: Level 8, 280 Queen Street, Auckland.

Moved on: Monday 2 December 2013.

HOLIDAY SPEED LIMITS During official holiday periods the police enforce a 4km/h speed limit.

This means if you travel 4km/h over the speed limit, you will be ticketed.

This also applies within 250 m of a school or pre-school boundary. This tolerance will be enforced over the next two months. We caution drivers to watch their speed and driving distance over the holiday period and help keep our roads safe this Christmas.

Waimahia Inlet is situated in a coastal setting near Weymouth. The affordable housing development scheme is an initiative between the Te Tumu Paeroa, New Zealand Housing Foundation and Auckland Onehunga Endowment Trust which are not-for-profit charitable trusts set up to increase the supply of affordable housing and grow strong, safe neighbourhoods. Construction of the Waimahia properties will commence in early 2014. Each property will have a value of $325,000-$475,000 with only a limited amount of properties being built. The eligibility criterion is as follows: You cannot afford to buy your first home without some assistance.

At least one member of your household is a New Zealand resident or citizen.

At least one member of your household is an income earner.

You cannot be a current home owner.

You are committed to owning your own home.

For more information on this exciting opportunity please call 0800 924 62442 or email info@waimahia.co.nz