Read our speech acknowledging the important work of community legal centres in the Newtown electorate.
Ms JENNY LEONG ( Newtown ) ( 13:24 :48 ): I draw the attention of members to the important work of Community Legal Centres [CLC] NSW which has moved into the electorate of Newtown. I was pleased to join it at its recent office opening in Surry Hills. Community Legal Centres NSW is the peak body for community legal centres and represents 37 centres across the State. Last year these centres provided legal assistance to 55,460 people in New South Wales and advice to many more. We are lucky to have many centres in the electorate of Newtown, including the Australian Centre for Disability Law; the Court Support Scheme; the Financial Rights Legal Centre New South Wales; the HIV/AIDS Legal Centre New South Wales; the Intellectual Disability Rights Service; the Criminal Justice Support Network; the Greater Sydney Aboriginal Tenants Service; the Redfern Legal Centre; the Refugee Advice and Casework Service; the Tenants' Union of New South Wales; the Aged-care Rights Service; the Older Persons Legal Service; the Welfare Rights Centre New South Wales; the Marrickville Legal Centre; and the Aboriginal Women's Legal Service which is just on the border. Congratulations go to CLC executive director Polly Porteous, chair Linda Tucker and the board and staff on their recent successful campaign to reverse the damaging cuts to Federal funding for community legal centres.
