Canberra Community Law

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Canberra Community Law

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Canberra Community Law is a community legal centre providing legal services to people on low incomes or facing other disadvantage in the ACT and its region

Canberra Community Law (formerly Welfare Rights and Legal Centre) has been providing legal services to people on low incomes for over 30 years and has substantial advocacy experience and expertise in its areas of speciality. However we cannot provide legal advice via this page. Please contact us on 6218 7900 or [email protected] if you would like legal advice. This page is monitored between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday. Canberra Community Law operates this page to:

• Provide updates about CCL;
• Provide information about the rights and obligations of Canberrans in our specialist areas of practice;
• Provide information about the activities of CCL including events and outreach;
• Share links to other organisations that assist Canberrans by providing information, advice and/or support;
• Engage with clients and stakeholders;
• Share content (news, photos etc) relevant to clients and stakeholders. Aside from our own posts, comments posted to this page by members of the public or other organisations do not represent the opinions of Canberra Community Law. We may choose to follow organisations or individuals that are relevant to Canberra Community Law. Being followed by Canberra Community Law does not imply endorsement of any kind. Responses to your comments, questions and messages

We will try our best to answer or respond to as many of your comments, questions and messages as possible during business hours but this will not always be possible, especially during busy times. If you do not get an answer to your question through Facebook, please contact us on 6218 7900 or [email protected]. Disclaimer

This page provides information about the law designed to help users understand their legal rights and obligations. However legal information is not the same as legal advice (the application of law to an individual’s specific circumstances). Although we make all efforts to ensure our information is accurate and useful, we recommend you consult Canberra Community Law for advice specific to your circumstances. Please note that this page is NOT intended to be used as a substitute for specific legal advice or opinions and the transmission of this information is NOT intended to create a solicitor-client relationship between the Canberra Community Law and members of the public. Please also note when a post was last published or updated, as the law may have changed. Feedback

Your feedback is important to help us improve the way we help people. Please consider providing us with more information, either by phone on 6218 7995, or [email protected]. Moderation Policy

We support lively, open discussion and welcome your comments, questions and contributions on this page. We monitor this page regularly, at least once a day Monday to Friday and your comments will be ‘post-moderated’, that means moderated after you have posted them. We will usually allow comments that:

• are on relevant to CCL and its areas of responsibility;
• are constructive and respectful of others views;
• do not infringe on the rules below. We reserve the right to delete any comments that don’t comply with our rules, or which are otherwise deemed inappropriate. Where possible, we will contact you if we remove your post to provide you with an explanation as to why it has been removed and the necessary action(s) for the content to be reposted. We ask that you keen the following rules in mind when posting on our page.

• do not post your personal details about yourself or any other person including full name phone number, address, location, email address or any other personal information;
• do not use inappropriate language including obscenities;
• do not post anything that could be considered obscene, offensive, pornographic, vulgar, profane, indecent or is otherwise illegal;
• do not incite violence or hatred, or are likely to offend, insult or humiliate others based on race, religion, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation or any physical or mental disability;
• do not make personal attacks, abuse and threats to cause physical or mental harm;
• do not post content which you know (or is reasonably expected to know) is false, misleading or deceptive;
• do not post content that contain is defamatory to any person;
• do not spam the page with multiple or lengthy posts or links to or endorsements of unrelated websites, businesses, commercial products or services;
• do not post links to pages that contain the aforementioned material. Any users who repeatedly break these rules may be blocked from posting on the page. If you see content that you feel does not comply with the rules above, please report it to us at [email protected].

30/10/2026

The Economic Justice Australia (EJA) Conference 2026 is just around the corner!

Taking place in Sydney on 11–12 November, with EJA Members Day on 10 November, the event will bring together lawyers, advocates, policymakers and community sector workers to discuss key issues and developments in Australia's social security system.

Canberra Community Law is looking forward to participating, with members of our team contributing to discussions and sharing their expertise across Members Day and the conference.

These events provide valuable opportunities to share knowledge, strengthen connections across the community legal sector and explore ways to improve access to justice for people navigating Australia's social security system.

Find out more about the conference and explore the program:
https://www.ejaustralia.org.au/about-us/eja-conference-2026/

21/10/2026

People who use assistance animals have rights when accessing public places and services.

In the ACT, assistance dogs can be registered through the assistance animal accreditation framework.

If you have experienced discrimination because you use an assistance animal, our Disability Law service may be able to help.

Call 02 6218 7900, email [email protected] or visit canberracommunitylaw.org.au.

13/10/2026

Do you need to disclose your disability at work?

The answer can depend on your circumstances, including the requirements of your role and any workplace adjustments you may need.

If you are unsure about your rights or options, our Disability Law service may be able to help. Our service is free and confidential.

Call 02 6218 7900, email [email protected] or visit canberracommunitylaw.org.au.

07/10/2026

Have you been discriminated against because of your disability?

Disability discrimination can happen at work, in education, when accessing services, looking for housing or taking part in public life.

Our Disability Law service may be able to help you understand your options and make a complaint. Our service is free and confidential.

Call 02 6218 7900, email [email protected] or visit www.canberracommunitylaw.org.au.

04/10/2026

📢 Office Closure – Labour Day

Canberra Community Law is closed today, Monday 5 October, for the Labour Day public holiday.

Our office will reopen tomorrow, Tuesday 6 October, at 9:30 am.

We wish everyone a safe and enjoyable public holiday and look forward to assisting you when we reopen.

01/10/2026

A slightly belated but very heartfelt thank you to everyone who baked, bought and donated for Canberra Community Law’s RSPCA Cupcake Day.

Together, our team raised an incredible $551 for RSPCA ACT.

We were also very lucky to be joined by some special four-legged visitors, who made an already lovely afternoon even better.

Thank you to the RSPCA ACT team for visiting us and to everyone at CCL who contributed. Every cupcake, slice and donation helped support the RSPCA’s work caring for animals across our community.

22/09/2026

Last Wednesday evening, members of the Canberra Community Law team attended Beryl Women Inc.’s NAIDOC event, where Rachael, one of the supervising solicitors in our Dhurrawang Aboriginal Human Rights Program, was honoured to speak.

We acknowledge and pay our respects to Aunty Violet Sheridan for her Welcome to Country and valuable contribution to the evening.

Our sincere thanks to Maali, Robyn, and the entire Beryl Women Inc. team for hosting such a warm and meaningful event. Year after year, their work makes a real and positive difference in the lives of women and children across our community. The value of this work cannot be overstated.

We also appreciated hearing from Chief Magistrate Louise Taylor and thank her for taking time away from her important work and busy schedule to support community-sector events.

A special acknowledgement to Alex Hargy for stepping outside her comfort zone to speak publicly and share her reflections and important messages about NAIDOC.

It was wonderful to spend the evening with so many community leaders, colleagues, and friends, including representatives from Sisters In Spirit Aboriginal Corporation, the Victims of Crime Commission, ACTCOSS - ACT Council of Social Service Inc., ACT Shelter and the Women's Legal Centre ACT.

Thank you to Beryl Women Inc. for bringing everyone together for such a special evening.

09/09/2026

We’re recruiting a Dhurrawang Aboriginal Human Rights Program Cadet.

This is a unique opportunity for an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander law student to gain practical legal experience within a First Nations-led service supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Canberra.

The successful applicant will work within the Dhurrawang team and gain experience in client intake, document management, advocacy, law reform and community legal education.

The position is:
• Open to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students currently in the second, third or fourth year of an LLB degree
• One full day per week (7.5 hours), based in our Canberra office
• Paid at $41.33 per hour
• Offered for 12 months, with the possibility of extension until the cadet completes their law degree

To apply, please submit a cover letter addressing the selection criteria to the Dhurrawang Program Manager at [email protected].

Applications close at 5.00 pm on Friday 2 October 2026.

View the position description for further information: https://www.ethicaljobs.com.au/members/wrlc/cadetship-identified-dhurrawang-aboriginal-human-rights-program?locations=15

Please share this opportunity with your networks.

We extend our gratitude to Wiradjuri artist Leanne Pope for creating the stunning artwork that serves as the identifier for our program. Titled “Fresh Life After Rain,” the piece narrates the story of the Yellow Crested Black Cockatoo. Often, this bird’s call and flight over Canberra’s cityscapes signal impending rain. The green gum leaves and gum nuts symbolise the new life that flourishes in the city after the rain. Our Spiritual Ancestors dance with raindrops, nurturing the land.

27/08/2026

If you or someone you care about has experience with Canberra’s mental health system, there is an important opportunity to have your say.

The ACT Government is reviewing parts of the Mental Health Act 2015 and is seeking feedback from people with personal experience of the mental health system, as well as families, carers, kin and supporters.

The review is looking at what is working well and where changes may be needed, including around safety and support, information sharing, privacy, sexual safety and the reporting of deaths.

Your experiences and perspectives can help inform changes to the Mental Health Act and improve safety and support for people interacting with the mental health system.

Consultation is open until Friday 23 October 2026.

Find out more and have your say:
https://yoursayconversations.act.gov.au/mental-health-act-review

If you need support to provide feedback, you can contact ADACAS - ACT Disability, Aged and Carer Advocacy Service before Friday 16 October 2026 on 02 6242 5060 or [email protected].

10/08/2026

Last week was Homelessness Week (3–9 August), and today, Tuesday 11 August, is the 2026 Census.

The 2026 Census will shape Australia’s understanding of homelessness and housing need for years to come. The Census is Australia’s most comprehensive data capture method and is used to inform housing policy at every level of government.

Census data is a crucial source of information for services assisting people experiencing homelessness and is often used to plan and fund services such as:

🏠 Emergency shelters for individuals and families, including families experiencing domestic violence
🍽️ Access to fresh meals, medical care, mobile laundry facilities and warm showers
🔑 Transitional housing

An accurate count of the homeless population is especially important because people experiencing homelessness are among those most likely to be missed.

While official Census night is today, Tuesday 11 August 2026, specialist field officers will be conducting face-to-face interviews with people sleeping rough from 10–16 August.

For more information about how to complete the Census if you, or someone you are supporting, are experiencing homelessness, visit the Australian Bureau of Statistics website (https://info.census.abs.gov.au/help/information-people-experiencing-homelessness) to learn more about the count.

You can also visit ACT Shelter’s website (https://actshelter.net.au/2026-census-homelessness-housing-resources/) to find out where the ABS Community Engagement Team will be located across the ACT during Census week.

Address

Level 5, 10 Rudd Street
Canberra, ACT
2611

Telephone

+61262187900

Website

http://www.canberracommunitylaw.org.au/donations.html

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