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Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm

South-East Monash Legal Service Inc.

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Springvale, VIC
South-East Monash Legal Service Inc.

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South-East Monash Legal Services is a community legal centre. We provide free, confidential legal help to people in the southeast of Melbourne.

Springvale Monash Legal Service (SMLS) is a community organisation providing free, confidential legal advice to the community. Free interpreters are available when needed. Ongoing legal assistance may be available. Where appropriate, referrals will be made to private practitioners, other community legal centres, Victoria Legal Aid etc. SMLS operates in partnership with Monash University law students under the close supervision of a qualified lawyer. We are co-located with Springvale Community Aid and Advice Bureau on 5 Osborne Avenue, Springvale. We cannot provide legal advice on Facebook, please contact us directly on 9545 7400.

07/11/2026

We have a new look, with a more accessible and user-friendly website.

Designed with our community in mind, the new site is easier to navigate, more accessible, and makes it simpler to find legal information, support and services. Whether you're looking for help, information about our programs, or ways to connect with us, the new website offers a faster, more intuitive experience.

While the look has changed, our purpose remains the same: working alongside our community to improve access to justice and create lasting positive change.

🔗 Take a look: www.smls.com.au

A huge thank you to Design by Nature for bringing our vision to life through thoughtful, user-centred design that's built to support our community for years to come. And thanks to Anna Carlile for the wonderful photographs of our staff and students pictured here and across our website. The people you see on our website are the very same people you meet when you step into our offices.

New website. Better experience. Same commitment to our community.

27/10/2026

Many of our clients are victim-survivors seeking support through Victoria's Financial Assistance Scheme as part of their recovery following experiences of crime, including family violence.

Delays in accessing financial help creates additional stress and uncertainty when support is needed most. A scheme intended to support victim-survivors must provide timely, accessible and efficient responses to applications.

Our Manager of Policy and Law Reform, Azin Baghaki Jenkin, recently spoke with ABC News about the impact of these delays on victim survivors and the need for reform.

We look forward to continuing to work with the sector and government to improve the scheme and the experiences of those who rely on it.

📰 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-24/victoria-victim-of-crime-assistance-delays/107300402

24/09/2026

After years of advocacy by community legal centres, financial counsellors, family violence services and other members of the Infringements Working Group, important reforms to Victoria’s fines system are now law.

The changes will:
✅ Extend Work and Development Permits to court fines
✅ Expand family violence protections to some excessive speeding fines caused by people using violence
✅ Take steps towards resolving historic imprisonment warrants

These reforms will help create a fairer fines system and reduce the harm caused by fines debt.

Thank you to the Victorian Government and crossbench MPs who worked with the sector to make these changes possible.

28/08/2026

💜 Today is Wear It Purple Day! 💜
Every young person deserves to feel safe, celebrated, supported and empowered to be themselves. Yet many LGBTQIA+SB young people continue to experience bullying, discrimination, exclusion and isolation.
Today, our team came together in solidarity with LGBTQIA+SB young people over a shared lunch to connect and talk about what Wear It Purple Day means to us and why creating safe and inclusive spaces for young people in our community and workplace matters. 🏳️‍🌈💜
Our Senior Youth Worker and Justice Q Team also joined students at Hampton Park, where we challenged them to the Marshmello Challenge, answered questions, connected with young people and shared more about the work we do in our community.
Today and every day, we stand in solidarity with LGBTQIA+SB young people and celebrate their right to be seen, heard, respected and unapologetically themselves. 💜

27/08/2026

Last Friday, our Justice Q team had the privilege of attending Beyond Precedent: The Legal Mandala, Legal ID’s (Monash Law Ambassador Program) flagship networking and panel event.

Kavitha, our Senior Lawyer at SMLS, joined an inspiring panel alongside legal professionals from commercial law firms, Community Legal Centres, Victoria Legal Aid, government, academia, advocacy organisations and more.

It was an insightful and important space to connect with current law students and future advocates, sharing diverse perspectives, and challenging us to think critically about how we can shape a more inclusive, equitable, and accessible legal profession.

We’re proud to be part of conversations that support a more inclusive, diverse and connected legal community.

28/07/2026

We're thrilled to share that Ashleigh Newnham has been formally appointed as CEO of South-East Monash Legal Service following a competitive recruitment process and a outstanding year serving as Interim CEO 🎉

The enthusiastic response from staff to Ashleigh Newnham's appointment as CEO is truly something special. And honestly, it's no surprise to those who know her! Ashleigh has been part of our team for more than a decade, working across community development, advocacy, partnerships and executive leadership. During her time as Interim CEO, she led the organisation through significant change, strengthening culture, improving systems and supporting staff to do their best work.

Known for her warm and steady leadership style, Ashleigh is passionate about social justice, client-centred services and building partnerships that strengthen access to justice.

"I'm honoured to take on the role of CEO and look forward to continuing to work alongside our clients, community, staff, partners, students and volunteers to strengthen access to justice across South-East Melbourne.”

Please join us in congratulating Ashleigh on her appointment and celebrating this exciting new chapter for SMLS 💙

23/07/2026

📱 Important information about the upcoming AusAlert test

On Monday 27 July at 2pm (AEST), a national test of Australia's new emergency warning system, AusAlert, will be sent to compatible mobile devices across the country. The alert will make a loud sound and appear on your screen. It will last for about ten seconds, and will play even if your phone is on silent or "Do Not Disturb".

For people experiencing family violence, this alert could unintentionally expose a hidden or safety phone. If you use a concealed device to help keep yourself safe, consider whether you need to switch it off before the test.

The current advice is to switch your safe phone off at least an hour before the test, and to keep it off for a full 24-hours after.

Your safety comes first. For more information about staying safe with AusAlert, visit: www.ausalert.gov.au

20/07/2026

🌈 We’re excited to be part of Pride Summit 2026!

Our Justice Q program will be facilitating a free legal health check workshop, helping you to understand your legal rights and identify potential issues before they escalate.

It’s going to be an exceptional day, with guest speakers delsi cat 🐱 and Mitch Brown joining leaders from across the region. Come along for a day of celebrating pride, diversity, and strengthening LGBTQIA+ inclusion.

See you there 👋

Cardinia Shire Council City of Casey (Official) City of Greater Dandenong Bunjil Place 📍 Narre Warren City of Monash City of Stonnington

23/06/2026

When home is not safe, legal help can be life changing.

Every week, we support people across Melbourne's southeast who are experiencing family violence and trying to navigate complex legal systems while keeping themselves and their children safe.

Legal support can help people secure intervention orders, access safe housing, protect their children and regain stability after violence.

But demand continues to grow, and community legal centres cannot meet the needs of everyone seeking help.

Through the Federation of Community Legal Centres Victoria We've Got Your Back campaign, we're calling for greater investment in community legal centres so more people can access free legal support when they need it most.

Support the campaign by sending a message to your MP:
🔗 www.fclc.org.au/gotyourback

29/05/2026

Planning ahead can feel overwhelming. But with the right help, it doesn’t have to be.

We joined the Victoria Law Foundation and Endeavour Hills Neighbourhood House to talk about wills and power of attorney for Law Week. Together, we supported community members to better understand wills and powers of attorney, helping people feel more confident about protecting what matters to them. Thank you to everyone who joined us.

Our team had a fantastic time sharing information to help our community make more informed decisions. As one participant said “I’m so relieved that you came to present on this. There’s so much information out there but I’m so grateful that you have you come out to talk to us about this in such an engaging and clear way. Thank you!”

Address

5 Osborne Avenue
Springvale, VIC
3171

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

03 9545 7400

Website

http://www.smls.org.au/

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