Done By Law

 We’re talking about the Dingo! Aurora & Jimi are joined by Mera Sivanesan from Environmental Justice Australia to discuss the cultural and ecological significance of dingoes, and the efforts EJA are undertaking to protect them. 

On this episode, we speak with Laura Dreyfus and Danya Jacobs of the Ecosystem team from Environmental Justice Australia. Among many legal battles, they are currently putting their efforts into assisting the Dungallaba Kulumbirigin clan of the Larrakia people in the fight to protect their country from a large development project at Binybara, also known as Lee Point north of Darwin - a place of bot...

***A warning to our listeners, this episode discusses family violence, family violence intervention orders, and gendered violence.*** This week Northern Community Legal Centre released two research reports examining the use of different online technologies in the family violence intervention order process. To discuss the reports and their findings we are joined by Northern Community Legal Centre’s...

Jimi & Liz are joined by Jo Parkin & Shifrah Blustein of the Infringements Working Group to give us the lay of the legal land for those finding themselves in a sticky situation when it comes to fines and infringements.  A community legal centre or financial counsellor may be able to help you with your fines, especially if you have multiple fines and you have an experience of family violence, homel...

Co-hosts Jimi & Lizzie are joined by Jess de Vries, Director of Legal Services at Women's Legal Service Victoria, to discuss a number of the incredible efforts undertaken by the WLSV team across the State. Whether discussing family law, criminal law, VOCAT, child protection or social work, Jess provides some fascinating insights into what her team are doing to support some of Victoria's most vulne...

​​​​​In this episode of Done By Law we discuss the decriminalisation of public intoxication legislation in Victoria and the implementation of the new alternative health-based response.  First recommended by the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody over 30 years ago, being intoxicated in public was finally decriminalised in Victoria on 7 November 2023. A key driver of this historic an...

Lauren Levin of Financial Counselling Australia joins Jimi & Britt to discuss the hidden epidemic of gambling harm in Australia. 

Listeners please be advised that in this episode we discuss topics including family and domestic violence, sexual assault, and mental ill health. In this episode we hear about Health Justice Partnership from CEO of Health Justice Australia, Tessa Boyd-Caine. This important justice movement creates opportunities for lawyers and health care and other providers to assist their clients and communities...

Amy Schneider from Economic Justice Australia joins hosts Britt & Jimi in their discussion of the recent Robodebt report. 

This special week is NAIDOC week, a week in which we celebrate the history, culture and achievements of First Nations people. This episode, we are very lucky to have Mrs. Bettina Cooper on our show who we pay respect to. Mrs. Bettina Cooper is a proud Aboriginal woman from the Boandik people of First Nations of South East Australia near what we now call Mount Gambier in South Australia and for man...

Housing has become an increasingly desperate situation for so many in the community, and renters are often the most vulnerable and at risk of poverty and homelessness. The current private tenancy rates are sitting well below 1% in many parts of the state, and suitable accommodation stock is often worse for those with little to spend or who need access to critical services. On top of that, many ren...

It’s National Reconciliation Week, and we’re all talking about the Voice to Parliament for First Nations Australians. There’s a lot of myths swirling around about this proposed change to our Federal Constitution. So, this episode of Done by Law is about myth-busting that chatter. Tom Warne-Smith, senior lawyer at West Heidelberg Community Legal joins us to help sort out and explain a few of those...

In this episode of Done by Law, Ingrid and Beth look at the ANZAC legend and its 21st Century legacy – a century during which Australia has continued to participate in foreign conflicts (with allegations of serious war crimes committed against civilians by Australian troops in Afghanistan) and where it might be said that violations of the laws of war appear to have occurred without sufficient scru...

Lizzy, Jimmy and Britt talk to Sarah Sacher, Law Reform Officer at Economic Justice Australia about some of the big issues in social security law currently, including changes to the couples assessment, the AAT, and ongoing issues with Robodebt. Listeners are advised that this episode discusses family violence and Centrelink. If you are requiring assistance with Social Security debts/Centrelink deb...

In this episode of Done By Law we explore the concept of decolonising environmental justice, and discuss its application to the work of Environmental Justice Australia, a national environmentally-focused public interest legal centre. We are fortunate to be joined by Dr Bruce Lindsay, Senior Specialist Lawyer and Justice Lead, within the Justice Program at EJA. Bruce researches and writes on topics...

Dylan and Indy speak with Eirene Tsolidis Noyce about renter's rights, the 'rental crisis', and RAHU.Learn more about RAHU here: https://rahu.org.au/

This week on Done by Law our very special guest is a true access to justice hero - Gerard Brody. After 10 years as CEO of Consumer Action law Centre, Gerard is stepping away from his role. Listen in as Gerard looks back over his incredible achievements during this time. He covers the rewards, the challenges, unfinished business and advice for future consumer law advocates. 

·       Beth and Ingrid look at the issue of de-banking and the impact on people working in the sex industry and in adjacent professions such as stripping. We look at the draft guidance from AUSTRAC on financial services for customers that financial institutions assess to be higher risk. We look in particular at the ways that that guidance supports sex workers and the ways it falls short, particul...

This week on Done by Law we chat about Specialist Family Violence Courts. Why are they needed? What do they look like? Why aren't these in place already? Listen in to Belinda Lo from Eastern Community Legal Centre, and Rachel Pliner from the Federation of Community Legal Centres talk about this crucial part of the justice system. 

In this episode, we explore the issue of the cultural competency of legal practitioners appearing in matters involving First Nations clients - and in discussing the rights of First Nations people coming before the courts. We talk about what cultural competency is, how it impacts First Nations clients and how lawyers can improve cultural safety for First Nations clients involved in legal issues or...

In this episode of Done By Law we feature audio from the wonderful seminar ‘Women’s Lived Experience in Decarceration and Carceral Resistance’, held on Monday 24 October 2022 at the Wheeler Centre in Melbourne. This evening of discussion, reflections and solutions was hosted by Fitzroy Legal Service and featured the insightful contributions of a number of expert panellists, including practitioners...

In this show, we are looking at the phenomenon of using foreign judges in Pacific states in light of the constitutional crisis currently faced by the Pacific state of Kiribati, which has sprung from the suspension of a number of foreign judges in recent weeks by the Kiribati government. We will be looking at the Kiribati crisis and international responses to it, and will delve more broadly into th...

Dylan and Jeremie interview Dr Rachael Burgin, lecturer in criminal justice and criminology at Swinburne Law School and the CEO of Rape and Sexual Assault Research and Advocacy (RASARA), and Shaun Ginsbourg, experienced trial and appellate criminal barrister who appears for both the defence and prosecution, and is a member of the Criminal Bar Association. Guests discuss new affirmative consent law...