Annual Report 2006-2007 - Community Law

Flemington & Kensington
Community Legal Centre INC
Annual Report
JuLY 2006 - JuNE 2007

Flemington & Kensington
Community Legal Centre INC
ABOUT US
Flemington and Kensington Community Legal Centre
(FKCLC) has a history of working closely with its
community to address legal issues of concern.
We assist people who live, work or study in the Flemington
and Kensington area. Our service may at times take on
casework from other agencies on a referral basis.
Our Aims
Our Centre seeks to ensure that all people in the
community have equal access to justice, are aware of and
can assert their legal rights, and that they understand
and respect the rights and responsibilities of others in
the community.
The Centre also aims to ensure that the process of changing
laws is responsive to changes in the community, and
that laws have the same impact on people regardless of
their income or power.
In short, the Centre aims to assist disadvantaged groups
within the community to understand and deal with what
can at times be a disempowering legal system.
OUR WORK
The Centre works to provide a safe, reliable and accessible
legal resource by:
• Providing free, accessible, high-quality legal casework
relating primarily to consumer rights, debts, fines,
general family law (advice and referral only), police
issues, social security, tenancy and wills, and an
offshore refugee migration service.
• Contributing to law and policy reform by seeking
the views of individuals on issues of law reform and
working through state-wide and national Community
Legal Centres, working groups, and local community
networks.
• Providing community legal education by presenting
sessions at local secondary schools, cultural community
groups, nursing homes, and other community agency
forums, and updating the Police Powers Booklet, a
joint bi-lingual publication between FKCLC and Victoria
Legal Aid.
• Working to improve the skills and social justice
awareness of legal students and other community
members through a strong, accessible volunteer
program.
• Developing strong collaborative networks and
relationships, including relationships with individual
community members who play a key role in educating
others about the law.
• Working with the community on changing laws that
disadvantage them, and empowering them to take
control of the problems they are experiencing.
CONTACT US
Flemington and Kensington Community Legal Centre
(FKCLC)
P.O. Box 487,
FLEMINGTON VIC 3031
22 Bellair Street,
KENSINGTON Vic 3031
Phone: 03 9376 4355
Fax: 03 9376 4529
Email: fklegal@fkclc.org.au
Web: www.communitylaw.org.au/flemingtonkensington
Donations: www.ourcommunity.com.au/fkclc
HOURS OF OPERATION
Monday to Friday: 9am – 5pm
Monday Evening Service (Appointments Only):
5:30 – 6:30pm
Thursday Drop-in Outreach for young people @ 12
Holland Court, Flemington: 4-6pm
Monday evening appointments are made by phoning our
service or calling into our office. We also offer community
outreach, home and hospital appointments as requested.
For urgent matters staff will assist you as soon as
possible.
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Flemington & Kensington Community Legal Centre - Annual Report 2006-2007

CONTENTS
2 - Information about FKCLC
3 - Contents
4 - Questions Not Asked in the Government’s New Citizenship Test
5 - Committee of Management at FKCLC
6 - Staff at FKCLC
9 - Volunteers at FKCLC
11 - Our Work
15 - Tim McCoy Award 2006
16 - Recent newspaper articles on the police issues
18 - Statistics for FKCLC
20 - Financial Reports
Gregor Watkins and Anthony Cashmore.
Flemington & Kensington Community Legal Centre - Annual Report 2006-2007 3

1. Name the only Australian state police force not to have been
subject to a Royal Commission investigation
2. How many people died in prison or police custody throughout
Australia in 2004 How many of those that died were Indigenous
Australians
3. Since Australia’s participation in the war on Iraq, what is the
estimated number of Iraqi deaths caused by the occupation
questions not asked in the
government’s citizenship test
4. How many people participated in the pogrom at Cronulla, NSW in
December 2005 “to support Leb and wog bashing day” What flag
were many flying
5. Despite FKCLC lodging over 18 formal complaints against police violence,
how many of the police officers involved are facing prosecution for assault
Answers: 1) Victoria. 2) a. 67 b. 14 (21%). 3) 654,965 - October 2006, The Lancet medical journal. 4) a.
Approximately 5000. b. The Australian flag. 5) None.
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Flemington & Kensington Community Legal Centre - Annual Report 2006-2007

COMMITTEE Of management @ fkclc
June 06 - July 07
Trevor Wallwork (Chair)
Tim O’Neill (Public Officer)
Mark Evers (Treasurer)
Naomi Hanaoka (Assistant Treasurer)
Adam Horner (Secretary)
Kathy Richardson
Karen Pyke
Terri Soumilas*
* Resigned from Committee April 2007.
Top row from left: Trevor Wallwork (Chair), Tim O’Neill (Public Officer), Mark Evers (Treasurer), Naomi Hanaoka
(Assistant Treasurer).
Bottom row from left: Adam Horner (Secretary), Kathy Richardson, Karen Pyke, Terri Soumilas.
Flemington & Kensington Community Legal Centre - Annual Report 2006-2007 5

STAFF @ FKCLC
Denise Gardner (Migration Agent)
The Year that was - according to Denise
So much done – people arriving at Tullamarine & the joy of
closing a file full of smiling refugees. So much frustration:
– having to second guess the Immigration Department &
then explain the new priorities to our clients
- the poverty of newly arrived communities… 5 young men
sharing a 2 bedroom flat with no heating, one sleeping on
a bed base having given another his mattress, an elderly
couple sharing a pair of glasses, a man living on boiled
rice and packet noodles, a woman unable to sponsor
her orphaned relatives because she knows no one from
whom she can borrow $5,000.
The tantalizing possibility of funding for another agent
(or even a bit of an agent) thanks to the Reichstein
Foundation. Thuan’s delivery of young Daniel, and the
arrival of Stephanie. Fond farewell to Carmen and the
dynamic arrival of Joni (big creative shoes to fill!)
Joni Gear (Co-ordinator from April 07)
I began a volunteer placement at FKCLC in October 2006
with a view to complete my final practical experience
training required prior to being admitted as a solicitor.
During this time, I happened to fall into the role of
Coordinator at the centre. This experience has been
exciting and challenging.
My initial interest in volunteering at FKCLC arose because
of the work I knew the centre was carrying out to tackle
over-policing of local communities, particularly of newly
arrived young men from the Horn of Africa living on the
Flemington housing estate. It has been a rewarding
experience being part of a community legal centre that
is working to remove police harrassment and violence
from the everyday lived experience of young people in
the area. However, there is much more that needs to
be done and I look forward to the wider Flemington/
Kensington population coming together on this issue in
the forthcoming year.
Gregor Watkins (Solicitor)
This has been another busy and engaging year at FKCLC.
It is rewarding to be part of what is a dynamic group
of workers and volunteers, working in a structure that
closely mirrors the ideal mapped out by us during our
annual planning day.
From a casework view point, there has been a steady flow
of clients with issues across a typically diverse range. I
believe our statistics reveal an increase in the number of
clients being seen, and also in the volume of work undertaken.
To a large extent this has been made possible
by a super group of capable volunteers. A change from
years ago has been the excellent support from day-time
volunteers, which allows us to keep pace with the night
service intake.
As always, we have experienced particular need from new
arrivals to the housing estates, currently those from the
Horn of Africa. A disturbing trend has been the re-emergence
of inappropriate policing towards young people in
our community, and especially targeting youths from Africa.
The decision to police (and criminalise) these people
is a policy decision; it is counter-productive to their integration
and is at the expense of community programs
which could offer meaningful and sympathetic support.
Another casework observation is the significant and disproportional
amount of file work caused by remarkably
bureaucratic procedures. In particular, applications to
VOCAT (Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal), some Office
of Housing matters, all fines, and the worst being applications
to the Magistrates’ Court Special Circumstances
List (for fines coupled with client disadvantage).
I am looking forward to the coming year – again, it is
great to be part of the current team, the volunteers are
fantastic and the immigration, CLE, CD and law reform
work is a credit to the CLC movement. It may be a missed
opportunity to name individuals, but essentially, it is everyone.
The centre has undergone a number of staff changes
over the past year and we are currently supporting a
model that was chosen as our ideal structure at our
planning day earlier in the year. It is great working with
everyone at the centre, including the volunteers, and I
look forward to the year to come.
Tamar Hopkins (Principal Solicitor)
Tamar has provided a lengthy report into the work she
has been carrying out in the article ‘Our Work’ on page
10.
Tamar Hopkins & Gregor Watkins
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Flemington & Kensington Community Legal Centre - Annual Report 2006-2007

Donna Williamson (Community
Development / Community Legal
Education Worker - commenced August
2007)
“Knowledge is like a garden: if it is not cultivated,
it cannot be harvested.”
(Proverb)
Let’s face it, this beast called law is confusing.
The key to avoiding legal problems and solving them for
yourself is knowledge. To gain knowledge we all need
information, and that’s one of the things FKCLC aims to
provide.
One of the rules we must live under is that ignorance of
the law is no excuse. That is why, a defence of “I didn’t
know there was a law against it” will rarely get you out of
trouble. Knowing your rights (and obligations) can save
you a lot of grief.
FKCLC is not just a place to get advice from a lawyer.
We also provide support and referral to other community
services, and conduct a community legal education
program to help you to understand the law better.
My name is Donna Williamson, I have recently joined the
legal centre as the community legal education worker
and I hope that I am able to meet many of you during
my time here. Please feel free to contact me if you would
like to access legal information or resources, or if you
would like to organise an outreach session or workshop
for your group, school or club. Activities can be tailored
to your needs and to times in which your members are
available.
I also look forward to being involved in FKCLC’s community
development initiatives in the coming year and continuing
the great human rights work of the Centre. While we have
planned a number of projects already, we are always
interested in hearing from members of our community –
what are the burning issues that affect or concern you
We are, after all, guided by your need.
Stephanie Li (Administrator / Finance -
commenced July 2007)
Hello, I am Stephanie Li, a new migrant from China. My
hometown is Xiangtan, Hunan Province, Central South
of China. It is a huge city with 2.8 million people but no
one in Melbourne knows anything about it. The important
thing is Mao Ze Dong was born two hours away. By the
time I was five , my father had taught me how to swim
in Xiang Jiang River (Denise said she will never swim in
the river because of the pollution, but at that time the
river was comparatively clean) which is a major river in
Hunan Province.
Before I came to Australia, I attended Xiangtan TV
University , studied Foreign Economic Trade and I was
a honored student over there. I played lot of sports.
After graduating from University, I started working and
travelled a lots of places in China and around Asia, such
as Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei and Saipan
Island. In 2003, I came to Melbourne as an oversea
student at VUT and studied accountancy. I returned to
China for another 2 years and worked for Capgemini, a
multinational consulting and outsourcing company. In
July 2006, I got my Permanent Resident Visa and came
to Melbourne again. Then, I worked for Australian School
of Bartending and I learned how to make cocktails. Hope
I could serve your guys one day.
My currently position is the Admin/Finance Officer in the
organization and I took the role during Thuan’s maternity
leave. My major duties are look after general ledgers,
accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, financial
statements, budgets, GST & PAYG and part of CLSIS
system.
I am happy to be a member of Flemington Kensington
CLC as everyone in the organization is supportive which
do make me enjoy my time here.
And if you are short of time, or just a little bit shy, we
provide free information leaflets and booklets on a range
of legal issues, most of which are displayed in our foyer.
If you can’t find what you need, our friendly reception
staff can help you.
So feel free to drop by and say hello, or call me for a chat
or to arrange a workshop.
Go ahead…tame the beast.
Stephanie Li, Donna Williamson, Denise Gardner
Flemington & Kensington Community Legal Centre - Annual Report 2006-2007 7

Genevieve Nihill (Solicitor)
Genevieve is continuing to take partial leave this year
and is no longer available at the centre to clients. Gen
has taken on a mentoring role to all staff and also works
heavily on funding applications on behalf of the centre
and casework support.
Thuan Nguyan (Admin/Finance)
Tamar Hopkins, Genevieve Nihill, Joni Gear, Gregor Watkins
Thuan gave birth in early June 2007 and is on 12
months maternity leave. Thuan will be returning to
FKCLC in June 2008.
Dakshinee Kodituwakku (Volunteer Coordinator)
Carmen Tommasi (Co-ordinator, resigned
in March 2007)
Maria Cabello (Cleaner)
Maria continues to provide excellent cleaning services
at FKCLC. She has now been with the centre for many
years.
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Flemington & Kensington Community Legal Centre - Annual Report 2006-2007

LIST OF Volunteers - June 06-07
Heather Boyle
Anthony Cashmore
Nadine Di Blasi
Denise Gardner
Joni Gear
Christina Hicks
Fiona Hintum
Katherine Huynh
Dakshinee Kodituwakku
Naomi Lay
Martin Lockett
Greta Madsen
Andrew Maher
Stefanie Nitze
Tim O’Neill
Claire Pollett Sutton
Temple Saville
Jenny Si
Charander Singh
Nireshnie Sooknandan
Sajeewani Weerakoon
Lisa Wood
Sharleen Wright
From left: Christina Hicks (foreground), Dakshinee Kodituwakku, Gregor Watkins
and Stefanie Nitze.
Flemington & Kensington Community Legal Centre - Annual Report 2006-2007 9

Volunteer REport 2006-2007:
Dakshinee Kodituwakku
2007 has been another great year for FKCLC in terms of
its volunteers. We have seen both the welcome return
of experienced campaigners, as well as the arrival of a
number of fresh faces.
This year has particularly seen the consolidation of our
small, but crucial, group of volunteer solicitors. Apart
from the legal knowledge, technical skills and practical
experience that they bring to the Centre’s service, these
volunteers are to be commended for their ability to devote
their time to our Night Service even after a long day’s
work at their own office! Our current group of volunteer
solicitors consists of: Tim O’Neill, Greta Madsen, Martin
Lockett, Andrew Maher and Sharon Conners-Holliday.
Stefanie Nitze was also a Monday night volunteer solicitor
for part of the year.
We also had the aid of our trusty law student volunteers,
who juggle volunteering at the Centre with their busy study
(and social) commitments. These volunteers undertake a
range of tasks while at the Centre, ranging from sitting at
reception to casework to interviewing clients. The Centre
has always encouraged the involvement of student
volunteers in its operations because of the mutual gains
that result — the Centre gains from the fact that students
have greater flexibility in the times at which they can
volunteer; students gain from the practical, real-world
legal experiences and guidance given by our staff, as well
as the opportunity to benefit the community. Our student
volunteers throughout the year were: Jenny Si, Fiona
Hintum, Anthony Cashmore, Nadine Di Blasi, Cristina
Hicks, Claire Pollett Sutton, Katherine Huynh, Naomi Lay,
Temple Saville, Nireshnie Sooknandan and Sajeewani
Weerakoon.
Apart from solicitors and law students, the Centre also
recruits other types of volunteers as the need arises.
This year has seen Heather Boyle continue as our regular
reception and administration volunteer, whilst Lisa Wood
joined our team of casework volunteers early this year.
Furthermore, Joni Gear, who started at FKCLC as an
intern, has finished the practical legal component of her
degree and is now also our CEO! Denise Gardner, the
centre’s Migration Agent, has also continued to volunteer
during Monday evening night service.
In terms of formal volunteer support, two Volunteer
Training Nights were held during the year. The March
Training Night was conducted by Gregor, who gave
the volunteers a thorough and useful rundown of the
criminal procedure through the courts. For the August
Training Night we headed down to the less conventional
surroundings of Doutta Galla Hotel, where Denis Nelthorpe
from West Heidelberg Community Legal Service gave an
informative seminar on third party insurance matters.
Finally, on behalf of the Centre, I’d like to thank all our
volunteers for their time and effort throughout the year.
There is no doubt that the Centre could not operate
without the dedication of our volunteers. I would also
like to thank our staff, whose unfailing willingness to
provide guidance and support to the volunteers makes
the experience all the more worthwhile and enjoyable.
I look forward to another great year ahead of us.
Dakshinee Kodituwakku
(FKCLC Volunteer)
Volunteer profile: Heather Boyle
‘Volunteers wanted for Legal Centre’ - sounded interesting. I have now been with the Centre for one year in
October, initially working one day per week increasing to two days per week.
I have come from a background of having attained a Diploma in typing, shorthand
and book-keeping at a private college (now not in existence). I then moved on to
nursing which was my original choice. (My Father was a secretary to a Colonel in
the Army during World War 2 and he felt secretarial duties were much more desirable
for a girl to pursue - nursing was not). I worked in General, Geriatrics and before
retiring in December 2005 was involved in the field of drug addiction for eighteen
years. This last position was a challenge and varied as clients were unpredictable
during their detox.
My duties with the Centre are varied: Answering of phones; Making appointments;
Processing of mail in/out; Making telephone calls; General admin duties.
During my time with the Centre I have enjoyed learning legal, immigration
requirements and also improving my skills on the computer. I appreciate the help
the hard working staff have given and their ongoing support. A GREAT PLACE TO
VOLUNTEER WITH.
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Flemington & Kensington Community Legal Centre - Annual Report 2006-2007

Our Work
In the beginning of the 2007 and in response to the large
number of complaints concerning police mistreatment
reported by our clients, the Legal Centre commenced
a “Bringing Human Rights in Police Practice” Project,
a project we intend to expand in many directions and
forms in the coming years.
The Project aims to work through a number of interwoven
legal, law reform and community development
strategies.
The key objectives of our legal centres’ project:
1. To protect our community from human rights
abuses.
2. To ensure the effectiveness of police accountability
processes. To use civil, discrimination, coronial,
administrative and criminal proceedings to raise
awareness of the prevalence of police malpractice and
the inadequate nature of current police accountability
structures and to provide effective remedies to victims
of police misconduct.
3. To education and empower the community to
respond effectively to human rights abuses through
the use of the legal system, the media, education, arts
and community development strategies.
4. To transform police practice through the real
implementation of human rights, safety, legislative
and common law standards into police work.
The introduction in Victoria this year of the Human
Rights and Responsibilities Charter Act provides a prime
opportunity to initiate this project.
In 2006 the Legal Centre won the Tim McCoy award for its
work in getting the voices of young people’s experience
of police mistreatment in Flemington out to the world. We
are grateful to the CMYI for its nomination of the Centre.
The award was presented to us at a grand occasion at
Parliament House on Spring Street. Unused to such quality
surroundings it is worth making a few remarks about the
Legal Centre’s antics during the evening. Carmen and
Terri’s behaviour at the event was exemplary, a credit to
us all. It must be made absolutely clear that neither party
were involved in any of the following behaviours: making
remarks during speeches, throwing paper aeroplanes,
making comments to various Ministers on embarrassing
topics or sitting on the laps of stone statutes. Tamar,
Gregor and Gen on the other hand behaved shockingly
and ought to have been thrown out. It is worth noting
that VLA put our table at the back of the room in what
appeared to be an unsuccessful attempt to censor our
behaviour from disrupting proceedings. It is further
noteworthy that unlike last time Gen attended to receive
the Tim McCoy on behalf of the Centre, at least this time
she did not need to be carried out on a stretcher. (It did
come close). We need to make it clear that any disruptive
behaviour from our table was encouraged and conspired
by the constant attention given various peoples wine
glasses by Amanda George and other aiders and abettors
on the neighbouring table.
So what have we been doing the last year, to merit these
acalades
Community Development Work
The introduction of the YRIPP (Youth, referral and
Independent Person Program) at the Flemington Police
Station. Thanks to Sally Reid, Shane Reside and Georgia
Taylor for their work in setting this up. We have yet
to evaluate how this program is going and whether it
has had an impact on our clients and policing practices.
Thanks to the Victorian Law Foundation, Georgie Ferrai,
and Crime Prevention Victoria.
We now have a very successful youth legal drop-in
running at the Flemington Estate and are grateful for the
assistance of Youthlaw and Moonee Valley Youth Services
in this process. The service is now running with workers
from Doutta Galla Community Health Service, Citymission
– JPET, and the Centre for Multi-cultural Youth Issues.
We are now looking to expand to a larger venue and will
be seeking funding for this in the near future.
Flexible provision of Legal Services
The Legal Centre organised and ran the G20 Legal Advice
line over the G20 event held in November 2006. Callers to
this line were subsequently referred to Western Suburbs
CLC, Fitzroy Legal Centre, St Kilda Legal Centre and Rob
Stary & Associates for ongoing legal assistance.
Community Legal Education
Tamar and Denise gave workshops at a National Sudanese
Youth Conference in December 2006 at Melbourne
University on Police powers and immigration issues.
The workshop participants highlighted the national
and statewide experiences by refugees of harassment,
excessive force and racial profiling at the hands of
police. They gave many shocking examples of their
experiences as well as their strategies in dealing with
police management and different levels.
Tamar gave a speech at the Victorian Human Rights
and Equal Opportunity Conference called “Policing the
Public” about racially discriminatory policing practices in
the Flemington area. The speech highlighted some of
areas where the Victoria Police need to improve in order
to ensure compliance with Victoria’s new Human Rights
Charter.
Flemington & Kensington Community Legal Centre - Annual Report 2006-2007 11

Tamar and Ahmed Dini were flown by Victoria Legal Aid
to be introductory speakers at the Legal Aid Commissions
Best Practice Conference in Fremantle WA in May 2007.
We talked about the experiences of refugees with police
in Flemington and ways that the Legal Aid Commissions
might better address the needs of newly arrived
Australians.
Law Reform
The Legal Centre, with the Federation of CLCs have
commenced discussions with the Victoria Police’s Human
Rights Unit in a bid to have the experiences of our
clients influence the direction of the Unit’s work. Our
initial contact has shown that the Unit is focussing on
internal human rights issues rather than concerns of the
community.
We had an article published in the March 2007 edition of
the Alternative Law Journal, based on the Legal Centre’s
submission to the Victoria Police Ethical Health Check of
the Flemington Police Station in 2006.
In April 2007, the Centre participated in a submission
by the Police Issues working group of the Federation of
Community Legal Centres to the Office of Police Integrity
on the failures of the Police Disciplinary processes. Thanks
to Will Crawford, Charandev Singh, Sarah Nicholson for
this work.
Test cases
The Legal Centre applied to VCAT under FOI for the Doney
report into the policing of Horn of African Communities
in the Flemington region. The Legal Centre had been
heavily engaged in the process of having the report made
as a way of addressing the systemic issues of racism and
police brutality that our clients were experiencing at the
hands of the Flemington Police. Despite, excellent legal
assistance provided by Melinda Richards, Jim
McKenna, Emily Latif and Charandev Singh, we
were unable to convince VCAT that it was in public
interest to have the report released. Thanks are
also due to Anthony Kelly, Simone Perkin and Lee
Hurlston for their assistance.
been disciplined or sacked for their criminal, unlawful or
racially prejudical behaviours.
Rather shockingly we are beginning to discover evidence
of the Ethical Standards Department actively assisting
police in the prosecution of our clients.
The OPI oversight of these investigations has been
ineffective at protecting our clients from at best, delays
and ineffective investigations and at worse actual collusion
between ESD and the Police to our clients’ detriment.
Watch this space for more.
Further Strategies: research, networking
and media
The Legal Centre is engaging other strategies to ensure
police are held accountable for their mistreatment of our
clients. These strategies include vigorously defending
our clients charged with “cover charges” such as hinder,
assault and resist police and use threatening words. We
are investigating civil action on behalf of our clients as well
as other complaint strategies such as race discrimination
complaints.
We have been engaging with the media and have had
coverage on channel 10 news, the Melbourne Times, the
Age, 3CR and the local media.
Further strategies include legal education, media training,
documentary making, radio programs, schools training.
We are working with the Police Issues working group
to improve the knowledge of CLCs around police
accountability issues and to get more resources into the
Federation of CLCs for this purpose.
We have done letter box drops to tell people their legal
The Legal Centre has now lodged over 18 formal
complaints with the Office of Police Integrity
against police mistreatment of refugee and
migrant young people in the region. Rather than
conduct an investigation itself, the OPI has asked
the Ethical Standards Department of the Victoria
Police to investigate them. So far results are
not known, and the Legal Centre is becoming
increasingly sceptical about the ability of this
process to produce any just outcomes for our
clients. Thus far police have either moved, been
promoted or gone on sick leave. No police have
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Flemington & Kensington Community Legal Centre - Annual Report 2006-2007

ights around police searches. Tamar has been working
with Helen Yandall, Tiffany Overall and Ben Schokman on
human rights training of CLE workers.
We have two Melbourne University Criminologist
Internship Students working with us, one on Community
Policing Strategies and other on surveying young people
about their experiences with police.
We also now have public housing tenancy tip sheets
available in 4 different languages on our website and for
order. Thanks to the Victorian Law Foundation and Nick
Goodfellow for this work and the great launch we held
towards the end of last year for all this work.
The Victorian Law Reform Commission is still investigating
the option of a merit review option from Office of Housing
decisions to VCAT suggested by the Legal Centre last
year.
None of this work could have been done without
considerable assistance from volunteers, supporters,
pro bono barristers and other legal centres, and our
committee of management.
Many thanks to:
Abdullahi Farar
Ahmed Dini,
Ahmed Ibrahim,
All our housemates and families,
Anna Duff,
Anna Radonic,
Anthony Cashmore,
Anthony Kelly,
Arnold Block Liebler,
Ben Schokman,
Braishna Wakil,
Brita Johansen,
Charandev Singh,
Claire Harris,
Claire Pollett Sutton,
Crista Momet,
Deb Candy,
Debbie Mortimer SC
Di Mitchell,
Dyson Hore-Lacy SC
Emily Latif,
Fergus Sheil,
Footscray Legal Centre,
Georgia Taylor,
Georgie Ferrari,
Ian Freckleton,
Glenn Birt,
Helen Gaynor,
Helen Yandall,
Holding Redlich,
Hugh DeKrester
Jane Dixon SC,
Jenny Clark
Jim McKenna,
John Kalka,
Jude McCulloch,
Kathy Laster,
Kellie Blair,
Khadra Ahmed,
Landers & Co,
Lee Hurston
Lisa Wood,
Liz Porter,
Lusia Di Fabio,
Mandy Fox,
Margaret Simons,
Marika Dias,
Marika Dobbin,
Mat Dalby,
Melinda Richards,
Michael O’Brien
Michael Wighton,
Monica Ferrari,
Nalika Peiris
Neshi,
Nick Batten,
Nick Goodfellow,
Nola Karapangiotidis,
North Melbourne Legal Centre
Paul Jenkins
Pauline Spencer
Peta Malins,
Peter van Vliet,
Police Issues Working Group, Federation of CLCs
Rokai Wakil,
Sahin Sahinkaya,
Sally Reid,
Sara Hinchey,
Sarah Nicholson
Shane Reside,
Simone Elias,
Simone Perkin,
Stan Winford,
Tiffany Overall
Tony Langdon,
Tony Parsons
Travis Beard,
VCOSS,
Victorian Law Foundation
Will Crawford
and all of the centre’s volunteers, listed on page 9.
- Tamar Hopkins
Flemington & Kensington Community Legal Centre - Annual Report 2006-2007 13

Access and Equity
Access – to give admittance or opportunity
Equity – fairness, the principals of justice
Part of why community legal centres are different from
private law firms is our belief that every client should
have the opportunity to access justice. In doing so we
try to provide high quality and understandable law to all
of our clients. This commitment takes various forms –
addressing the very different needs of our diverse client
base.
Outreach – over the years staff and volunteers have
operated outreach services to both Kensington &
Flemington high rise estates, to Health & Community
Centres, Tenants Associations, the Vietnamese Welfare
office and most recently at the Asylum Seekers
Resource Centre (on a monthly basis). We also service
home, aged care and hospital visits. Outreach has
offered clients a safe and familiar alternate to coming to
our office.
Interpreting – a glance at our interpreting bookings
quickly shows the diversity of our client base. Tigrenya,
Kirundi, Chin, Auslan, Persian, Vietnamese, Dinka
and the decision whether an interpreter is needed to
interview a Liberian English speaker. In some ways
these statistics also reflect our clients willingness to
accept that Australian law can provide protection and
is not used as a means of oppression as it is in some
countries… (although perhaps Tamar would disagree
with me on that).
Grants and Other Income Received
2006-2007
Reichstein Grant: Migration Feasibility Study
FKCLC received funding from Reichstein to carry out a
Migration Feasibility Study of the services available in
the inner western area. Part of this study will involve
making an application to increase funding for migration
advice services available. This project will be finalised by
December 2007.
Victoria Law Foundation grant: YRIPP - Youth Referral
Independant Person Project
This project continued through the 2006-07 year. It
aimed to work with and improve the existing system
of Independent Person support provided to young
people in police custody and to divert young people,
primarily refugee and newly arrived young people,
from progression to higher levels of the criminal justice
system. FKCLC’s involvement in the project ended in
June 2007.
Tim McCoy Award
FKCLC was extremely honoured to receive the Tim
McCoy award for 2006 for the work carried out on the
police issues project. More information about the award
can be found on the following page.
Thank you to all those that donated to our legal centre
between June 2006 and June 2007.
- Denise Gardner
14
Flemington & Kensington Community Legal Centre - Annual Report 2006-2007

Flemington Kensington Wins:
the 2006 Tim McCoy Award
The Tim McCoy Award celebrates the life of the late Tim McCoy, a community worker, lawyer and political activist who
passed away in 1987, at the age of 31.
The award recognises outstanding achievement in human rights advocacy and justice for socially and economically
disadvantaged people and communities in Victoria, and is given each year to an individual or organisation judged as
best reflecting the ideals Tim worked for.
The Award Trust began fifteen years ago, in 1991, and that year Flemington Kensington Community Legal Centre was
chosen as its first recipient.
The Centre was granted the 2006 Award for outstanding achievement in human rights advocacy and justice for Somali
Youth in Flemington. The legal centre facilitated an effective collaborative effort between local communities, youth
workers, specialist and general community legal centre workers and other organisations to respond to complaints
made by youth about police in the area.
Flemington Kensington Community Legal Centre has a long history dating back to the 1980s of advocating around
police brutality issues in the local area and will continue to protect and promote the human rights of our community.
Tim McCoy Award Previous Winners
1991 Flemington Kensington CLC
1992 Refugee Advice & Casework Service
1993 Essendon Legal Service
1994 Women’s Legal Resources Group
1995 Fitzroy/Western Suburbs Legal Services
1996 Federation of Community Legal Centres (Vic)
1997 Western Suburbs Legal Service
1998 Alternative Law Journal/Coburg Legal Service
1999 Amanda George (Brimbank CLC)
2000 S11 Defence Team (Fitzroy Legal Service)
2001 PILCH (MV Tampa Defence Team)
2002 PILCH (Homeless Persons Legal Clinic)
2003 Springvale Legal Service (Corrections Group:
Community Development Programme)
2004 VLA /Refugee and Immigration Legal Centre
2005 Julian Gardner
2006 Flemington and Kensington Community Legal
Centre
The Centre, in partnership with Legal Aid,
publishes a booklet, “Your Rights - Police Powers
in Victoria”, which is available from the Centre
free of charge.
Flemington & Kensington Community Legal Centre - Annual Report 2006-2007 15

Statistics for FKCLC
Centre Activity Summary Report
1 July 2006 - 30 June 2007
Income Source by Client (indicated by %):
1 July 2006 - 30 June 2007
CLIENTS
Total number of clients: 475
New clients: 211
Repeat clients: 84
Existing clients: 180
ACTIVITIES
Information (referral): 538
Advice (face to face): 358
CASES (open and closed)
Total cases open during period
(open & new): 493
Open at period start: 195
New (open in period): 298
Still open at period end (ongoing): 185
Total cases closed during period: 308
Closed involved court representation: 43
NON-CASEWORK PROJECTS
Total projects open during period
(open and new): 24
Open at period start: 6
New (opened in period): 18
Still open a period end (ongoing): 15
Open Community Legal Education: 4
Open Law Reform & Legal Policy: 5
Total projects completed during period: 9
18
Flemington & Kensington Community Legal Centre - Annual Report 2006-2007

Statistics for FKCLC
Top 10 Problem Types (indicated by %): 1 July 2006 - 30 June 2007
police
Top 10 Country of Birth by Client (indicated by %): 1 July 2006 - 30 June 2007
Flemington & Kensington Community Legal Centre - Annual Report 2006-2007 19

Flemington and Kensington Community Legal Centre (FKCLC)
P.O. Box 487, FLEMINGTON VIC 3031
22 Bellair Street, KENSINGTON Vic 3031
Phone: 03 9376 4355
Fax: 03 9376 4529
Email: fklegal@fkclc.org.au
Website: www.communitylaw.org.au/flemingtonkensington
Donations: www.ourcommunity.com.au/fkclc