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22 Refugee Advice & Casework Service <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> 15/<strong>16</strong> 23<br />
Policy & Law Reform Work<br />
RACS is a leader in providing legal assistance to people who<br />
seek asylum, and uses this expertise to advocate for reform<br />
in Australian refugee law and policy.<br />
On the 5th of February 20<strong>16</strong>, RACS lawyer Scott Cosgriff<br />
appeared before the Senate Hearing into Complementary<br />
Protection.<br />
RACS is a member of the following advisory committees:<br />
• Protection Process Reform Group – with DIBP<br />
• Refugee Council of Australia’s committee on<br />
detention centres<br />
• Kaldor Centre Committee for Refugee Legal Centres<br />
• Asylum Seeker Interagency<br />
• Human Rights Council<br />
• TPV/SHEV working group<br />
• Post-IAA strategic planning<br />
Alliances:<br />
• RAINCLC – Refugee & Immigration Coalition of<br />
Legal Centres<br />
• NAPSA – New South Wales Alliance for People<br />
seeking Asylum with ASC, House of Welcome and<br />
Jesuit Refugee Service – collaborating for better<br />
outcomes for the people we serve.<br />
“At the end of 2014, the government passed legislation that<br />
we’d advocated against for a year. They introduced temporary<br />
protection visas for anyone coming by boat, instead of<br />
permanent ones. This has made it easier to remove people<br />
from the country even when they have legitimate refugee<br />
claims. It’s made everything harder. But we have to think:<br />
OK, this is now the framework in which we work and get on<br />
with it.”<br />
Elyse Trotter, Solicitor<br />
Award Nominations<br />
In the past year RACS has been a finalist for the following<br />
awards:<br />
• Human Rights Awards: Law Award Finalists<br />
• Law & Justice Foundation Justice Awards:<br />
Justice Medal – Finalist<br />
Our children’s champion, Sarah Dale, was<br />
nominated for the <strong>2015</strong> Justice Medal in<br />
recognition of improving access to justice for<br />
socially and economically disadvantaged people in<br />
NSW. Sarah’s work with unaccompanied children<br />
seeking safety is unique and has produced<br />
transformational life outcomes.<br />
Pro Bono partnership Award –Finalist ASC & RACS &<br />
G&T for the RACS/ASC legal service partnership.<br />
• Lawyers Weekly Women in Law Awards <strong>2015</strong>:<br />
Mentor of the Year - Katie Wrigley,<br />
Boutique Diversity Law Firm of the Year<br />
• Lawyers Weekly Partner of the Year Awards 20<strong>16</strong>,<br />
Alison Ryan, Senior Solicitor
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