Report to NLAF

1. Members of the NLAF domestic violence working group
   
   Representatives of the following organisations participated in the July and/or August meetings of the group:
   • Women’s Legal Services NSW
   • Law Society of NSW
   • Legal Aid NSW
   • Aboriginal Legal Service
   • LIAC, State Library NSW
   • LawAccess
2. Working Group Meetings
   
   The working group met on 13 July and 26 August 2010.
   
   The next meeting will be held on 4 November 2010.
    
3. Activities / outcomes
   
   The activities of the group relating to the objectives set out in the Terms of Reference are discussed below.
   1. Hold a consultative forum in April 2010 to provide input into the Australian Law Reform Commission Inquiry on the Harmonisation of Domestic Violence and Family Law.
      
      The work relating to this term of reference was reported on in May and has been completed.
       
   2. Draft a letter for signature by NLAF Chair to the Commonwealth Attorney General and the NSW Premier to offer NLAF input into relevant initiatives such as the Commonwealth National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and the NSW Domestic and Family Violence Strategic Framework.
      
      The letters were sent and responses received indicating appreciation for offer of NLAF input into the policy development processes.
       
   3. Recommend to AVLICC that information on what to do if an ADVO is breached is placed on the back of court documents relating to ADVOs.
      
      A form of words to add to the court document was developed and provided to Department of Justice and Attorney General, Local Courts, for the Chief Magistrate’s consideration.
       
   4. Prepare a document of the best available CLE resources and promote this to service providers.
      
      The Working Group continues to work with LIAC on developing this list. Working group members provided feedback on the list including advice to limit the list to NSW based resources and websites. The working group will consider a promotion strategy including a protocol between NLAF and LIAC to encourage a practice of providing copies of resources developed to LIAC.
       
   5. Meet with representatives of peak NGOs to discuss how legal services can work more effectively with non-legal services to assist victims of domestic violence, particularly in the areas of pathways and training.
      
      Member of the working group met with representatives of the Education Centre Against Violence (ECAV) to seek a briefing about the Intersectoral Domestic and Family Violence Education and Training project. The working group proposes to convene a round table discussion of peak organisations on Thursday 14 October 2010 to share information and consider strategies which can assist clients to obtain the assistance they need. The Central Tablelands CLSD referral pathways form will be presented as a case study.
       
   6. The working group has also taken an interest in the NSW Domestic and Family Violence Action Plan and have taken steps to seek further information about aspects of the plan.

   
   Janet Loughman
   31 August 2010.