NEWS DESK
‘Zero tolerance’ for violence on streets Thanks, volunteers: Kath Neilsen Memorial Award winner Amanda Graham, second from left, with Maurice Blackburn lawyer Travis Fewster, CEO Jackie Galloway and Volunteers & Education general manager Andrea Staunton.
Free legal advice goes a long way PENINSULA Community Legal Centre is celebrating the contributions of its volunteers who enable it to offer free legal advice four nights a week. The not-for-profit organisation has been providing ongoing assistance to clients on low incomes since 1977. Its volunteers were celebrated around the world on 5 December: International Volunteer Day, by the United Nations General Assembly in 1985. “Last year our volunteer lawyers provided more than 2000 free legal advices,” Volunteers and Education general manager Andrea Staunton said. “Seventy-six per cent of clients assisted by volunteers had no or low incomes (less than $500 gross per week).” Lawyer volunteers run evening
advice clinics at the head office in Frankston and branches at Rosebud, Bentleigh and Cranbourne, with support from a team of paralegal volunteers. The centre also benefits from the governance of a volunteer-based management committee, and from the contributions of trainee lawyers and special project volunteers. Lawyer volunteer, Amanda Graham, from White Cleland Lawyers and Consultants, which has a branch at Frankston, has received the centre’s highest honour, the 2015 Kath Neilson Memorial Award. It created in 2002 in honour of the late Kath Neilsen, a founder and strong supporter of the centre. Ms Graham began as a lawyer-volunteer in 2005, providing free legal advice to clients on a variety of issues. She has since used her expertise
as an accredited family law specialist to present family law professional development sessions to volunteers and staff. “Peninsula Community Legal Centre has been a hub of legal support in the community for many years,” Ms Graham said. “It provides a means for volunteers to get involved in the community. Opportunities for volunteers are varied and volunteer contributions are appreciated and recognised. “I would like to thank the centre for the opportunities it provides for all members of the community.” Ms Staunton says: “Our volunteers have great impact on the centre’s ability to respond to local legal needs and advance justice for our community.” Call 9783 3600 or visit pclc.org.au for details.
Neil Walker neil@mpnews.com.au POLICE have asked parents to be responsible for their children in a bid to stop violence on the streets of Frankston. Frankston Senior Sergeant Steve Burt addressed an anti-violence rally in Wells St last Thursday (7 January) and urged parents to be proactive in ensuring their kids do not cause trouble in the city centre. “Victoria Police doesn’t spelling ‘parenting’. Victoria Police will hold people accountable for their actions,” he said. “It’s not up to us to bring your children up. It’s up to you to do the right thing and expose them to … an appropriate environment.” The anti-violence rally was organised by community group Victors Over Violence, a new community group aiming to help victims of violence, and ambassador Lee Will said the fledgling organisation wants to take as positive an approach as possible to win the fight against violence. “Using the term ‘victim’ wasn’t something I wanted to do because I feel that’s quite a negative way of approaching it,” she said. “It’s about tackling the lifestyle that is conducive to violence … and talking to people who are going through it.” Victors Over Violence is working
towards offering legal help, counselling and a safe house for people dealing with the aftermath of violence. “I know all too well what’s happening out there on the streets,” Ms Will, a Frankston resident, said. Councillors Sandra Mayer and Glenn Aitken and mayor Cr James Dooley attended last week’s V.O.V. event. Cr Mayer and Cr Aitken spoke publicly at the event. Cr Mayer said Frankston Council has “zero tolerance” for violence on the streets of the city. “Being at the end of a train line this is what happens but we don’t accept it,” she said. “The sheer statistics surrounding violence are astounding. It affects way too many people simply going about their own business under attack in their own safe space or what should be the safety of their own homes.” Senior Sergeant Steve Burt said police are working in partnership with Frankston Council to tackle street violence and CCTV cameras help identify offenders. “If you come in to Frankston and do the right thing we embrace you and want you here,” he said. “Don’t come here unless you are wanting to be part of this community which is a great, evolving community with a great reputation that can continue to grow if we stand up and be counted.”
Mornington News 12 January 2016
PAGE 11