| Established | 2016 |
| Partner/s | Rumbalara Aboriginal Co-operative |
| Current Funders | Victorian Department of Justice and Community Safety |
| Previous Funders | Rumbalara Aboriginal Co-operative and Victoria Legal Aid |
Overview
Goulburn Valley Community Legal Centre (GVCLC) and Rumbalara Aboriginal Co-operative established a health justice partnership (HJP) in 2016. This is one of the first partnerships of its kind, between a mainstream legal service and an Aboriginal health service, with the aim of increasing access to justice for local Aboriginal communities in Shepparton.
Two lawyers from GVCLC work from the Rumbalara site at Mooroopna five days a week to provide legal advice and support to community members with complex legal and health issues. Our lawyers also work with Rumbalara staff to provide community legal education, training and secondary consultations, to help people identify and understand their legal issues, and feel more confident to take action or seek legal help.
Impact
Since 2016, we have provided 319 legal assistance services to 295 individual clients through our partnership with Rumbalara.
This has included legal advice and representation in a range of legal areas, from family violence, child protection and family law matters, to minor criminal matters, consumer complaints, complaints against government services (including Centrelink), credit and debt issues, tenancy, employment law, wills and discrimination.
Working alongside the Rumbalara community, we continue to learn what it means to provide a culturally safe and appropriate legal service. This partnership has also deepened our understanding of the systemic injustice that Aboriginal people face in their interactions with the legal system, informing our systemic advocacy and law reform work.