In the Barkly region, four legal services are working together in a collaborative effort to assist individuals in preventing and handling legal issues effectively.
The Central Australian Aboriginal Family Legal Unit (CAAFLU), Central Australian Women’s Legal Service (CAWLS), North Australia Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA), and Northern Territory Legal Aid Commission have come together to support the community in navigating legal challenges.
Experts from the Jumbunna Institute were engaged to investigate the legal needs within the Barkly region. Through consultations with community members across the eight major towns and communities in the area, including Tennant Creek, Ali Curung, and Elliott, valuable insights were gathered. In 2020, the Access to Justice in the Barkly Revisited report was published, outlining the issues faced by community members and presenting 16 recommendations aimed at enhancing the justice system.
These recommendations emphasised the importance of accessible help, education, plain language resources, trusted community support, interpreter services, and improved service coordination.
Since the report’s release, the legal services have been working diligently to implement the recommendations within their existing capacity.
In 2022, funding was secured for a project specifically designed to fully realise the report’s recommendations. John Jablonka, the current project worker, in collaboration with the legal service staff, has been engaging with community members, organisations, government entities, and non-government organisations to explain the recommendations and develop practical strategies to enact them.
This project is closely aligned with the Barkly Regional Deal, Council, and other key services within the region.
By the end of November, an implementation plan is expected to be finalised.
In the meantime, community members are encouraged to engage with the legal services at events such as Desert Harmony, community gatherings, or organisational meetings.
The legal services are eager to hear about barriers to justice identified by the community, as well as learn about existing initiatives addressing legal issues related to areas such as housing, Centrelink, financial matters, safety, and welfare.
Through this proactive and community-focused approach, the legal services in the Barkly region are committed to ensuring that individuals have access to the necessary support and resources to address legal challenges effectively and prevent future legal issues from arising.
This article appeared in Tennant & District Times, 9 August 2024.
