Streamers and balloons filled Newtown Mission as up-town
lawyers rubbed shoulders with the homeless while sharing the sense that the
service would improve the community. The Centre is one of seven operating
around Sydney that provide free legal advice to the homeless in order to help
them overcome the abundance of legal issues they face.
Mr Debus commented on how useful the service can be saying,
“One client has her wallet stolen and her pension was taken out
of her account even after she had asked the bank to cancel
her cards. A lawyer helped her to prepare a statement for the police and also
walked with her to the bank to make sure the money was advanced to help her get
though to the next pension date.”
The launch was underpinned by a strong sense of optimism
from all parties involved. Pastor Brian from the Newtown Mission commented
that, “To be able to steer [the homeless] out of the trouble they are in is a
privilege for me and for the volunteer lawyers.” Michael Gill from the firm DLA
Phillips Fox, who provides
the lawyers, noted that “there is no shortage of
volunteers.”
Behind this optimism was an acknowledgement of the suffering
of the homeless. Mr Debus stated, “I am afraid that it is inevitable that
homeless people will suffer discrimination in the legal system.” This
discrimination can be simply by fining homeless people for doing things that
the housed do in the safety and privacy of their own homes. These small fines
can be a significant issue.
Mr Debus stated that for the homeless, “misdemeanours both
large and small are fled in vast data bases held by both the government and
private operations, just waiting for a reason to be reactivated.” When these fines
begin to accumulate they can prevent the homeless from gaining accommodation.
Mr Debus said that the Homeless Persons Legal Service was an “attempt to break
that cycle.”
The centre is funded by the Public Purpose fund, money which
comes from the interest that is generated on money placed in trust by large
corporate law firms. Mr Debus also commented on the philanthropic nature of the
legal profession, noting that few other professionals performed pro bono work:
“I feel great pride that the legal profession has a very strong sense of
obligation to help people who are in a bit of trouble.”
Source: South Sydney Herald March 2007