Wednesday, 27 November 2024

 Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:33): Yesterday I talked about Heathcote. After I left Heathcote I went to Wallan. It was a fantastic event to open.

A member interjected.

Jaclyn SYMES: I am always at Wallan – Treasure Hunter on the weekend. I bought a chicken from the pet store on Saturday. I was in Wallan, as I am regularly, to open the Northern Community Legal Centre. I had the pleasure of attending that along with my colleagues Mr Erdogan and the member for Yan Yean. The Northern CLC has been delivering essential legal support, education and advocacy to Melbourne’s north-west and northern growth areas since 2016.

Members interjecting.

Jaclyn SYMES: It sounds like lots of people want to go to the facility. Please go and check it out. I have been working closely with grassroots community groups, service providers and networks, and Northern Community Legal Centre help to deliver sustainable, community-informed strategies that are in tune with their clients’ needs via all of that interaction. Wallan obviously services much of my electorate and many others’ electorates – I am not leaving anyone out. As those of us that frequent that area of the state would recognise, it is one of the fastest growing local government areas, drawing in residents, new arrivals, refugees and lots of need for community legal services. The new Wallan office will provide free general legal services for Mitchell shire residents and surrounds, prioritising those who experience systemic barriers to justice. That includes people with mental illness or disability, victim-survivors of family violence, young adults and newly arrived or refugee communities, as I mentioned.

The new office is being supported by the council, and I thank them for their support. They have provided the space, and there is a $1 million grant from the Victorian Legal Services Board in their Strong Foundations grants round, which is a stream of funding to help organisations working to improve access to justice for everyday Victorians to make an even greater impact. It is no surprise I love CLCs, and it was a great event.