As the year rapidly draws to a close, I've been reflecting on what 2011 has meant for PILCH.  Some of our achievements for the year are in our 2010 Annual Report, but we've also been very busy in the last 6 months of the year too.  

• We developed a PILCH Vic Strategic Operating Framework, centred on the principles of leadership, sustainability and effectiveness and started using the "theory of change" methodology in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our programs.  Both of these will underpin the development of our new strategic plan in 2012.
• We celebrated some significant milestones in two of our programs. The Homeless Persons' Legal Clinic celebrating its 10^th birthday and PilchConnect turned 3!
• We held our second Law and Social Change Dialogue in August.  With the help of Julian Burnside QC, Debbie Mortimer SC and David Marr, we asked "The Tampa 10 Years On - Is change possible?"  The video and audio of the Dialogue is on our website at http://www.pilch.org.au/change/
• More recently we partnered with the folks at Street Soccer to run the 3^rd annual street soccer tournament.  Fiercely contested as always, Clayton Utz were victorious over last year's title holders Allens Arthur Robinson.
• We employed a Communications and Marketing Manager to help us more effectively tell our client's stories and build the pro bono community.
• In partnership with PILCH NSW and Victoria Legal Aid, we have helped provide legal services to more than 100 offshore asylum seekers, and provided training to about 100 pro bono lawyers.

In the midst of all this activity, we have continued to help thousands of disadvantaged Victorians get access to free legal advice and representation.   You can find out more about our work over the last financial year by reading our Annual Report, which is available on our website at http://www.pilch.org.au/about/

On behalf of all of us here at PILCH, we hope you have a happy, safe and restful festive season. We look forward to working with you in 2012.  

Since the inception of the Asylum Seeker Project in August 2011, PILCH has assisted over 100 offshore asylum seekers in their applications for judicial review. 65 matters have been referred to Counsel for merits advice and representation. A number of matters have either been remitted back for a second decision or withdrawn by the Minister for Immigration. We have also been lobbying the government for increased funding for legal aid, changing the interpreter guidelines and reforms to detention centre network.

Case Study
Sivaruban*, a Sri Lankan asylum seeker, was forced to participate in military training with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) against his will. After the training had been completed the Sri Lankan Army raided his village and arrested him, claiming to have video footage of him training with the LTTE. He was detained, beaten and threatened with his life. He made arrangements to flee the country and arrived in Australia by boat. His application for a protection visa was refused twice.

PILCH assisted him in finding legal representation for an appeal to the Federal Magistrates' Court of the second negative decision. We found pro bono counsel and solicitors to assist. Sivaruban was successful in his application for judicial review. His matter has now been remitted for another decision, after being in detention for 22 months in Scherger Immigration Detention Centre in Weipa, Queensland.
_{* Name has been changed}

Research conducted by Deloitte Access Economics has concluded that our PilchConnect service adds $4.3m to the Victorian economy. This was calculated by measuring the financial worth of free legal advice offered and savings to healthcare and social services.  It's also estimated that not-for-profits were able to deliver an additional 3,500 services to clients by engaging our service as they were able to focus on their core work.  Not a bad year's work. Read the report.

It's been a big, busy six months for the Seniors Rights Legal Clinic.  We organised four lunchtime training sessions for our volunteer lawyers. We presented a paper at the National Association of Community Legal Centres Conference in Hobart on 'Medical legal partnerships - Justice Made to Measure'. We expanded our team, which takes us to four staff members, and we continued to provide outstanding legal services to older people experiencing or at risk of elder abuse.

The Homeless Persons' Legal Clinic hosted the Homelessness and the Law Forum in Melbourne on 16, 17 and 18 November.  The forum brought together the staff from six state and territory based specialist homelessness legal services to discuss issues relevant to our service delivery and to our clients. The conference was a huge success, and the various services have committed to ongoing collaborations on projects over the next 12 months including campaigning around the proposed federal homelessness legislation.

We are delighted to announce the following PILCH promotions:

• Sue Woodward has been appointed Director of PilchConnect
• Juanita Pope has been appointed Manager, Information and Training in PilchConnect
• Nathan MacDonald has been appointed Manager, Advice in PilchConnect
• Chris Povey has been appointed Manager and Principal Lawyer, Homeless Persons' Legal Clinic
• Lucy Adams has been promoted to Senior Lawyer, Homeless Persons' Legal Clinic

These promotions are well deserved and recognise the great skill and passion that these staff bring to their work in PilchConnect and HPLC, and to PILCH more broadly. 

• Infringements Trial - Shop Theft and Wilful Damage: In November 2011 the HPLC prepared a submission on the continued use of infringements for the offences of shop theft less than $600 and wilful damage of up to $500. Infringements have been issued for these two offences on a trial basis since July 2008. The HPLC submitted that it is inappropriate to widen the scope of the infringements system to encompass these additional offences as they have a disproportionate impact on people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
• HPLC submission to the Australian Communications and Media Authority supporting reform to the current high costs of calls from mobile phones to "freecall" and "local rate" numbers (1800, 1300 and 13 numbers). Download.
• HPLC fact sheet, "Residential Tenancy Databases - Rights under the New Regulations", providing guidance on the new regulation of tenancy "blacklists" which commenced on 1 September 2011. Download.

• Submission to the NSW Law Reform Commission Inquiry on Security for Costs and Associated Costs Orders: PILCH advocated for a legislative regime for protective costs orders (PCO) in public interest litigation, and for the removal of barriers to the recovery of costs in pro bono litigation. Download.

A Human Rights Framework to Empower Clients - the Australian Experience, Clearinghouse Review: Journal of Poverty Law and Policy, September - October 2011.  HPLC Senior Lawyer, Lucy Adams writes with Hugh de Kretser and Jacqui Bell from the Federation of Community Legal Centres about human rights and poverty law.  Read it.

Book Review: A New Market for Thinking about Legal Funding, Journal of Judicial Administration, November 2011.  HPLC Senior Lawyer, Lucy Adams reviews Dr Vicki Waye's text, Trading in Legal Claims: Law Policy & Future Directions in Australia, UK & US.

Charting the Right Course: Using human rights to address disadvantage - the Victorian context, address by HPLC Senior Lawyer, Lucy Adams at the Anti-Poverty Week Event hosted by St Vincent de Paul Society, Social Policy Connections, PILCH and ACOSS, Human Rights & Poverty: The State of the Nation, 21 October 2011.  Read it.

Helping those in Need: Charter of Human Rights needs to be kept strong, Geelong Advertiser, 19 September 2011. Former HPLC Manager and Principal Lawyer, James Farrell writes for the Geelong Advertiser about the practice benefits of Victoria's Human Rights Charter for people delivering services on the ground.  Read it.