Te Korowai Ture ō Waitākere

In August, the WCLS are heading all over Waitakere with new and exciting legal education opportunities, plus a few old standards that never go out of style. These classes will present important information in an easy format, and you are encouraged to come along with questions, stories and problems to solve. Whether you are from an organisation helping others or an individual with a legal problem of your own, we would love to have you come by for a chat. Introducing to you the legal education programme for August:



Know Your Rights At Work
Introducing first up, we have a topic that is always a problem. Employment issues are still among the most common in our clinics, and it can affect your life drastically. It’s time we sorted it out together. Coming from our workplace after business hours, come along and check it out.

Where: The Waitakere Community Law Service Meeting Room on Trading Place in Henderson, to book contact Shane at (09) 835 2130
When: Thursday 4 August 5.30pm
Who: Shane Henderson BA. LLB.



Pulled Over by the Cops: Criminal Law and Traffic

Your rights with the police are a fascinating and important topic. Can you refuse to take a breath test on the side of the road? Are you entitled to call a lawyer before taking a blood test? Answers to these and more, get your knowledge before it’s too late!

Where: Te Atatu Peninsula Community House, to book contact Jacqui on (09) 834 5827
When: Monday 8 August 10am
Who: Shane Henderson BA. LLB.



Tenancy: Freedom and Protection

Tenancy is a growth area. The housing shortage is in full swing and people are desperate for homes. Those who are lucky enough to be renting may experience rent increases, leaky taps, cracked ceilings and all sorts of problems as landlord’s struggle with the costs of housing themselves. This is where we come in. Because of all this, the times that we live in mean that you need to know your rights NOW. Do come along.

Where: Glen Eden Community House, to book contact Leanne on (09) 818 2194
When: Wednesday 17 August, 7pm
Who: Shane Henderson BA. LLB.



Don’t Be A Slave to Debt:  Clothing Trucks and Loan Sharks

It’s time we said NO to loan sharks and bit back ourselves out West. Too often we have met our fellow Waitakere residents crippled under mounting debt. Would you believe that in this day and age people are still getting away with locking other people into credit contracts with absurd levels of interest out in the back of a truck? Join our crusade and come along to Ranui as we land the first blow in our attempt to overcome this horrible problem in our community.

Where: Ranui Community Centre, to book contact Lippy on (09) 833 6280, or just come along
When: Saturday 20 August at 10am
Who: Shane Henderson BA. LLB.



We hope that you can make it along to another exciting month for legal education in our fair city. We are currently in the process of booking classes for the rest of the year, and some very exciting opportunities have come up already. The WCLS is poised to get more involved with the residents of the North Shore, and visit more communities out West as well. If you want knowledge on any legal topic and you’re keen to book us yourself, contact us here and we’ll sort it out!

The WCLS are proud to announce five seminars on the all important issue of housing in Waitakere. We will be speaking at the pop-up shop on Railside Ave in Henderson: Monday to Friday at 11 o’clock from the 26th of June. It will be a half-hour session each, filled with discussion, questions, advice and war stories! The topics covered are:

1. Flatting (Monday 26th June)

Are you a tenant or a flatmate? This really important distinction determines the rights that you have!

2. Tenant’s Obligations (Tuesday 27th June)

What do you have to do as a tenant of your house? This is important to know, as you could get burned with the bond recovery if you don’t. It costs nothing to get the advice, but not getting it could cost you in the back pocket.

3. Landlord’s Obligations (Wednesday 28th June)

It is important to be aware of what the landlord has to do for you. In a follow up to Tuesday’s seminar, we will be explaining your rights against a landlord that doesn’t do what he needs to do.

4. Evictions (Thursday 29th June)

Get out! Two words that no one wants to hear Looking at rights around evictions is really important, and can have life-changing consequences.

5. Noisy Neighbours (Friday 30th June)

If you’ve got a neighbour that is giving you grief, it can really affect your life. We are presenting a discussion on this issue, including strategies to get them to pull their heads in!

Looking forward to seeing you there, and any queries can be directed to shane@waitakerelaw.org.nz

We need your help! Last year the Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2010 was enacted. The Act extended the coverage of the principal Act to boarding house tenancies, and introduced a number of rights and obligations for boarding house landlords and tenants. In this context, the terms of reference for the inquiry are to: consider the legislative and regulatory frameworks that apply to boarding houses and determine whether the current frameworks provide adequate protection to vulnerable tenants.

We are planning to do some work around this inquiry with our friends in the Wellington Community Law Clinic. Housing is a growing problem, especially in the Waitemata area. We are committed to helping those with housing problems, and we need to know how people in boarding houses are going. If you want to help us, please email us with your thoughts on the issue of homelessness in NZ! In particular, we have three questions that we would really like your thoughts on:

1. Should the protections of the Residential Tenancies Act also cover caravan parks and hostels?
2. Do you think the rights of boarding houses tenants are protected adequately?
3. Do we have a problem with homelessness in NZ?

Please feel free do email us your thoughts here

The Waitakere Community Law Service is once again proud to present to you the SPOTLIGHT ON HOUSING 2011.
We are working with our friends in the Waitemata DHB, Monte Cecilia, the Baptist Church and the Auckland City Council to present a united front in our community to address this important problem. We have seen another year of housing shortages and tenancy problems. Our Spotlight on Housing is designed to attack these problems and improve lives of our community. This is a call to action!

The Spotlight on Housing week will run from the 27th of June until the 1st of July. There are many events and exciting opportunities planned for the week. Among the many exciting events are:

1. A pop-up shop for our residents to come and see a representative and discuss their problems. In this pop-up shop we will also be providing information to stop any problems in your tenancy. This is a chance to discuss your tenancy problems and get some real advice. We’re here to help.

2. A ‘Rate Your Landlord’ competition, with one of five $100 grocery vouchers to be won. This is a chance to rate your landlord on how well they meet key requirements of the Residential Tenancy Act, whether they provide a warm and healthy home and go the extra mile for their tenants. A trophy will be awarded to the Best in the West.

3. Free legal seminars on the requirements of the Residential Tenancy Act provided by your friendly neighbourhood law centre, the Waitakere Community Law Service. This is a valuable opportunity to get information on your rights as a tenant.

We are very excited to be involved in this valuable service for another year. If you have any questions feel free to email us at tenancy@waitakerelaw.org.nz, and watch this space for more details to come!

The Waitakere CLS is proud to announce the LEGAL EDUCATION SERIES for 2011!

This year our series will be focusing on legal issues surrounding some of the key election issues this year.  We are going to bring you a discussion that may be a little political, may be a little controversial, and of course will bring you legal education in new and interesting ways. This is a chance to look at real issues facing the Waitemata community, have your say and together try and combat these issues. We will be holding the workshops on Wednesdays in Waitakere, and on Thursdays on the North Shore.

The schedule is finalised and bookings will fill up fast. This year it is just $5 each for organisations or $20 for all 5, free for students and members of the public. To book your place at these exciting events, e-mail our coordinator at shane@waitakerelaw.org.nz.

Without further ado, presenting to you the LEGAL EDUCATION SERIES 2011:

Your Rights at School

Kicking off the series with a bang, we will be having a discussion on rights at school, covering a broad range of topics relevant to our young Waitemata citizens. Among the topics covered are truancy issues, suspensions and expulsions. There is a real lack of understanding out there on the issues of young people, and we’re going to start changing it.

 Presenter: Ben Mills of Youthlaw

Where and When: Wednesday 1st of June, 1-3pm at Unitec Henderson Campus, Room 550-2008; Thursday 2nd of June, 1-3pm at Onepoto Awhina in Northcote

Immigration – Unlicensed Advisers BEWARE!

We will be talking about a broad overview of immigration policy, and discussing the changes to the Immigration Act 2009. This is very important information for any new migrants. We will also be discussing the issue of immigration advisers. There is a framework in place for licensing immigration advisers. Yet still, some of our new Aucklanders are still being exploited by unlicensed immigration advisers. The results can be tragic and heart breaking, and it’s time we eradicate this problem once and for all.

Presenters: Megan Fitzsimmons of Immigration New Zealand and Jane Palmer of the Immigration Advisers Authority

Where and When: Wednesday 8th of June, 1-3pm at Unitec Henderson Campus, Room 550-2008; Thursday 9th of June, 1-3pm at Onepoto Awhina in Northcote

Bitten by the Credit Crunch? Debt, Insolvency and Budgeting

The problem of debt in our community is huge. All too often we are seeing those in need struggling with a mountain of debt and struggling to get by. As cost of living increases, it is all the more important that people get information on debt and insolvency. This year we are going to present a budgeting expert and an insolvency expert to help you tackle the debt crisis. Don’t miss out on this special opportunity.

Presenters: Maureen Little of Presbyterian Support, Susan Wewege and Ciesta Stoltz with the MED

Where and When: Wednesday 15th of June, 1-3pm at Unitec Henderson Campus, Room 550-2008; Thursday 16th of June, 1-3pm at Onepoto Awhina in Northcote

Te Mana i Waitangi: Treaty and the Law

What is the status of the Treaty of Waitangi in New Zealand law? This is a very special opportunity to listen and participate in a real discussion of the Treaty and how it applies in New Zealand. This is a live issue, and one that will be coming up more and more this year. in particular, we wish to talk about the issues surrounding the new legislation concerning the foreshore and seabed.

Presenters: Paula and Hemi Pirihi of the Auckland Kaiwhakarite Human Rights Commission

Where and When: Wednesday 22nd of June, 1-3pm at Unitec Henderson Campus, Room 550-2008; Thursday 23rd of June, 1-3pm at Onepoto Awhina in Northcote

Employment Law: Past, Present and Future

Employment law is a politically charged topic. This is an area the election results will clearly affect your life. This time we are going to cover the recent changes made to employment law, and examine the changes to employment law that may be on the way. The government has indicated that the recent employment law changes are the first of many to come, and we wish to examine these issues and have a real chat about what it means to our Waitemata citizens.

Presenter: Shelley Eden, Solicitor at Shieff Angland 

Where and When: Wednesday 29th of June, 1-3pm at Unitec Henderson Campus, Room 550-2008; Thursday 30th of June, 1-3pm at Onepoto Awhina in Northcote

Back to Work: Benefit Reform in New Zealand

A critical look at the Welfare Working Group report released in February this year. It remains to be seen which recommendations will be adoptd by the government, and this is an excellent opportunity for you to have your say. We will be looking at the report in depth, and the politics and policies behind it. We will also be examining the work of the Alternative Welfare Working Group, and exploring options to advocate for fair reform of the welfare system in NZ.

Presenters: Sue Bradford of the Alternative WWG and Shane Henderson of the WCLS

Where and When: Thursday 7th of July 1-3pm at Unitec Henderson Campus, Room 550-2008

How We’re Turning Youth Offenders Into Career Criminals

The Waitakere Community Law Service is very proud to present to you a community forum on youth offenders. We have some very special guest speakers for what is sure to be an event like no other. It will be on the 14th of July, 1-4pm at Unitec Henderson. More details to come, watch this space!

For bookings, questions or queries, contact Shane on (09) 835 2130 or shane@waitakerelaw.org.nz