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Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2016 12:50:00 GMT 7
Just wondering if anyone has used their services recently. They were a MASSIVE help to me when I was trying to get on DSP with advice, advocacy at the SSAT and a free lawyer for the AAT which didn't go ahead because Clink caved in before the hearing.
I read somewhere, I can't remember where, that their funding has been cut to bugger all and they only help the most desperate cases now. Can anyone confirm?
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Post by murphy on Jul 5, 2016 13:13:42 GMT 7
I have not approached Queensland Welfare Rights (now called Basic Rights) recently but I can confirm that Community Legal Centres, which Qld Basic Rights is, have suffered massive cuts. It was shoestring when I was associated with them years ago, and defunding has only worsened. Basic Rights here says they assist "very vulnerable" clients.
I spoke with their disability discrimination lawyer about a year ago. At that point he indicated he was limited to disability discrimination in employment (and the implication was only clear cut matters). We didn't talk Centrelink.
I wrote to the National Welfare Rights group about a month ago to try to get a copy of the Social Security Handbook. They replied almost immediately, telling me to call Sydney, who undoubtedly can hook me up with a secondhand copy. I haven't followed up cos, well....distracted(!)
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Post by itsmylife08 on Jul 5, 2016 17:27:49 GMT 7
I have not approached Queensland Welfare Rights (now called Basic Rights) recently but I can confirm that Community Legal Centres, which Qld Basic Rights is, have suffered massive cuts. It was shoestring when I was associated with them years ago, and defunding has only worsened. Basic Rights here says they assist "very vulnerable" clients. I spoke with their disability discrimination lawyer about a year ago. At that point he indicated he was limited to disability discrimination in employment (and the implication was only clear cut matters). We didn't talk Centrelink. I wrote to the National Welfare Rights group about a month ago to try to get a copy of the Social Security Handbook. They replied almost immediately, telling me to call Sydney, who undoubtedly can hook me up with a secondhand copy. I haven't followed up cos, well....distracted(!) The Social Security Handbook is no longer being published as of June 2015 , they are no longer receiving subscriptions !!! |
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Post by murphy on Jul 5, 2016 17:32:50 GMT 7
Yes, I know.  I would insert tears here if I knew how. I was chasing a secondhand hard copy as it's still a helpful resource, provided the SSA provision you're researching hasn't been amended/repealed in the interim. |
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Post by itsmylife08 on Jul 5, 2016 18:21:25 GMT 7
Yes, I know. I would insert tears here if I knew how. I was chasing a secondhand hard copy as it's still a helpful resource, provided the SSA provision you're researching hasn't been amended/repealed in the interim. Dealing with social security - The Law Handbook www.lawhandbook.org.au › Contents › Managing your money The Law Handbook – Hi mate just found this it has some good reading in it , regarding matters that could be of importance to our members . Regards Itsa |
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Post by krystal on Jul 7, 2016 0:01:21 GMT 7
Welfare rights here (WA) were very helpful hand-balling me to other agencies that also couldn't help. Is the Social Security Handbook different to the Guide to Social Security Law published online? guides.dss.gov.au/guide-social-security-law |
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Post by Banjo on Jul 7, 2016 6:35:23 GMT 7
They're all we have if we need free serious legal advice.
Sure, they don't always get it right, they were never keen on our portability/residency issues but they've helped me in the past and I've always been willing to work with them and refer people to their service through the forum.
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Post by nomadic on Jul 7, 2016 19:15:53 GMT 7
i found them of at least great moral support. but they have limited resources and do the best they can from my dealings with them. they cannot take on legal cases though and that's what many of us need.
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Post by Banjo on Jul 7, 2016 19:32:09 GMT 7
They have a lawyer, M. Butt who will go as far as the ATT.
He won the tribunal for that Northern Territory long-grasser who had not a single possession to his name in Australia let alone an address.
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Post by murphy on Jul 8, 2016 18:16:46 GMT 7
Yes. Guide to Social Security Law is produced by DSS. The Social Security Handbook was produced by Welfare Rights. |
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Post by Denis-NFA on Jul 8, 2016 19:53:14 GMT 7
krystalIf you can get your head around the Guide and the Impairment Tables you won't need the SS Handbook. You seem to be on the right track.
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Post by murphy on Jul 14, 2016 15:35:27 GMT 7
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Post by murphy on Jul 21, 2016 12:32:57 GMT 7
I spoke with Basic Rights Qld today. I was interested in whether the old 30 hour qualification rule would apply to me at review. We were both looking at the same part of the Social Security Guide, which indicates that it does as I'm a pre-2005 grant -- so they know their way around the Guide and confirmed that this is where Satanlink will look, not the legislation, which in this specific instance is less clear.
I took the opportunity to ask a few more general questions. They advised that
- they were not seeing any particular trends in the types of disability selected for review (ie. no focus on psychiatric, in their view);
- recipients should look at the impairment tables and consider how they apply to their conditions, AND initiate a discussion with their doctors;
- reviewed recipients can ask for more time to gather their evidence -- be honest with Satanlink about why you need more time;
- if you are cancelled on review, you can ask for your payment to continue while you appeal;
- it's best to gather more evidence for ARO-level appeal;
- they have a lot of fearful people contacting them; and,
- their resources are very stretched, but they will handle matters where the client is very vulnerable and has reasonable prospects of success. If, for example, you simply don't have the points on the tables, they're unlikely to be able to prioritise you as a client.
She did mention their suspicion that recent work was a potential trigger for review.
This information isn't new. I just wanted to give an update on my contact with them. The wait was about a week for the call-back, but the person I spoke to had clearly read my intake notes and researched my question before she called me.
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I would insert tears here if I knew how. I was chasing a secondhand hard copy as it's still a helpful resource, provided the SSA provision you're researching hasn't been amended/repealed in the interim. 
