A campaign to introduce legislation to cover boarders and lodgers in NSW.

The campaign involved submissions to politicians, engaging in policy debate, running test cases at the CTTT (eg on the definition of boarders and lodgers as exclusions to the Residential Tenancy Act 2010, or to have boarders and lodgers covered by the General Division of the CTTT), and the development of a Legal Remedies Kit that highlights the inadequacy of current remedies for boarders and lodgers.

The EDO worked to improve the design of the Climate Change Act before it was introduced in 2010, and then to prevent the State Government winding it back in 2011-12.

Campaign in response to government failure to deliver State Coastal Policy, urging development of a comprehensive coastal management framework

Tenants NSW became aware of the decision of the NSW Court of Appeal in Insight Vacations Pty Ltd v Young that proceedings relating to 'distress and disappointment' are subject to the Civil Liability Act 2002, and formed the view that this may severely limit tenants' proceedings for compensation.

Tenants NSW made submissions to the Minister for Fair Trading and the Attorney General seeking an exemption from the Civil Liability Act 2002 for proceedings under the Residential Tenancies Act 2010 and the Residential Parks Act 1998.

The Pride and Prejudice Report developed by the Disability Discrimination Legal Service and Forgotten Families Report demonstrates that the removal of children from parents with disabilities is based on an assumption that people with disabilities cannot care for children in their best interests.

Legal action under State or Federal anti-discrimination laws might be available to a parent to challenge such a decision. The development of a code of practice for the removal of children from parents with a disability might prevent DHS and the Children's Court from removing children from parents with a disability until all the possible adapted techniques a parent with a disability has developed and accommodations for the parent are ...

The project is a law reform and legal policy project to advocate for better protection for consumers in relation to dealings with introductions agents, either by a legislative instrument and the use of standard form contracts, licensing, etc.

In response to the cultural diversity of the Eastern Region ECLC developed a Multicultural Policy and Action Plan. This was achieved by:

• Conducting an audit of ECLC’s existing services, projects and policies.
• Completing a literature review regarding the needs of diverse communities and potential service responses
• Working with the Diversity Consultancy Panel, which acted as a Reference Group for the project
• Consulting with key community leaders and community agencies supporting migrant and refugee communities
• Looking at strategies for improving ECLC’s response to diverse communities
• Developing a policy and action plan reflecting this work.

In comp...

Reform of law covering marginal renters in NSW. Marginal renters include people living in boarding houses, crisis accommodation, student accommodation and share housing.

Paper launched in March 2011 calling for law reform, accomodation provider sustainability, social inclusion programs and reform of Licensed Residential Centres for people with a disability.

The campaign involves submissions to politicians, engaging in policy debate, facilitation of round table, stakeholder consultations, promotion of best practice, liaison with bureaucrats and local government, gaining over 30 organisational signatories in support of reform, facilitating media coverage and conducting research.

The Refugee Tenancy and Housing Project was developed in response to the need for tenancy advocacy services in Melbourne’s western suburbs and in recognition of the major barrier that housing difficulties pose to successful refugee settlement.

The Project encompassed the following:  

• a legal tenancy clinic providing free legal advice and representation to people of refugee background living in the western suburbs of Melbourne; 
• community legal education; and 
• community development initiatives. 

The Project's findings and recommendations are presented in Making it Home: Refugee Housing in Melbourne's West, which documents underlyi...

The Residential Tenancies Act 2010 passed in June 2010 and commenced in January 2011. It reflects a number of Tenants NSW's key law reform priorities, including proper regulation of databases, clearer rights for share-house occupants, and options for victims of domestic violence to end their tenancy or exclude the violent person from the rented premises.

Tenants NSW made a submission on the draft Residential Tenancies Regulation 2010, and some of our recommendations were reflected in the final Regulation.

Since the commencement of the Residential Tenancies Act 2010, we have consulted closely with Tenants Advice and Advocacy Services and kept a log of technical problems and larger policies issues identified.