Northern Community Legal Centre

27/05/2026

That’s a wrap on Law Week 2026!

‘Where law meets life’ was the theme of this year’s Law Week and our community forum on Monday was just that. The forum brought together the public, specialist housing services and community leaders to discuss the how the housing crisis is impacting those in Melbourne’s north, how services are responding and what systemic change is required.

What was at the center of the discussion was the importance of collaboration when responding to challenges like housing insecurity. Everyone on the panel and in the audience was eager to share their perspectives and talk through solutions.

We’re thankful to all out panelists for contributing to this important conversation and to the Victoria Law Foundation for coordinating Law Week.

12/05/2026

Under a week to go until our community forum!

This is your chance to contribute to the broader conversation about housing rights and access to justice.

You’ll hear from community leaders, legal experts and housing support services as they share practical information about housing rights, support options and solutions. After the panel discussion, you will have a chance to ask all your questions relating to housing security.

📆 18 May 2026
⏰ 2:30-5pm
📍 Glenroy Community Hub

For more info and to register for FREE 👉https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/1987290499380?aff=oddtdtcreator

11/05/2026

Anyone can experience family violence. And anyone can help end it. You don’t need to be an expert. This May, start the conversation.

Visit www.areyousafeathome.org.au to learn more and get involved.

If you are in Melbourne’s north-west and seeking legal advice, reach out to our team on (03) 9310 4376 or via email [email protected]

08/05/2026

Join our team as our next Managing Employment Lawyer or Senior Employment Lawyer!

In these roles you will either lead or help deliver the Working Women’s Centre Victoria (WWC Vic) service as part of our Northern Community Legal Centre team, to support women and non-binary workers achieve safe, fair and equitable workplaces.

If you are an experienced employment lawyer who’s passionate about advancing gender equity and workplace justice, we want to hear from you!

Applications close: 11:59PM AEST, 17 May 2026

Learn more and apply 👉 https://www.ethicaljobs.com.au/members/northernclc/managing-employment-lawyer-senior-employment-lawyer

07/05/2026

30/04/2026

Get your questions ready, our community forum is coming up!

If you are experiencing rent or mortgage stress or just want to better understand your housing rights in Victoria, this forum is for you.

Come along to hear directly from legal experts and housing support services as they share practical information about renters’ and homeowners’ legal rights, support options available and real solutions.

📆18 May 2026
⏰2:30-5pm
📍Glenroy Community Hub

For more info and to register for FREE 👉 https://YourRights-YourHome-Navigating-Housing-Stress.eventbrite.com.au

29/04/2026

Starting a new job can be exciting but also confusing if you’re unsure about your rights.

Last week, our lawyers presented at the ‘Jobify’ employment workshop run by Brotherhood of St Laurence, speaking to job seekers and workers in casual and part-time roles. Our presentation covered pay, conditions and what to expect at work, and there was strong engagement from participants.

Workshops like this are just one way we make legal information more accessible for workers. As part of the Working Women’s Centre Victoria, we also offer confidential legal support to women and non-binary people working in Victoria, including regional and remote areas.

For more information on the services we 👉 https://wwcvic.org.au/

28/04/2026

Sexual harassment is a critical issue here in Australia and it can be hard to know exactly what your options and rights are if you or someone you know experiences it.

That’s why we’ve put together an easy-to-read factsheet that explains what sexual harassment is, reporting options, time limits for reporting and client stories.

You have legal rights. Employers have a responsibility to prevent and respond to sexual harassment that occurs in the workplace.

You can read it in full here: https://www.northernclc.org.au/legal-fact-sheets

If you’ve been harassed at work, the Working Women’s Centre Victoria can help you. We have a team of specialist lawyers that provide free, confidential legal advice for women and non-binary people working across Victoria, including those in regional and remote areas.

Northern CLC is a part of the Working Women's Centre Victoria, and we provide legal advice and advocacy for those living in Melbourne’s north. We can organise an interpreter to ensure you can share your story and understand our legal advice

Reach out for support via this website: www.wwcvic.org.au

Or call our intake team: 1800 992 842, Mon-Fri 9am-3pm

23/04/2026

📣 Renting just got fairer in Victoria.

Renters are a big part of our community in Hume, Merri-bek and Mitchell Shire. In Merri-bek, more people are renters than the state average, at 36.5% of households.

From 31 March 2026, reforms have secured renters stronger rights and protections. This is a huge win.

The reforms include:

🔹 Rental providers and agents will be required to use a standard form for all rental applications.
🔹 Applicants can only be asked to provide the information listed in the standard application form.
🔹 It will now be an offence for renters to be charged fees by rental apps and platforms.
🔹 Agencies will also be able to consider additional factors when determining if a rent increase is excessive.

But there is still more to be done. Right now, only 1.4% of private rentals are affordable for households on income support. With the cost of living rising, excessive rent increases are making things even harder.

We’re calling for a clearer and fairer way to calculate rent increases. As outlined in the Federation of Community Legal Centers Victoria’s policy platform, a ‘rental fairness formula’ would prevent excessive and unjustified rent increases.

“These reforms are long overdue and will bring more security to renters across our community, but with the cost-of-living crisis, stronger action on rent increases is needed. We can provide legal support and advice to make sure that these reforms are upheld, and we’ll keep pushing for change to ease the affordability crisis”. – Luke McLean, Northern CLC Director of Legal Practice

If you live in Merri-bek, Mitchell Shire or Hume and need legal advice about your rental rights, call us on (03) 9310 4376 or email [email protected].

You can also attend our event on 18 May, providing practical information to navigate rental issues. Register for FREE here: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/1987290499380?aff=oddtdtcreator