RLC in the media

Redfern Legal Centre (RLC) believes the rough handling of protesters and observers by NSW Police at a University of Sydney protest yesterday was unnecessary, potentially unlawful and an incorrect use of the COVID-19 public health laws.

The head of the University of Sydney's law school says the hard policing of student protests on campuses is out of step with community standards, and he has immediate concern for the welfare of staff and students on the receiving end. Natassia Chrysanthos reports for the Sydney Morning Herald.

Nearly $90 million of taxpayer money has been paid out by NSW Police in hundreds of civil claims alleging police brutality, unlawful searches and illegal arrests over the last four financial years, NewsLocal reveals. Jake McCallum, reports for NewsLocal (Daily Telegraph)

RLC's international student solicitor Sean Stimson reflects on key issues affecting international students during COVID-19. Insiders Guide reports for City of Sydney

Community groups are mounting a combined push for more social and affordable housing for Aboriginal people in inner Sydney, as a wave of development and rise in property prices scatter the area's once-thriving population. Megan Gorrey reports for the Sydney Morning Herald

A freedom of information investigation conducted by the Sun Herald in September found that Western Sydney suburbs like Mount Druitt and Liverpool, which were at the top of the list - prompting concerns about the over-policing of minorities in those regions. FBi Backchat reports

Young men from poor suburbs and towns with high Aboriginal or immigrant populations were more likely to be fined for breaking the lockdown rules designed to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Caitlin Fitzsimmons and Nigel Gladstone report for the Sun Herald / Sydney Morning Herald.

New data reveals Indigenous people in NSW regional communities are excessively targeted with “invasive” police strip searches. Mikele Syron reports for NITV News

Thousands of international students say they are unable to pay for food or rent after losing their jobs during the coronavirus pandemic, and many fear they will run out of money soon. Anna Patty reports for The Sydney Morning Herald.

Ella, whose real name cannot be used for legal reasons, is still paying off $60 000 in debt piled on her by her former partner more than three years after she escaped the abusive relationship. Lucy Cormack reports for The Sydney Morning Herald.