Latest news with #LegalAid
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Fury as taxpayers forking out £1million a WEEK to migrant-chasing lawyers
'It's clear that too many lawyers in the system are raking it in from public funds' CASHING IN Fury as taxpayers forking out £1million a WEEK to migrant-chasing lawyers TAXPAYERS are forking out £1million a week to migrant-chasing lawyers. Some £54.2million last year went to legal teams seeking to thwart deportations or argue asylum seekers should remain. Advertisement Campaigners say solicitors are lining their pockets by convincing clients to mount appeals. Between March and December last year alone, some 45,787 Legal Aid claims were granted at an average cost of £827 per case. It means solicitors pocket public cash — at £52 an hour — even if their clients have no realistic cases. Bizarre excuses include the case of woman-beating Konrad Makocki, 37, who used European human rights laws to say he had to be near his twin sister. Advertisement Figures seen by The Sun show the cost of operating the judiciary in the Immigration and Asylum Tribunal Chamber hit £53.5million in the year to March, whilst staffing appeals cost £31.4million. And rates are set to rise. Former minister Sir Alec Shelbrooke said: 'It's clear that too many lawyers in the system are raking it in from public funds. 'You'd hope the government would realise that the system is ripe for exploitation, but I have serious doubts that lefty lawyer Sir Keir would do anything other than side with his own chums.' Advertisement A Government spokeswoman said: 'We are restoring order to this system, with a rapid increase in asylum decision-making.' Fury as hotel firm housing asylum seekers in 'all-inclusive resorts' paid £700M a year of YOUR money
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
Fury as taxpayers forking out £1million a WEEK to migrant-chasing lawyers
TAXPAYERS are forking out £1million a week to migrant-chasing lawyers. Some £54.2million last year went to legal teams seeking to thwart deportations or argue Campaigners say solicitors are lining their pockets by convincing clients to mount appeals. Between March and December last year alone, some 45,787 Legal Aid claims were granted at an average cost of £827 per case. It means solicitors pocket public cash — at £52 an hour — even if their clients have no realistic cases. Bizarre excuses include the case of READ MORE UK NEWS Figures seen by The Sun show the cost of operating the judiciary in the Immigration and Asylum Tribunal Chamber hit £53.5million in the year to March, whilst staffing appeals cost £31.4million. And rates are set to rise. Former minister Sir Alec Shelbrooke said: 'It's clear that too many lawyers in the system are raking it in from public funds. 'You'd hope the government would realise that the system is ripe for exploitation, but I have serious doubts that lefty lawyer Most read in The Sun A Government spokeswoman said: 'We are restoring order to this system, with a rapid increase in asylum decision-making.' Fury as hotel firm housing asylum seekers in 'all-inclusive resorts' paid £700M a year of YOUR money 1 Some £54.2million last year went to legal teams seeking to thwart deportations or argue asylum seekers should remain Credit: PA
Sydney Morning Herald
02-06-2025
- Climate
- Sydney Morning Herald
Ruth's home was destroyed. What happened next scared her more
That wasn't the end of it. Later that morning, 'a wave hit us from across the paddocks and the hills' without warning. It was later described as a one-in-5000-year flood and an 'inland tsunami'. Nielsen had just had surgery in Sydney for breast cancer, and had only returned home to pick up her Christmas presents before returning to the city for treatment. Her insurance claim was rejected the first time because her policy covered a range of natural disasters, including storm surge, storm run-off and tsunami, but not floods. 'A lot of people were in my situation. They had everything but flood written on their insurance,' she said. 'We had never flooded in this particular area where I live.' Loading The stress of the cancer treatment took its toll. Nielsen was reluctant to challenge the denial until she spoke to Legal Aid NSW experts at Eugowra showgrounds. Legal Aid is preparing for another wave of requests for assistance following the NSW Mid North Coast and Hunter floods. Insurers had already received more than 6000 claims, the bulk of which relate to damage to homes, the Insurance Council of Australia said. 'Because I had those early morning photos of the water coming into my garage and around the house ... [I was told by Legal Aid], 'You've got a case because this is before the flood actually hit,' ' Nielsen said. 'This was three hours before the actual wave hit us.' She said she believed the photos and videos were crucial to the success of her second claim for insurance based on stormwater damage. Nielsen received funds from contents insurance with the assistance of Legal Aid. 'Unfortunately, we lost two people. That's a bigger loss,' she said. Nielsen has been living in a mobile pod home behind her former home since February 2023. The temporary accommodation was organised by the NSW Reconstruction Authority. 'I was very fortunate to have somewhere to come and stay. I take my hat off to the government. They are doing a brilliant job under extreme circumstances,' Nielsen said. She is awaiting confirmation from government agencies about a replacement home. Avoiding insurance pitfalls A senior disaster recovery and insurance solicitor at Legal Aid NSW, Ma'ata Solofoni, said that 'what we see following a flood is that ... people often don't have cover for flood [damage]' because of the high cost of insurance, particularly in high-risk areas. 'We've heard from people figures like $10,000, up to $60,000. Those are premiums for one year.' Importantly, however, 'storm cover is a standard inclusion in policies', and people may still be covered for damage before any floodwater entered their property. Loading Some insurers bundled an exclusion on stormwater run-off with flood cover, meaning that, if a person had opted out of flood cover, they might also have opted out of those other forms of cover. 'In Ruth's case, she didn't have that bundled exclusion,' Solofoni said. 'For those who unfortunately have that bundled exclusion, they wouldn't be covered for any sort of water damage that's entered the property from [the] ground up. 'What we saw with many of our clients was they weren't aware that's what they had opted out of.' Solofoni said time-stamped photo and video evidence could make 'the biggest difference' when a client might be up against an expensive report prepared by a hydrologist for an insurance company. She encouraged people to gather this evidence if it was safe to do so at the time.
The Age
02-06-2025
- Climate
- The Age
Ruth's home was destroyed. What happened next scared her more
That wasn't the end of it. Later that morning, 'a wave hit us from across the paddocks and the hills' without warning. It was later described as a one-in-5000-year flood and an 'inland tsunami'. Nielsen had just had surgery in Sydney for breast cancer, and had only returned home to pick up her Christmas presents before returning to the city for treatment. Her insurance claim was rejected the first time because her policy covered a range of natural disasters, including storm surge, storm run-off and tsunami, but not floods. 'A lot of people were in my situation. They had everything but flood written on their insurance,' she said. 'We had never flooded in this particular area where I live.' Loading The stress of the cancer treatment took its toll. Nielsen was reluctant to challenge the denial until she spoke to Legal Aid NSW experts at Eugowra showgrounds. Legal Aid is preparing for another wave of requests for assistance following the NSW Mid North Coast and Hunter floods. Insurers had already received more than 6000 claims, the bulk of which relate to damage to homes, the Insurance Council of Australia said. 'Because I had those early morning photos of the water coming into my garage and around the house ... [I was told by Legal Aid], 'You've got a case because this is before the flood actually hit,' ' Nielsen said. 'This was three hours before the actual wave hit us.' She said she believed the photos and videos were crucial to the success of her second claim for insurance based on stormwater damage. Nielsen received funds from contents insurance with the assistance of Legal Aid. 'Unfortunately, we lost two people. That's a bigger loss,' she said. Nielsen has been living in a mobile pod home behind her former home since February 2023. The temporary accommodation was organised by the NSW Reconstruction Authority. 'I was very fortunate to have somewhere to come and stay. I take my hat off to the government. They are doing a brilliant job under extreme circumstances,' Nielsen said. She is awaiting confirmation from government agencies about a replacement home. Avoiding insurance pitfalls A senior disaster recovery and insurance solicitor at Legal Aid NSW, Ma'ata Solofoni, said that 'what we see following a flood is that ... people often don't have cover for flood [damage]' because of the high cost of insurance, particularly in high-risk areas. 'We've heard from people figures like $10,000, up to $60,000. Those are premiums for one year.' Importantly, however, 'storm cover is a standard inclusion in policies', and people may still be covered for damage before any floodwater entered their property. Loading Some insurers bundled an exclusion on stormwater run-off with flood cover, meaning that, if a person had opted out of flood cover, they might also have opted out of those other forms of cover. 'In Ruth's case, she didn't have that bundled exclusion,' Solofoni said. 'For those who unfortunately have that bundled exclusion, they wouldn't be covered for any sort of water damage that's entered the property from [the] ground up. 'What we saw with many of our clients was they weren't aware that's what they had opted out of.' Solofoni said time-stamped photo and video evidence could make 'the biggest difference' when a client might be up against an expensive report prepared by a hydrologist for an insurance company. She encouraged people to gather this evidence if it was safe to do so at the time.
ABC News
27-05-2025
- ABC News
Tanika Bromley, housemate of missing teen Pheobe Bishop, bailed on weapons charges
A housemate of missing Queensland teenager Pheobe Bishop has been released on bail on weapons charges. Tanika Kristan Bromley, 33, was arrested in Bundaberg on Sunday and charged with offences including possessing restricted items and unlawful possession of a short firearm. Ms Bromley appeared in the Bundaberg Magistrates Court via video link on Monday afternoon and again on Tuesday, when she was granted bail. Police allege they located a shortened firearm, ammunition, and two replica handguns in a grey Hyundai ix35, as well as more ammunition in a Gin Gin home. Both were declared crime scenes last week as part of the investigation into Pheobe's disappearance. There is no suggestion the woman was involved in the 17-year-old's disappearance. The court heard Ms Bromley was already on bail for previous weapons offences. Legal Aid lawyer Alexandra Sanders represented Ms Bromley and said her client had an extremely limited criminal history and that the outstanding matters were yet to be dealt with. Ms Sanders told the court Ms Bromley cared for two children, including one living with a disability, as part of a shared custody arrangement. Ms Sanders said the investigation into Pheobe's disappearance was not a reason for her client to be refused bail. "In respect to the firearms located in the vehicle, the modified sawn-off rifle was not operable, so it wasn't a weapon able to be used," she told the court. Police prosecutor Vicki Kennedy-Grills said there had been an increase in these types of weapons. "The way they're fashioned … they don't look like firearms but they are incredibly lethal," she told the court. Magistrate John McInnes asked if the investigation into the "other matter" would be a consideration in the bail application. Sergeant Kennedy-Grills said while it was "very topical", it should not be taken into account. "It is a matter that the community would be outraged by people driving around with sawn-off firearms, especially home-fashioned ones made to hide their true purpose," she said. Sergeant Kennedy-Grills said the accused had not been truthful in her statements to police. "She effectively has been homeless, she was moving out of the home, the bus, at the time of the disappearance of the other person," she told the court. Magistrate McInnes said he would consider the period between Ms Bromley's court appearances as well as the care needs of the children. He said the accused seemed to have an "unhealthy interest" in firearms, but her lack of a criminal record and that she may have been subject to "coercion, violence and duress" were in her favour. The magistrate imposed bail conditions including a curfew and an order to report to the police station three times a week. The matter will return to court on 23 June.
