The Australasian Legal Information Institute

The Australasian Legal Information Institute (AustLII) provides free access to Australian legal material to anyone who has access to the Internet. AustLII operates one of the world's largest publicly accessible databases of legal materials on the World Wide Web. AustLII aims to make available all public legal information: primary legal materials (legislation and decisions of courts and tribunals); and secondary materials that are (or ought to be) in the public domain or able to be licensed free of charge.

AustLII's public policy agenda is to convince governments, courts, law reform bodies and other publicly funded organisations to make legal materials they control available free via the Internet. It has an innovative approach to computerising legal materials, based on 10years' research and development.

Some of AustLII's research features are: automated rich hypertext; development and use of its own search engine (SINO); and integration of hypertext and text retrieval. AustLII's website:

www.austlii.edu.au

AustLII is jointly operated by the Faculties of Law at UTS and the University of New South Wales (UNSW). It was established by funding from DEET and the two host universities, and also receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the Law Foundation of NSW, the Australian Business Chamber, the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Asian Development Bank and other bodies.

For information concerning the Institute, contact:

Philip Chung
Executive Director, AustLII
telephone (02) 9514 3175

UTS Community Law Centre

The UTS Community Law Centre was opened in May 1996. The Centre works closely with the Faculty of Law.

The Centre has two vital functions – the provision of free legal services to UTS staff and students, and community legal research. In providing a legal service, the Centre relies on the assistance of law students who volunteer three hours each per week.

The objectives of the legal service include developing effective ways of informing the community of their legal rights and responsibilities, adopting a multidisciplinary approach which recognises that many conflicts require a broader response than strict traditional legal remedies, and initiating and participating in law reform programs.

The legal research function places the Centre at the gateway for community access to the research and academic capabilities of the UTS Law Faculty. It provides metropolitan community organisations with the much-needed legal research expertise in order to respond to proposed law reform, comment on current law and its impact on the community, or generally examine the viability, fairness and importance of law in a particular area. The research function also provides students with important analytical and research skills, which are invaluable in the profession.

From the educational aspect, the Centre provides students with an understanding of the impact of law on particular communities, the dynamics of law reform, community consultations and the impact of politics on the legal system.¹

It is envisaged that the Centre will enhance the Law Faculty's research strengths and increase the community's awareness of the University's value and relevance as a service provider.

Footnote:
1. Students can also undertake an undergraduate law elective – 76069 Community Legal Research – through the Centre.

For inquiries concerning the Centre, contact:

telephone (02) 9514 2914
fax (02) 9514 2919
email utsclc@law.uts.edu.au

www.utscommunitylaw.org

Jennifer Burn, Director
telephone (02) 9514 3431
fax (02) 9514 3400

UTS Community Law Centre
University of Technology, Sydney
PO Box 123
Broadway NSW 2007

DX 88805 Haymarket

UTS Community Law Centre
CB01.3.15
Building 1, City Campus
Broadway

TAFE Outreach Service
TAFE Legal Service Office
Level 2, Marcus Clarke Building
TAFE Sydney Institute
827–839 George Street
Railway Square