15 years strong, the Good Service Mob starts 2020 in Bathurst

Published 6 March 2020

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in the Central Tablelands will have the opportunity to learn more about their rights and the services available to them at a community information day next week

Bathurst Aboriginal Land Council will host the Good Service Mob, a unique collaboration of complaint-handling agencies, when they return to Bathurst (Wednesday 11 March) to have a yarn with locals over a barbeque sausage sizzle.

“Through the Good Service Mob, we hope to raise awareness about the free dispute resolution services and other services available to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers,” AntiDiscrimination NSW team leader and founder of the Good Service Mob Felicity Huntington said.  

“It’s always a good opportunity for us to meet with communities and hear about their experiences in regional NSW so we can assess our services in order to meet their needs.”

“We are made up of both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander outreach staff who work closely with local community organisations in all of the areas we visit,” she said. 

The Good Service Mob has been travelling to regional communities providing face-to-face support in a one-stop shop setting since 2005.

The group is coordinated by Anti-Discrimination NSW’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Outreach team and has travelled to over 60 regional towns across the state. 

Since its inception, a number of organisations including the Energy and Water Ombudsman NSW, NSW Fair Trading and the NSW Ombudsman Office have helped keep the Good Service Mob going strong.

“Thanks to the dedication of so many organisations involved, we have been travelling to regional NSW and talking to community for 15 years now,” Felicity said. 

“We try to make law more accessible for our communities. As an outreach officer for AntiDiscrimination NSW, I talk to people about anti-discrimination law in regards to discrimination, harassment, bullying and victimisation in different areas of public life.”

“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people face many barriers in accessing basic government services and this is why we came up with this concept,” she said. 

“Our free events provide a valuable opportunity for community to learn about their rights. We hope to empower people to speak up about inequality and unfair treatment.”

“We’re also there to talk through any concerns and provide help and legal advice for people who are experiencing unfair treatment in employment and education, housing problems and debt, needing help with their electricity/water bills or fines, and problems accessing goods and services,” Felicity said. 

The Good Service Mob community forum in Bathurst will have representatives from the following services:

• Anti-Discrimination NSW • NSW Fair Trading 
• NSW Revenue 
• Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages 
• NSW Trustee and Guardian • SafeWork NSW 
•  Energy and Water Ombudsman NSW 
• Legal Aid NSW • Seniors Rights Service 
• Wirringa Baiya Aboriginal Women’s Legal Centre 
• Financial Rights Legal Centre 
• NSW Ombudsman Office. Ends

For media enquiries email: danna.diaz@justice.nsw.gov.au