Click on the link to view a short video clip for more information from Project Coordinator Bobbi Murray at the Central Coast Community Legal Centre Sorry Business Project Intro Video Clip (4.08)
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (July 2018) the life expectancy of Aboriginal people is significantly lower than that of the non-Indigenous population. It is estimated to be 10.6 years lower for males (69.1 years compared with 79.9 years) and 9.5 years for females (73.7 years compared with 83.1 years). Suicide rates are also significantly higher in Aboriginal communities.
The Central Coast Community Legal Centre and the Central Coast Cooperative Legal Service Delivery Program are looking to get advice from the Aboriginal community about helpful information about Sorry Business. This is to be put in to a booklet series to assist you during this sad time so you have time to grieve with family.
The idea behind this is to take the pressure off and allocate duties to those who ask to help. They may be able to help with funeral preparations, cultural practices, locating funding for funerals, locating wills and other legal needs.
We would like to know what is appropriate to have in a public document and what is helpful for families to know about. These may include:
• Transport and assistance for the body if loved one has died off country. • Funding assistance for Aboriginal people to help pay for the funeral. • Checklists of what is needed for a legal funeral. • Information about death certificates. • Wills, estate and probate information. • Money worries or debts. • Location and contact details of local services and Aboriginal workers who can help you.
This booklet series will be specifically for Aboriginal people in NSW but general enough that the information can potentially be used nationally. We look forward to your support in this project.
Any concerns or questions, please contact, Ms Bobbi Murray, Aboriginal Worker and Project Coordinator, NSW Central Coast Community Legal Centre, 02 4353 0111 or via bobbim@centralcoastclc.org.au