Welcome to the Redfern Legal Centre Dinner

Welcome to the Redfern Legal Centre Fundraising Dinner

I would like to start by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land this gathering takes place on tonight - the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation.

I pay my respects to their elders past and present.

I have a long list of acknowledgements of the very important people here tonight.

I will break from tradition and instead acknowledge the volunteers and staff past and present of the Redfern Legal Centre.

Thank you also to the community organisations, lawyers, unionists, community activists, friends and supporters who have come along tonight to raise funds for the Redfern Legal Centre.

The Redfern Legal Centre needs no introduction to the people in this room.

It is a centre that has put the people of Redfern at the heart of all it's work.

It has been defending the rights of all who walk through the door since 1977.

RLC is an organisation that is driven by the needs of the people it serves.

RLC looks at the bigger picture and has always strongly advocated to government and the wider community the bigger policy changes that need to be made to make NSW a fairer place for all it's citizens - no matter what their circumstances.

The organisation that many of you have helped to build and shape is one that many others have visited, studied and emulated.

Tonight is a night to be celebrate and reflect on 21 years of achievements as well as digging deep to continue the myriad of work that still needs to be done.

I have one last job for this evening and that is to pass on this message from Tanya Plibersek, Federal Minister for Housing and Women but known to most of your as the Federal Member for Sydney.

Thanks again for being here tonight. I hope you have a wonderful evening.