By XAVIER SMERDON
WESTERN suburbs residents will be given the chance to brush up on their legal rights next month when a constitutional law group holds information sessions in the West for the first time ever.
The Community Law Resources Association was founded 10 years ago in Melbourne’s east, with the goal of educating people about the constitution.
From February the group will be holding monthly community meetings in Truganina.
President of the group, Kelvin Granger, said it was a good chance for people to learn about the constitution.
“The constitution is hardly known about or understood by people in Australia,” Mr Granger said.
“If people actually read and understood it they would be astounded.”
Mr Granger said CLRA meetings held in Burwood were regularly being attended by people from Melbourne’s West, sparking the new meeting location of Truganina.
“There’s a huge need out here to expand the people’s knowledge of constitutional law,” he said.
“We receive a lot of inquiries from people in this area, especially about local government.
“Local government is a huge issue because the rates they are charging are just ridiculous.”
Mr Granger first joined the CLRA five years ago after attending a meeting and he can now recite every verse and chapter of the constitution.
He said newly arrived immigrants were often more knowledgeable about Australia’s constitution than lifelong citizens.
“Without the constitution governments can pretty much do what they want to us. It’s extremely important that we know what our rights are,” he said.
“We’ve had a fair bit of interest in the sessions we’ll be holding in Truganina.”
For more information visit www.clrg.info
