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MR0608
18 April 2008
Law Council Hopes Legal Aid Funding Boost is
a Sign of Things to Come
The Law Council hopes today’s announcement by the Attorney-General of
additional funding for community legal centres and legal aid commissions marks
the beginning of a genuine attempt by the Government to address shortfalls in
this crucial area.
Law Council President Ross Ray QC said, “The additional $10M in funding for
community legal centres and $7M for legal aid commissions is an important
gesture of goodwill towards a sector that has been in crisis for many years.”
“However, more funding is needed and we hope that this step is just the
beginning of a serious attempt to address the real decreases in funding over the
last 10 years,” Mr Ray said.
“One-off funding, while welcome, is not enough. The Government needs to
revisit the recurrent funding formulas for legal aid commissions and community
legal centres,” he said.
Numerous studies and Senate committee inquiries have found that the funding
formulas result in serious gaps in providing legal help to those in desperate
need.
Mr Ray also urged the Minister for Home Affairs to announce more funding for
the Indigenous Legal Services, for which he now has responsibility.
The size of the problem is illustrated by the Law Council’s estimate prior to the
election of the extra funding needed for legal aid commissions at $140M.
“The additional funding announced is a small step towards meeting the needs of
disadvantaged members of our community, who need the assistance of legal
aid,” Mr Ray said.
“Before the election, the Law Council also supported increases for community
legal centres. The centres estimated that they would require $39M – the
additional $10M announced is again just a start,” he said.
“The Law Council looks forward to working with the Government on the funding
formulas needed so that the vulnerable and disadvantaged members of our
community can have proper access to justice,” Mr Ray concluded.
Media Contact: Elenore Eriksson,
Director Public Affairs - 02 6246 3716/0419 269 855
The Law Council of Australia exists to represent the legal profession at the national
level, to speak on behalf of its constituent bodies on national issues, and to
promote the administration of justice, access to justice and general improvement of
the law.
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