World’s largest survey of legal need calls for improved access to justice

TASMANIAN ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITY LEGAL CENTRES

Animal Welfare Community Legal Centre • Environmental Defenders Office • Hobart Community Legal Service • Launceston Community Legal Centre • North West Community Legal Centre • Tenants’ Union • Women’s Legal Service • Worker Assist

World’s largest survey of legal need calls for improved access to justice
12th October 2012

Tasmania’s eight community legal centres today united in calling for improved access to justice following the release of the largest ever survey of legal need conducted anywhere in the world. The LAW Survey (Legal Australia-Wide Survey) of more than 20,000 Australians demonstrates that access to justice for disadvantaged people must remain a government priority.

The LAW Survey report notes “People with a disability are especially vulnerable to legal problems, although other disadvantaged sections of the community also have heightened vulnerability, including single parents, the unemployed, people living in disadvantaged housing and indigenous people”.

The Tasmanian Association of Community Legal Centres’ Policy Officer, Benedict Bartl, noted the particular vulnerability of those needing legal assistance in Tasmania:

Of those randomly surveyed Tasmanians, 48% indicated that they had experienced at least one legal problem in the past year. Given the high percentage of Tasmanians who have not finished school, whose main income is government payments and who reside in rural areas, the work of community legal centres in providing access to justice is more important than ever.

Benedict Bartl congratulated the Tasmanian government on recent additional funding for community legal centres, but noted that more needed to be done:

Community legal centres are often the first point of contact for persons encountering economic and social disadvantage. However, funding increases have not kept pace with increased costs and increased demand. Without further support for these important services many Tasmanians are missing out on the legal assistance they need every year. Whilst the Tasmanian Government’s recent funding boost of $1.7 million is welcomed, much more is needed to achieve a justice system that is fair, accessible and affordable.

A copy of the LAW Survey can be downloaded from www.lawfoundation.net.au