No urgency from Premier on Aboriginal Legal Service issue

Premier Will Hodgman and Attorney-General Vanessa Goodwin have completely failed to stand up for the Tasmanian Aboriginal Legal Service.

In Question Time this morning both the Premier and Attorney had an opportunity to condemn the Federal Government for its decision to strip funding from the TALS but failed.

“The Premier and Attorney-General were dreadfully weak in their response to questions about the Aboriginal Legal Service,” said Shadow Attorney-General Lara Giddings.

“There was no condemnation of the decision, no commitment to see it overturned, just a meek promise of a meeting later this week.

“The Aboriginal community expects more from the State Government.

“Vanessa Goodwin has done nothing since I raised the possibility of the funding withdrawal on the second day of Estimates last week.

“Today I’ve written to both the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service and Attorney-General George Brandis.

“I have asked Wayne Muir from the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service to hold off signing any contracts to enable further discussions to take place.

“From Mr Brandis I have sought an explanation for the decision and urged him to meet with the Tasmanian Aboriginal community to negotiate a suitable outcome that will see the service retained by the TALS.”
Lara Giddings MP Shadow Attorney-General