Vital legal services remain in doubt

Shadow Attorney General Lara Giddings has called on the State Liberal Government to provide an urgent update on the negotiations surrounding funding to the Legal Aid Commission of Tasmania and to Community Legal Centres (CLCs) under the proposed National Partnership Agreement.

Serious concerns have been raised about the cut to Legal Aid and CLCs funding under this agreement.

Without an agreement, CLCs will have to close their doors come July 1.

“Attorney-General Vanessa Goodwin needs to provide an urgent update on the National Partnership Agreement negotiations,” Ms Giddings said.

“Given Tasmania, along with South Australia, was disproportionately affected by Federal Government cuts, what has the Attorney done to secure more funding for Legal Aid and CLCs?

“Ms Goodwin also needs to say whether or not she has rejected the ridiculous notion of means testing CLCs legal advice as well as the gagging of CLCs from contributing to public discussion on important legal issues.

“Vanessa Goodwin must allay fears that some Community Legal Centres will be forced to close at the end of the month and Legal Aid will be forced to cut more services.”

The Federal Government is cutting $570,000 from the Legal Aid Commission of Tasmania ($370,000) and Community Legal Centres ($200,000) in Tasmania for the next financial year.

The Commonwealth will provide top up funding of $330,000 to cover the short fall for the 2015-16 financial year only and will still leave a short fall of $240,000 and more than double that amount in future years.
Lara Giddings MP Shadow Attorney-General