Shadow Attorney-General Lara Giddings today condemned the Liberal State Government for deserting the aboriginal community after a decision by the Commonwealth to strip the Tasmanian Aboriginal Legal Service of funding.
“Attorney General, Vanessa Goodwin has stood by and done nothing to advocate for the Aboriginal Legal Service in Tasmania despite knowing there was a threat to its funding,” Ms Giddings said.
“Ms Goodwin needs to urgently take up the fight to Tony Abbott to get this decision reversed.
“It is a bizarre situation where the Federal Liberal Government is funding the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service to do the work in Tasmania.
“It beggars belief that the Tasmanian Aboriginal Legal Service is the only service of its type in Australia that has not been directly funded by the Federal Government.
“The Premier is well aware of the problem while Ms Goodwin completely washed her hands of the issue during this week’s Budget Estimates hearings,
“If the Premier and Ms Goodwin continue to ignore this issue many vulnerable Aboriginal people in Tasmania will suffer.
“If Mr Hodgman is serious about resetting his relationship with the Aboriginal community now is the time for him to stand up and be counted on this critical issue.”
Lara Giddings MP Shadow Attorney-General
