National Legal Aid statement – National Legal Aid welcomes announcement of additional funding for legal assistance services
06 September, 2024
National Legal Aid welcomes announcement of additional funding for legal assistance services
National Legal Aid welcomes the announcement by National Cabinet today of additional funding for legal assistance services and longer term funding certainty under a new Access to Justice Partnership.
The Commonwealth will invest $3.9 billion over five years from 1 July 2025, including an $800 million increase in funding. The Government committed to providing ongoing funding beyond the five year agreement so that the sector has long-term funding certainty.
Alongside the continuation of existing services, Family Violence Prevention & Legal Services First will be included in the new Access to Justice Partnership totalling $3.1 billion investment over 5 years. An additional $800 million will include $300 million for indexation and pay parity for the legal assistance sector and $500 million to expand service delivery across the legal assistance sector.
National Legal Aid Executive Director Katherine McKernan said:
“We welcome the announcement by National Cabinet today of additional funding and certainty for the legal assistance sector. It is pleasing to see all Federal, State and Territory Governments recognise and commit to the vital role that we play. Legal Aid Commissions are a critical frontline service providing over 32,000 family law grants of aid and over 14,000 domestic and family violence duty lawyer services nationally each year.
However, due to funding constraints, only 8 per cent of Australians are eligible for legal aid. In NSW alone, Legal Aid has seen a 61 per cent increase in duty lawyer services provided by the Domestic Violence Unit (DVU) and a 36 per cent increase in calls to its DVU hotline, with 60 women waiting to be called on any given day.
Whilst we don’t yet have the details on what this will mean for expansion of our services, additional funding prioritising gender-based violence means Legal Aid Commissions can continue vital service provision to disadvantaged women and children, such as Family Advocacy and Support Services, Domestic Violence Units and Respect@Work legal assistance services and look to expand its family law legal representation.”
McKernan said:
“Working to end gender-based violence also requires collaboration on improving systems. National Legal Aid is also pleased to see our recommendations for systems reform on domestic and family violence will be implemented under the National Partnership Agreement on Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence Responses.
This includes developing new national best practice family and domestic violence risk assessment principles and a model best practice risk assessment framework, information sharing across jurisdictions, and extending and increasing nationally consistent, two-way information sharing between the family law court and state and territory courts, child protection, policing and firearms agencies.”
Katherine McKernan is available for comment.
Media contact | Katherine McKernan | katherine.mckernan@legalaid.nsw.gov.au| 0425 288 446