Released 25/07/2017
The ACT Government has committed $2.477 million to community legal centres to enhance access to justice for all in our community, Attorney-General Gordon Ramsay said today during a visit to the Community Legal Centre Hub in Turner.
This funding will be provided to Canberra Community Law, the Women’s Legal Centre and Street Law over four years and the Environmental Defenders’ Office over two years.
“This will help to alleviate the pressure resulting from the uncertainty about core Commonwealth funding for Canberra Community Law and the Women’s Legal Centre from 1 July,” Minister Ramsay said.
“This initiative will allow these community legal centres to restore and, in some cases, increase crucial frontline services for the most vulnerable members of our community.”
Street Law will receive recurrent funding for the first time since its inception in 2010.
“The Law Council of Australia has estimated that community legal centres are forced to turn away 150,000 people nationally for a variety of reasons, but primarily a lack of funding. The ACT Government’s commitment to funding community legal centres reflects our commitment to access to justice for those who are most in need,” Minister Ramsay said.
“The funding in the 2017-18 Budget supports the core services offered by community legal centres. These are services that help families find housing, that help the homeless access services and that assist victims of family violence to seek protection and justice from the courts.
“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander access to justice services are an immediate and growing need where our community legal centres will help. I look forward to working with Canberra Community Law and the Women’s Legal Centre to help these programs to grow.”
- Statement ends -
Gordon Ramsay, MLA | Media Releases