Monthly Archives: October 2016

Legal funding leaves services out of reach for many women facing family violence

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Funding to provide free legal help for women facing family violence announced today by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will come as some relief to victims and the community legal centres who help them. However, it falls short of restoring Federal Government cuts and does not address growing need for family violence and broader legal help, according to the Federation of Community Legal Centres.

‘Additional investment for vital services is always welcome, however the announcement today of $5m for community legal centres is not enough to help women escaping violence get the assistance they need to obtain an intervention order or remain safe in their home,’ McDuff said.

Community legal centres provide vital free legal help for women not only with intervention orders to stop family violence through the courts, but with related legal issues including family law, tenancy, and debt. Family violence orders comprised the top legal problem type for community legal centres in Victoria in 2015–16, with a 19% spike in legal advice, and a 12% increase in cases opened.

‘In the face of high and growing need for free legal help with family violence, community legal centres nationally face a 30 per cent cut in Federal funding next July, when they already turn away 160,000 vulnerable people a year. We are concerned about how this will impact our services to people experiencing family violence.

‘In 2014 the Productivity Commission recommended an immediate injection of $200 million into legal assistance services to begin to meet this crushing demand and the recent Victorian Access to Justice Review also recommended increasing investment.

‘The Government has made clear statements today about their concern for family violence and provided a small boost for some services. We hope to see additional commitments to address the significant demand pressures on legal services and ensure all people experiencing family violence can access the support they need,’ McDuff concluded.

Download this media release (PDF)

For media interview and information

Serina McDuff
Executive Officer
Federation of Community Legal Centres
0451 411 479

Darren Lewin-Hill
Communications Manager
Federation of Community Legal Centres
0488 773 535

What’s the future of free legal help in Victoria?

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Thursday 13 October 2016 – embargoed until 12.00am Friday 14 October 2016

The future of free legal help in Victoria will be the focus of a symposium at Melbourne Town Hall tomorrow (Friday 14 October). Achieving Justice will bring together community legal centres, Victoria Legal Aid, the Victorian Council of Social Service, Domestic Violence Victoria and key not-for-profit organisations working for social justice.

‘With the release of the Victorian Government’s Access to Justice Review amid extraordinary pressures on community legal centres facing imminent Federal Government cuts, this symposium is a vital opportunity to look at the serious challenges to accessible free legal help, but also the opportunities to strengthen how we assist vulnerable people,’ said Serina McDuff, executive officer of the Federation of Community Legal Centres, today.

The review acknowledged under-funding across legal help services, calling for increased State and Federal investment, echoing the 2014 Productivity Commission, which recommended an immediate boost to community legal centres, legal aid commissions and Aboriginal legal services of at least $200 million a year.

‘The advocates brought together at this symposium will show that meeting the legal and broader needs of the most vulnerable people is a collaborative effort that needs to be sustainably funded.

‘The review also acknowledged the value and importance of integrated service delivery, which is how community legal centres have been working for decades to ensure vulnerable Victorians facing complex social, financial and legal issues receive the help they need.

‘The symposium will also show how advocates are working to drive positive change and innovate through technology to address serious problems like family violence,’ McDuff said.

Domestic Violence Victoria CEO Fiona McCormack will address the Federation’s annual general meeting (12.30–1.30pm), and the symposium will conclude with a family violence panel of leading community legal centres.

In 2015–16, Victorian community legal centres saw a 19 per cent spike in demand for free legal advice for family violence, and there was a 12 per cent increase in the number of family violence cases opened. Family violence intervention orders are the top legal problem type for Victorian community legal centres.

Achieving Justice will be held at Melbourne Town Hall from 9.00am on Friday 14 October 2016. The event is open to media.

The Federation of Community Legal Centres is the peak body for 49 community legal centres in Victoria.

Download this media release (PDF)

Download Federation 2015–16 annual report

For media interview and information

Serina McDuff
Executive Officer
Federation of Community Legal Centres
0451 411 479

Darren Lewin-Hill
Communications Manager
Federation of Community Legal Centres
0488 773 535

Access to Justice Review confirms the value of legal help services, need for increased funding

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The Federation of Community Legal Centres has welcomed today’s release of the Victorian Government’s Access to Justice Review.

Undertaken by the Department of Justice and Regulation, the review was tasked with identifying ways to improve access to justice for Victorians to ensure the most vulnerable and disadvantaged receive the support they need when they have a legal problem.

In making 60 recommendations that will now be considered by government, the report acknowledges the importance of integrated service delivery.

‘Community legal centres have led the way in integrated service delivery, from Health–Justice Partnerships providing legal assistance in health settings to working alongside financial counsellors. We’re glad to see the report has noted the effectiveness of this approach,’ said Serina McDuff, executive officer of the Federation, today.

The report also highlights the significant funding shortfall for legal assistance services, again confirming the drastic levels of underfunding of the legal assistance sector and recommending funding increases at both State and Federal levels.

‘Despite demonstrated demand, community legal centres are facing Federal cuts of 30 per cent from July next year, cuts that will have a devastating impact on the ability of community legal centres to provide free legal assistance to those most in need, such as people facing consumer scams and residential tenancy issues.

‘This is another report which confirms the extraordinary levels of unmet legal need already identified by the Productivity Commission in 2014, yet the Federal Government seems determined to proceed with the cuts.

‘At a State level, we urge the Victorian Government to increase funding to community legal centres and the broader legal assistance sector. In particular the report notes there is high demand for duty lawyer services, family violence related legal services, Aboriginal legal services and integrated service provision partnerships,’ McDuff said.

She welcomed the review’s recommendation that the Victorian Government provide longer-term funding.

‘Community legal centres have at times faced short-term funding arrangements, making it extremely difficult to not only retain experienced staff, but also to plan for future demand.

‘We commend the Department of Justice and Regulation on a thorough consultation process and a comprehensive report, and look forward to working with our members and partners in considering the report in detail,’ McDuff concluded.

For media interview and information

Serina McDuff
Executive Officer
Federation of Community Legal Centres
0451 411 479

Darren Lewin-Hill
Communications Manager
Federation of Community Legal Centres
0488 773 535

Further information

Federation submissions to the Access to Justice Review