Campaign Media Release
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus
Member for Fraser Andrew Leigh
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus QC and Member for Fraser Andrew Leigh today announced new funding for the Women's Legal Centre ACT and the Welfare Rights and Legal Centre ACT.
The Rudd Labor Government will provide an extra $200,000 to the Women's Legal Centre ACT for the next four years and an extra $240,000 for the Welfare Rights and Legal Centre ACT over the same period.
“Access to legal advice and support is essential to strengthening our local communities and our democracy,” said Mr Dreyfus.
“The Rudd Labor Government is deeply committed to a fair go under the law and this funding for the Women's Legal Centre ACT and the Welfare Rights and Legal Centre ACT will make a real difference to people in Canberra.
“Legal services have not yet fully recovered from savage cuts under the former Coalition Government but, in a tough budgetary period, this is a significant boost.”
“This additional funding means the centres can help meet demand for domestic violence, anti-discrimination, property and family law services,” Dr Leigh said.
“This will make a big difference especially to Indigenous women and clients of non-English speaking background.”
“The Women's Legal Centre ACT and the Welfare Rights and Legal Centre ACT will be able to employ more frontline lawyers and staff to help with family law, mortgage stress, employment law, child protection and care matters, and consumer law,” Dr Leigh said.
“Having briefly volunteered for the Welfare Rights and Legal Centre ACT back when I worked as a lawyer, I know first hand the valuable work they do for the Canberra community.”
This funding is included in the budget and is part of an extra $33.5 million over four years for community legal centres across Australia.
The new funding for community legal centres is in addition to the $32 million already provided annually under the Australian Government’s Community Legal Services Program.
27 AUGUST 2013
CANBERRA
Communications Unit: T 03 8625 5111 www.alp.org.au
Authorised by G. Wright, Australian Labor Party, 5/9 Sydney Avenue, Barton, ACT, 2600
Do you like this post?
Be the first to comment
Sign in with