Attorney-General
Minister for Emergency Management
Special Minister of State
Minister for the Public Service and Integrity
The Hon Mark Dreyfus QC MP
Parliamentary Secretary to the Attorney-General
Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing
Federal Member for Blair
The Hon Shayne Neumann MP
Joint Media Release
$4 million to assist unrepresented litigants
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus QC and Parliamentary Secretary Shayne Neumann have announced new funding of $4 million over four years to support unrepresented litigants who would not otherwise have access to legal assistance and advice.
The service fills an important gap by providing legal assistance in federal civil law matters to those who are unable to otherwise afford legal representation, Mr Dreyfus said.
Assistance will be available for unrepresented litigants in the areas of social security, discrimination, consumer law, judicial review, bankruptcy, immigration and employment law.
The national rollout will be based on the successful pilot conducted by the Queensland Public Interest Law Clearing House in the former Federal Magistrates Court and Federal Court, Mr Neumann said.
The pilot was a good example of an effective collaboration between government-funded services and the private sector to deliver cost-effective legal services that respond to the legal needs of the Australian community.
It was modelled on the Royal Courts of Justice Advice Bureau which has been successfully operating in London for more than 30 years.
Mr Dreyfus said there would be a focus on early resolution and mediation of disputes.
In addition, the scheme will help divert potentially frivolous or vexatious actions away from the Federal Court and Circuit Courts, lessening the burden on those courts, Mr Dreyfus said.
This is an important initiative in improving access to justice across our nation, and I commend the Queensland Public Interest Law Clearing House for its pioneering work with this program.
Further information is available at www.ag.gov.au
THURSDAY, 25 JULY 2013
