Mark Dreyfus QC MP
SHADOW ATTORNEY-GENERAL
SHADOW MINISTER FOR THE ARTS
A Budget Without Justice: Further Cuts to Legal Assistance
George Brandis's first Budget as Attorney-General has shown his twisted priorities as Australia's First Law Officer by continuing to cut funding to legal assistance services.
George Brandis's first Budget as Attorney-General has shown his twisted priorities as Australia's First Law Officer by continuing to cut funding to legal assistance services.
Senator Brandis took office last year and immediately ripped millions of dollars from Legal Aid Commissions, Community Legal Centres, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services and Family Violence Prevention Legal Centres.
Yesterday Senator Brandis continued to reduce access to justice by ripping a further $15 million from Legal Aid Commissions.
Legal Aid Commissions provide vital assistance to disadvantaged Australians in a wide range of legal areas, including family, criminal and domestic violence matters.
Despite the desperate need of Legal Aid Commissions for additional funding to meet the needs of disadvantaged Australians, Senator Brandis has reversed the increases to Legal Aid provided by Labor last year.
Senator Brandis is an Attorney-General without a sense of justice.
Once again he has made himself conspicuous by the lasting damage he is doing to the values of equity and a fair go for Australians.
14 MAY, 2014
