THE HON MARK DREYFUS KC MP
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
CABINET SECRETARY
MEMBER FOR ISAACS
A new National Access to Justice Partnership
Today at the Standing Council of Attorneys-General (SCAG) meeting in Melbourne, Attorneys-General agreed to the terms of the new $3.9 billion National Access to Justice Partnership (NAJP), delivering a critical increase of $800 million in funding over five years from 2025-26 to the legal assistance sector.
The new NAJP is the largest investment from the Commonwealth in legal assistance ever.
The increased and ongoing funding will ensure essential frontline services can operate more effectively and help the most vulnerable in our community, including people experiencing family, domestic and sexual violence.
The new NAJP will provide:
- $558 million for Community Legal Centres and $276 million for Women’s Legal Services, a total of $833 million which is an increase of $354 million or 74% from the previous agreement
- $367 million for Family Violence Prevention and Legal Services, an increase of $193 million or 112% from the Indigenous Advancement Strategy
- $838 million for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services, an increase of $326 million or 64% from the previous agreement, and
- $1.785 billion for Legal Aid Commissions, an increase of $342 million or 24%.
The landmark access to justice agreement will:
- Quarantine funding for individual parts of the legal assistance sector, providing greater certainty to legal assistance providers across Australia
- Reduce pay disparity between community legal services and Legal Aid Commissions, enabling community legal services to recruit and retain lawyers
- Index funding to respond to changing economic conditions, meaning funding will no longer go backwards in real terms
- Simplify funding streams to reduce fragmentation and administrative burden on services
- Support progress under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap and deliver on essential long-term outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
- Prescribe governance and accountability requirements to ensure legal assistance services are providing value for money and run in an accountable and responsible way.
The NAJP will commence on expiry of the current National Legal Assistance Partnership (NLAP) on 30 June 2025.
The Commonwealth has committed to ongoing funding for the NAJP beyond the five-year life of the agreement. This provides stability and financial security for staff and ensures services are able to plan for the future.
I thank Dr Warren Mundy for his review of the NLAP which informed the new agreement.
I also acknowledge the legal assistance sector for its contribution to the agreement. Legal assistance providers work tirelessly to ensure access to justice and equality before the law for all Australians.
I also thank all jurisdictions and my fellow Attorneys-General for their commitment to this agreement that will ensure their communities continue to get the legal help they need.
The Standing Council of Attorneys-General Communique can be found here.
The NAJP will be published by 30 November 2024 and will come into effect on 1 July 2025.
Friday, 22 November 2024
