THE HON MARK DREYFUS QC MP
SHADOW ATTORNEY-GENERAL
SHADOW MINISTER FOR THE ARTS
MEMBER FOR ISAACS
MEDIA RELEASE
BRANDIS MUST LISTEN TO STATE AND TERRITORY AGS
Labor welcomes the call by all State and Territory Attorney's-General for the Abbott Government to reconsider their current proposal for a national funding agreement for legal assistance.
It is extraordinary that Attorney's-General from across Australia, Liberal and Labor have united to condemn Senator Brandis cuts to Legal Aid, Community Legal Centres and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Legal Services.
The Abbott Government's cuts to the legal assistance sector are already being felt by the most vulnerable Australians.
Cuts to Community Legal Centres mean the assistance available to families experiencing domestic violence has already been affected.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Centres who do invaluable work in Indigenous communities have also had their funding cut.
This week Labor committed almost $50 million to frontline legal services, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services to ensure women suffering from family violence get the legal support they need.
Senator Brandis must provide funding allocations to the States and Territories by the end of the month.
Any further delay will increase uncertainty to a sector already struggling because of Liberal cuts.
Senator Brandis must also commit to no further cuts in the upcoming Budget.
SATURDAY, 7 MARCH 2015
