The Law Council of Australia has urged the country’s legislators to prioritize increased funding for legal aid services in the forthcoming 2024-2025 budget deliberations. Greg McIntyre, the council’s president, has stressed the urgency of this action, citing the dire need within the legal assistance sector and the dependence of many Australians on its services.
As part of the budget planning process, the Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones and Minister for Financial Services Katy Gallagher have invited the wider public, business entities, and community groups to share their thoughts on the priorities. The government aims to use this budget to continue supporting Australians and to establish a solid base for a more robust, inclusive, and sustainable economy.
The council’s pre-budget submission demonstrates a particular focus on those facing adversity, including senior Australians, those with disabilities, women, and children impacted by family violence, asylum seekers, and indigenous Australians. McIntyre has articulated a belief that these disadvantaged groups, who often have complex legal requirements, deserve greater attention when it comes to legal access.
In addition, the Australian Attorney-general, Mark Dreyfus, has spoken at the National Access to Justice and Pro Bono Conference about the broader implications of barriers to justice, which serve to perpetuate poverty and marginalization.
The current funding under the National Legal Assistance Partnership (NLAP) is, according to the Law Council, “half of what is needed to meet demands on the legal assistance sector”. This is particularly significant given the 13.4 percent of Australians who live below the poverty line and those who are not eligible for legal aid but cannot afford private legal fees.
The council released a report in June 2021 shedding light on this group, who are caught between not qualifying for legal aid and being unable to afford private representation – the so-called “missing middle.”
The budget will be finalized by the treasurer in June. For more, visit The Jurist website.