🗞️Legal Aid Commissions Need $317 Million Annually to Address Domestic Violence

4 women and 2 men smiling

National Legal Aid is asking the government to quickly fund Legal Aid Commissions to help them tackle domestic violence across Australia, given the current crisis. They say that $317 million a year is needed to meet demand for help.

This comes as the national rallies against gendered violence show that the community wants more to be done. As one of the main providers of legal assistance services to victim-survivors, Legal Aid Commissions understand this call.

Legal assistance services, including Legal Aid Commissions, are essential in addressing the crisis by helping thousands of women and children experiencing domestic and family violence across Australia. Having access to legal aid can stop violence from continuing and keep women safe.

Melanie Alexander, a Legal Aid NSW domestic violence unit senior solicitor, said that she was seeing a clear increase in demand for services on the ground.

“As a duty solicitor on any given day I see between six to 10 clients, and most of these women present with a real risk of harm to themselves or their children,” she said. “It is clear to us the scale of the problem with the amount of people seeking help.

“The volume of clients accessing our service continues to increase on a daily basis. I have noticed women presenting with more and more complex issues – often requiring help with an ADVO,  as well as housing, debt and parenting issues – and they need more of our time.”

Meanwhile, Community Legal Centres Australia released data from its recent sector survey showing that 78% or four in five community legal services across the country provide domestic and family violence support and/or family law services. Family law matters, including separation arrangements and custody of children, are common barriers to women leaving unsafe situations.

Their analysis has also revealed that an additional $125 million is required in the 2024 Federal Budget to guarantee that services can keep their programs open while a new national funding agreement is negotiated over the next 12 months. Their data shows that community legal services nationally are forced to turn away 1,000 people every day due to a funding shortfall that is driving a workforce shortage of over 2,000 staff nationally.

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Women's Legal Services Australia's chair, Elena Rosenman, said that the group had asked for an extra $25 million in funding for women's legal services across Australia in the next Federal Budget.

"Lawyers who help women are an important part of the legal, social, and economic safety nett for women who are in trouble."

Women who have been victims of gender-based violence need to know what their legal options are, get help and advice from a lawyer, and be able to handle the increased safety risks that often come up during legal proceedings. Our services can provide this kind of help if they have enough and safe funding."

Communities all over Australia are telling their governments that they need to do something. These people want women who are victims of family, domestic, or sexual violence to be able to get the help they need.

This year, we estimate 52,000 women in crisis will be turned away from our doors, due to a lack of ongoing and sustainable funding from the Federal Government. 

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