The onus is now on the Tasmanian Liberal Government to fund Tasmania’s Community Legal Centres in light of funding cuts in the Federal budget.
"Properly funding CLCs is an equity measure to provide access to legal services from which vulnerable people may otherwise be excluded,” Greens Justice spokesperson Nick McKim MP said.
“The latest cut of $6 million announced in the Abbott Federal Budget is on top of a huge $43.1 million in cuts announced last December.”
“These funding cuts will clearly disadvantage many in the community from accessing legal assistance and participate in law reform advocacy.”
“CLC clients are often at crisis point in matters such as employment, family violence, family law, debt, tenancy or environmental issues.”
“I urge the Attorney-General to ensure that CLCs in Tasmania are adequately funded in the upcoming August state budget so that disadvantaged Tasmanians have better access to justice,” Mr McKim said.