2017-02-22
Ms DUNN (Eastern Metropolitan) — The Eastern Community Legal Centre (ECLC) provides clients with free and confidential legal advice from a community lawyer. They provide a range of services not limited to family law, domestic violence, fines and infringements, tenancy issues, debt, consumer affairs issues and minor criminal matters. They also provide an important referral service for other areas of law. Many of the Eastern Community Legal Centre's clients are vulnerable, as they are low-income earners, have compelling circumstances such as mental health issues or are otherwise challenged by the intricacies of the legal process. The ECLC served 3211 clients in
2015–16 yet had to turn many more away due to insufficient funding.
The ECLC provides services throughout my electorate of Eastern Metropolitan Region through three offices, the most recently established being the Yarra Ranges Community Legal Centre in Healesville.
Like other community legal service providers across the country, the ECLC is affected by funding cuts imposed by federal Attorney-General George Brandis, with cuts taking federal funding from $42 million to $30 million. State funding is critical to make up the gap. However, clients of legal services find themselves caught in the crossfire between federal and state agencies. The state does not want to budge on the funding deficit in order to emphasise the cruelty of Mr Brandis's cuts.
The action I seek is that the Attorney-General, Martin Pakula, address the funding gap for Victoria's community legal service and that a long-term funding solution be developed as part of the 2017–18 state budget.