The Australian Legal Assistance Sector and the Critical Importance of Justice to Human Lives

Abstract

In February 2017, I was invited to be an ‘expert adviser’ for the Law Council of Australia’s (LCA) ‘Justice Project’. I was initially reticent. Senate Inquiries (2004; 2009; 2015), reviews, a survey in Australia of the overloaded Legal Assistance Sector (Allen’s Review 2011; 2012 Australia-wide Law Survey; Productivity Commission 2016; Victorian Justice Department 2017) saw poor government responsiveness and funding. I have written previously on this Blog and for the International Legal Aid Group, on this. An exception was a small funding reversal in 2017, previously unheard of, for family violence services, but, only after the government had left itself exposed on family violence in Australia after a cross- sector successful campaign. Still however, there is a significant shortfall. Show more