By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
NEW FEDERAL funding arrangements have “gagged” Barwon Community Legal Service, according to Member for Corio Richard Marles.
Mr Marles told parliament this week the “unfair and illogical” arrangements put greater pressure on limited resources.
“By prohibiting the use of federal funding for all forms of advocacy, the government is effectively attempting to gag our legal services,” he said.
“At the same time, since the Liberals have come to government the Barwon Community Legal Service has received large numbers of requests to provide submissions to a broad range of inquiries.
“On the one hand, the Abbott Government is seeking the expert advice of our community legal centres but on the other it does not want to listen to them.
“It makes no sense. I sincerely hope that the Abbott Government reconsiders this unfair and illogical funding arrangement.”
Mr Marles said services such as the legal service were best placed to draw on their specialist expertise and experience to advocate for law reforms.
“Restricting the Barwon Community Legal Service to only providing front-line services to clients simply does not make sense.”
Barwon Community Legal Service executive officer Nick Hudson said the new arrangements would increase stress on the delivery of frontline services and result in the inefficient use of resources.
“If you cannot fix the big things you need to keep patching up the little things, which ultimately is unsustainable,” he said.
