By NOEL MURPHY
TIGHTER access to free legal aid is denying Geelong people advice, clogging courts and curbing lawyers’ ability to answer rising numbers of calls for help, according to a provider.
Barwon Community Legal Service said it was being bombarded with requests for assistance but was increasingly unable to help.
Stricter state law-and-order policies were behind the pressure, driving a blowout in legal aid costs and subsequent tighter guidelines for help, said legal service executive officer Nick Hudson.
“Over the last 12 months there has certainly been a direct result with people not accessing legal aid,” Mr Hudson told the Independent.
“We’ve seen a significant increase in inquiries across the whole spectrum of legal matters.
“We don’t do all the things Legal Aid does but we try to help people, refer them to people who do, but there are a lot fewer options now.
“People can still get Legal Aid grants for criminal stuff but local family law money has almost completely dried up.
“Legal Aid still does some family work but most private lawyers in Geelong are not taking on family law work. Private lawyer grants used to be (available) for a lot of people.”
Mr Hudson said the legal aid cash crisis had burdened many people with considerable stress.
People were going to court unrepresented, magistrates were spending inordinate time explaining processes to litigants in conflict situations and some cases were ending up chaotic, he said.
Private lawyers told the Independent Legal Aid assistance had become virtually impossible to obtain, with numerous clients forced to attend court without appropriate representation.
The Independent was unable to obtain comment from Legal Aid’s Geelong or Melbourne offices.
Geelong Law Association had not replied to a call for comment before the Independent went to press.
