The Commonwealth Attorney-General has announced that cuts to legal aid, which were due to take effect from 1 July 2015, have been withdrawn.

On 26 March 2015, the Attorney-General, Senator the Hon George Brandis QC and the Minister Assisting the Prime Minster for Women, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash announced that the Federal Government would be providing certainty for the legal assistance sector by guaranteeing current funding levels for the next two years.

The cuts which were due to take effect on 1 July 2015 will no longer proceed after consultation with State and Territory Governments and service providers,  and following a national conversation about domestic and family violence which has increased in momentum.  The government has maintained that it wants to be  committed to ensuring to stopping the violence before it happens.

The restoration of funding to the current levels affects funding for Legal Aid Commissions, Community Legal Centres and Indigenous legal service providers.  It has been decided that there would be no reduction in Commonwealth funding to Legal Aid Commissions, Community Legal Centres (except Environmental Defenders Offices) and Indigenous legal assistance for the next two years.

Claire Naidu & Co are on the panel of solicitors for a number of state and territory legal aid offices.  If you have any legal questions, do not hesitate to contact one of our family lawyers who have experience in proceedings in the domestic violence and family violence protection jurisdictions.