The Andrews Labor Government is making access to legal services fairer with a $8.9 million boost for Victorian community legal centres.

Funding grants have been allocated to 38 individual community legal centres who successfully applied for grants under the Community Legal Centre Assistance Fund, the Family Violence Duty Lawyer Fund, and the Community Legal Centre Family Violence Fund.

Community legal centres deliver vital assistance – including free legal advice and access to support services – to disadvantaged and vulnerable people.

The grants will help support more than 100,000 Victorians each year with a range of legal matters including family violence proceedings, family law disputes and fines.

In total:

• 35 community legal centres will share in almost $3.46 million under the Community Legal Centre Family Violence Fund to help provide support to family violence victims and improved access to legal services
• 34 community legal centres will share in almost $3.37 million under the Community Legal Centre Assistance Fund to support critical programs and free legal services for vulnerable Victorians who can’t afford a lawyer
• 21 community legal centres will share in almost $2.08 million under the Family Violence Duty Lawyer Fund to provide specialist family violence duty lawyers in Magistrates’ Courts.

The Peninsula Community Legal Centre received a total of $300,000 under the grants program and will use the funding to continue to employ a lawyer for its Fines Clinic. It will also allow the centre to continue to provide family violence duty lawyer services at the Frankston Magistrates’ Court, and establish a partnership with Peninsula Health to deliver integrated services for people experiencing family violence and elder abuse.

The Victorian Budget 2017/18 provided $24.8 million in new funding to help community legal centres to deliver critical legal services and advice to disadvantaged Victorians.

Quotes attributable to Attorney-General Martin Pakula

“The Andrews Labor Government is making access to justice easier and fairer by supporting community legal centres across the state.”

“This funding will help community legal centres to deliver more family violence and legal support services to vulnerable and disadvantaged Victorians.”

“I congratulate each of the recipients on their successful application and thank each of them for their hard work and dedication to the Victorian community.”

Quote attributable to Member for Frankston Paul Edbrooke

“We’re proud to be delivering this funding to the Peninsula Community Legal Centre because it will help to improve access to legal services in our community and deliver more support to those who need it most.”