Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Childcare and Early Childhood Learning) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to take this opportunity to present a petition from residents in my electorate of Farrer—more specifically in the far west of New South Wales.

The petition read as follows—

To the Honourable The Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives

This petition of the citizens who live in or support the communities of Far West New South Wales, including Broken Hill, Wilcannia, Wentworth, Ivanhoe, Menindee and other centres, draws to the attention of the House of Representatives the critical funding shortfall affecting the Far West Community Legal Centre (FWCLC). The community is concerned that this financial shortfall will result in an acute reduction, or cessation, of localised and outreach legal service provision.

The removal of face-to-face legal services places unnecessary strain on persons already suffering from disadvantage; the removal of such services would be devastating for remote and isolated residents of the Far West.

In order to continue with the provision of such services, the FWCLC seeks recurrent, annual funding of $433,000 as part of the Commonwealth Community Legal Service Program (CLSP).

We therefore ask the House to consider the face-to-face legal needs of the communities of Far West of New South Wales and to pledge that sufficient funding levels are provided for the continuation of appropriate service provision by the Far West Community Legal Centre.

from 772 citizens

Petition received.

These 772 signatures essentially seek to ensure sufficient ongoing funding is provided to the Far West Community Legal Centre for it to perform a vital role in our community. The petition asks us to re-accept a very important right which both the Law Foundation and this parliament already formally recognise, and that is that all persons, regardless of means, have access to high-quality legal services or effective dispute resolution mechanisms to protect their rights and interests.

This right is being taken away by chronic underfunding which is not enough to meet the yearly local demand on the centre's small number of staff. It is a demand which comes from a community ranking among the highest in New South Wales for people living in relative socioeconomic disadvantage. This includes people on a disability support pension or Centrelink benefit, those accessing social housing. It is also a region that suffers from a high percentage of domestic violence.

After writing to the federal Attorney-General in February this year, earlier this month the minister granted a one-off funding injection of $215,000 in order for the legal centre to continue its face-to-face and outreach services. On behalf of our community I want to recognise the Attorney's announcement and thank him for making up the temporary shortfall. This petition, which commenced before that stop-gap funding, asks us to now take the next step—to ensure there is a sufficient combination of Commonwealth and state funding. (Time expired)

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