Glenn Lazarus (Queensland, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

The Abbott government promised to take care of our First Australians but, unfortunately, like so many other promises made they have broken this one, as well. Today, I am specifically speaking in relation to Aboriginal legal services. The Abbott government is cutting funding to Aboriginal legal services across the country by $13.4 million over two years, effective from 1 July this year. Aboriginal legal services play a vital role in providing First Australians with relevant and meaningful legal support. Services are based across the country and provide criminal, civil and family law services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their families, among other educational preventative and support services. These services are already provided under the restricted funding arrangements, and service providers have managed to deliver significant value far beyond their budgetary means.

Given the nature of Aboriginal legal services, 80 per cent of operating costs are expended in staff salary costs. The majority of services are legal services provided by practitioners who spend time working one-on-one with First Australians and travelling around the countryside to undertake their role. This means the only way Aboriginal legal services across the country can work within the funding cuts from 1 July is to cut front-line staff, close offices and reduce services. Forty-five per cent of staff across Aboriginal legal services are First Australians. The service is an important employer of First Australians and provides a key role in supporting professional development, career advancement and financial security among the First Australian community.

The Abbott government is not only cutting services to First Australians but it is also taking jobs away from First Australians. It will be First Australians who suffer in every way as a result of these harsh and unnecessary cuts. I have consulted with the community, and the overwhelming feedback is that the cuts to Aboriginal legal services will be severe and will have far reaching and negative consequences. Already, staff around the country employed by Aboriginal legal services are scared and worried about losing their jobs. Staff with experience and understanding of the sector are leaving in search of other employment, morale is low and people have no idea whether they will have a job come 1 July this year. Staff are worried sick about how they are going to pay their mortgages, feed their kids and pay their bills.

Cuts to legal services will involve direct cuts to front-line services, including legal officers who travel to remote communities. This will affect the most disadvantaged in our country. My home state of Queensland covers a large area, including many remote areas. First Australians located in remote areas will be hurt the most as the Aboriginal legal services are the only form of legal support they are able to access. As a result, First Australians in remote communities will be left with no legal support.

First Australians already suffer high incarceration rates. Cutting front-line services means First Australians will no longer be able to access legal help. Courts will clog up and grind to a halt. People will be left to wait in jail cells longer until their cases are heard due to a lack of legal representation. Incarceration rates will skyrocket. Incredibly, at present, Aboriginal legal services across the country still have no idea what their budgets are going to be for the next financial year. While cuts have been announced by the Abbott government, state offices have not yet been formally advised of their forward budgets. Managers are unable to plan or make commitments to staff.

I call on the Abbott government to reverse budget cuts to Aboriginal legal services. Our First Australians deserve better. Living in a remote community is not a lifestyle choice, it is life for Indigenous communities. The Abbott government should respect this and show greater empathy and cooperation towards First Australians and immediately reinstate funding to Australia's Aboriginal legal services.