Christmas has come early for Queensland’s Community Legal Centres with the Attorney-General this week announcing a $142 million funding uplift for the sector.
Community Legal Centres Queensland Director Rosslyn Monro said the injection of funding comes at a critical time.
“Queensland Community Legal Centres are currently stretched to the limit and turn away more the 80,000 people each year because of limited resources and staffing shortages,” she said.
“This funding uplift gives centres funding security for the next five years and means they are in more stable position to recruit and retain staff.
“We have long advocated for the increased funding for community legal centres and we sincerely thank the Attorney-General and the Department of Justice for this uplift.”
Ms Monro said Queensland’s 32 Community Legal Centres play a vital role in ensuring all Queenslanders—regardless of income—can access justice.
“Community Legal Centres address critical legal challenges that impact people’s lives, such as domestic violence, housing insecurity, family law, debt, and elder abuse. They contribute significantly to a fairer, safer Queensland, especially for vulnerable communities.”
While individual centres are still waiting for clarification on the exact amount of funding they will receive, the funding uplift has been warmly welcomed by the sector.
Gold Coast Community Legal Centre CEO Tanya Diessel said there was a significant demand for services on the Gold Coast.
“Community legal centre lawyers are on the frontline and navigating the hurdles facing people who are experiencing disadvantage and vulnerability. This can take a toll on people’s mental wellbeing and this increased funding will ensure staff working in the sector are fairly compensated for the work they do, “she said.
Karen Dyhrberg, the CEO at LawRight – a State-side service which helps people involved in complex court proceedings, or facing homelessness and disadvantage, said while the cost-of-living crisis has hit clients the hardest but also impacts the centre’s staff.
“We have dedicated lawyers and support staff but it’s hard to stay in a sector that is paid less than Legal Aid and has constant funding uncertainty,” she said.
“LawRight has had to pause intake of new clients into our Court and Tribunal Services for months at a time while we tried to recruit, and we haven’t been able to assist every one of the homeless young people who sought our services, because we were overwhelmed with demand.
“This new injection of funding will give now give us a little breathing space, help us retain our valuable staff and mean will can help more vulnerable Queenslanders.”
Marla Edwards, CEO at Suncoast Community Legal Service also welcomed the funding.
“This additional funding recognises the essential work done by our lawyers and means we can continue to provide a quality free legal service to the Suncoast community,” she said.
“Funding our service ensures justice is accessible for everyone on the coast especially our most vulnerable and disadvantaged clients with a high proportion of clients experiencing domestic violence related need.”
Ms Monro said she was meeting with Attorney-General later this month and looks forward to working together on a fairer and safer Queensland.
Click here to read the Attorney-General’s media release.