September 24, 2015
First decision of Cabinet on family violence a positive step but falls short for women seeking legal help to stay safe
This morning’s announcement of a package of initiatives to tackle family violence, reflecting the first Cabinet decision of the Turnbull Government, is a positive indication of a greater focus on family violence but will still leave thousands of women without family violence legal help, according to the Federation of Community Legal Centres.
READ MORESeptember 15, 2015
New leadership needed to end family violence
The appointment of Malcolm Turnbull as prime minister will be an empty change unless the Federal Government matches its claimed commitment to end family violence with action to fund services and respect their right to advocate.
READ MOREAugust 24, 2015
Community legal centres gather for national conference as new figures reveal severe impact of Federal Government cuts in Victoria
As community legal centres from around Australia converge on Melbourne for their national conference this week, the full impact of Federal Government cuts has been revealed by new figures showing the projected funding for Victorian centres through to 2019–20.
READ MOREAugust 12, 2015
Legal help with family violence reaches more women when community legal centres partner with hospitals, royal commission will hear
In its Wednesday public hearing, the Royal Commission into Family Violence will hear that free legal help with family violence reaches more women when community legal centres partner with hospitals. The commission will hear evidence on Acting on the Warning Signs, a project in which Inner Melbourne Community Legal (IMCL) provides free legal help to women at the Royal Women’s Hospital.
READ MOREAugust 05, 2015
Shine a light on ‘patchwork’ family violence legal system, community legal peak tells royal commission
Victoria’s family violence legal system offers a ‘patchwork response’ that is sometimes dangerously threadbare through poorly funded legal help, inconsistent specialisation and insufficient risk management, the Royal Commission into Family Violence will hear this Wednesday (5 August) in evidence to be presented by the Federation of Community Legal Centres.
READ MOREJuly 06, 2015
Legal services agreement signed amid serious ongoing concerns for community legal clients
A new National Partnership Agreement on Legal Assistance Services between state, territory and federal governments has been signed amid serious ongoing concerns over a failure to fully fund the justice gap, the impact of a significant national funding cut in 2017–18, and restrictions on advocacy campaigns by community legal centres on policy and law reform issues.
READ MOREJune 25, 2015
Royal commission vital to family violence response, community lawyers say
A submission released today by the State peak for Victoria’s 50 community legal centres has made more than 60 recommendations to the Royal Commission into Family Violence.
READ MOREJune 05, 2015
Vulnerability set to rise as Federal Government redefines legal need
The media spotlight on the 2015 Federal Budget may have dimmed, but its full impacts on the vulnerable are still very much on the line for those seeking free legal help.
June 02, 2015
“Savings” from means-testing free legal help will increase the risk for women facing family violence
A Federal Government proposal to means test free legal help from community legal centres will increase the risk for women facing family violence, according to the Federation of Community Legal Centres.
READ MOREMay 25, 2015
New restrictions on who can be helped will worsen the impact of deep cuts to community legal centres
The impact of deep Federal Budget cuts to free legal assistance will be increased by proposed new restrictions on who community legal centres can help under a new funding agreement, according to the Federation of Community Legal Centres, the State peak for 50 community legal centres in Victoria.
READ MORE