A new roadmap setting out how the State will support the legal assistance of people experiencing vulnerability and disadvantage has been released by the Attorney General, John Quigley.
Mr Quigley said the roadmap sets out how Western Australia will ensure people living anywhere in the State will have access to appropriate and timely legal assistance under the Legal Assistance Strategy 2022-25.
He said the publicly available strategy is a requirement of a National Legal Assistance Partnership (NLAP) which has been agreed between the Commonwealth, States and Territories.
He said that as part of the strategy, the Department of Justice was working with the legal assistance sector to map the services required across WA, and identify and respond to unmet legal needs.
“I welcome the publication of this strategy, which sets out how Western Australia will support the delivery of legal assistance services,” Mr Quigley said.
“The strategy seeks to ensure that people experiencing disadvantage are able to access appropriate and timely legal assistance no matter where they live,” he said.
“It’s the first time that the State and WA legal assistance sector has been considered as a whole, which will benefit the delivery of high quality and culturally appropriate services.”
Federal Attorney General, Mark Dreyfus said legal assistance services played a vital role helping disadvantaged Australians have access to justice.
“This strategy will help provide this assistance to the people who need it most and the Commonwealth looks forward to working with the States and Territories on these issues to assist those in greatest need,” Mr Dreyfus said.
Mr Quigley said it is the first time the State, in partnership with WA’s legal assistance sector, has formally documented a whole-of-sector approach to the delivery of services to vulnerable people.
He said an action plan was currently being developed in consultation with the sector and other relevant stakeholders to set out how the strategy will be implemented and its outcomes measured.
The strategy is now available on this PS News link.
