- Legal Aid in short supply
- By Milanda Rout
- The Herald Sun
- 03/10/2003 Make a Comment
- Contributed by: admin ( 75 articles in 2003 )
RESEARCH has shown a link between legal aid funding cuts and the number of people representing themselves in the Family Court.
The body that sponsored the study, National Legal Aid, found funding for the service was far too low.
The Griffith University study interviewed 495 people who represented themselves in the Family Court across Australia.
National Legal Aid chairman Norman Reaburn said the study found that people were forced to represent themselves for two reasons. Firstly, there was not enough legal aid money to help everyone who applied.
He said the other cause of the shortfall was because the means test for help was too low.
"We now have a group of people who are not eligible for a grant of legal aid, but are unable to afford private representation,'' Mr Reaburn said.
He called on the Federal Government to increase funding to legal aid.
The body that sponsored the study, National Legal Aid, found funding for the service was far too low.
The Griffith University study interviewed 495 people who represented themselves in the Family Court across Australia.
National Legal Aid chairman Norman Reaburn said the study found that people were forced to represent themselves for two reasons. Firstly, there was not enough legal aid money to help everyone who applied.
He said the other cause of the shortfall was because the means test for help was too low.
"We now have a group of people who are not eligible for a grant of legal aid, but are unable to afford private representation,'' Mr Reaburn said.
He called on the Federal Government to increase funding to legal aid.
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