❓ Hon Sue Ellery questions the Attorney General regarding funding for Midland Information, Debt and Legal Advocacy Service (MIDLAS) following the closure of the Legal Aid WA office in Midland. The Attorney General explains why MIDLAS has not historically received state funding, citing past reviews and an ongoing review considering the Legal Aid WA office closure.
AnsweredQoN 909Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
MIDLAND INFORMATION, DEBT AND LEGAL ADVOCACY SERVICE
909. Hon SUE ELLERY to the Attorney General:
(1) Following the closure of the Legal Aid WA office
in Midland, is Midland Information, Debt and Legal Advocacy Service Inc
receiving funding from the Department of the Attorney General to provide legal
aid?
(2) If not, why not?
909. Hon SUE ELLERY to the Attorney General:
(1) Following the closure of the Legal Aid WA office
in Midland, is Midland Information, Debt and Legal Advocacy Service Inc
receiving funding from the Department of the Attorney General to provide legal
aid?
(2) If not, why not?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1)–(2) The
Midland Information, Debt and Legal Advocacy Service Inc is one of the few
community legal centres that has never received state funding as part of the
state community legal centres funding program. The principal source of funding
for MIDLAS has been the Public Purposes Trust, administered by the Law Society
of Western Australia. The origins of this situation date back to 2003, when a review
of legal need in Western Australia identified those areas in greatest need of
community legal centre funding. At that time, there was insufficient funding
available to allocate community legal centre funding to the area serviced by
MIDLAS. A further review in 2009 reached a similar conclusion. Another review
is currently underway to determine the future distribution of state community
legal centre funding across the state. The closure of the Legal Aid WA office
in Midland is clearly a factor that will need to be taken into account as part
of the review.
some notice of the question.
(1)–(2) The
Midland Information, Debt and Legal Advocacy Service Inc is one of the few
community legal centres that has never received state funding as part of the
state community legal centres funding program. The principal source of funding
for MIDLAS has been the Public Purposes Trust, administered by the Law Society
of Western Australia. The origins of this situation date back to 2003, when a review
of legal need in Western Australia identified those areas in greatest need of
community legal centre funding. At that time, there was insufficient funding
available to allocate community legal centre funding to the area serviced by
MIDLAS. A further review in 2009 reached a similar conclusion. Another review
is currently underway to determine the future distribution of state community
legal centre funding across the state. The closure of the Legal Aid WA office
in Midland is clearly a factor that will need to be taken into account as part
of the review.
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