❓ Hon Sue Ellery questions the Attorney General regarding Legal Aid WA referrals in Fremantle and Midland after office closures, specifically the number of cases briefed out to the private sector and community legal centres. The Attorney General's response indicates data limitations and reliance on private lawyers.
AnsweredQoN 960Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
LEGAL AID WA — REFERRALS
960. Hon SUE ELLERY to the Attorney General:
I refer to the closure of Legal Aid
WA offices in Fremantle and Midland. In 2016 to date, how many cases in each of
those areas were briefed out to the private sector and how many to local
community legal centres?
960. Hon SUE ELLERY to the Attorney General:
I refer to the closure of Legal Aid
WA offices in Fremantle and Midland. In 2016 to date, how many cases in each of
those areas were briefed out to the private sector and how many to local
community legal centres?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
Legal Aid Western Australia has
informed me that it does not maintain readily accessible records on the number
of matters assigned to private practitioners according to locality. This task
would require a significant data retrieval effort. Legal Aid WA, like all legal
aid commissions across the nation, relies on the private legal profession for
the delivery of the majority of services provided under a grant of legal aid.
In 2014–15, which was the final year of operation of the Midland and
Fremantle offices of Legal Aid WA, 70.84 per cent of legally aided matters were
provided by private lawyers. In 2015–16, the year following the closure
of the offices at Midland and Fremantle, 67.71 per cent of legally aided
matters were provided by private lawyers. Legal Aid Western Australia has never
referred grant of aid matters to community legal centres.
some notice of the question.
Legal Aid Western Australia has
informed me that it does not maintain readily accessible records on the number
of matters assigned to private practitioners according to locality. This task
would require a significant data retrieval effort. Legal Aid WA, like all legal
aid commissions across the nation, relies on the private legal profession for
the delivery of the majority of services provided under a grant of legal aid.
In 2014–15, which was the final year of operation of the Midland and
Fremantle offices of Legal Aid WA, 70.84 per cent of legally aided matters were
provided by private lawyers. In 2015–16, the year following the closure
of the offices at Midland and Fremantle, 67.71 per cent of legally aided
matters were provided by private lawyers. Legal Aid Western Australia has never
referred grant of aid matters to community legal centres.
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