❓ Mr Bradshaw raises concerns about the disparity in lawyer-to-population ratio between the Peel Region and Bunbury, questioning the Minister's plans to attract more legal professionals to Peel. The Minister's response outlines efforts to establish a Community Legal Centre and the Peel Development Commission's strategy to attract professionals, including lawyers, to the region.
AnsweredQoN 1363Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
The Peel Region stretches from Byford in the north to Waroona in the south and Boddington in the west. Are you aware that for the population of approximately 76,000 people there are only nine lawyers servicing the region? Bunbury has a population of approximately 29,000 people and there are 30 lawyers servicing the Bunbury area. What will the Minister and the Department do to attract Solicitors/Lawyers into the Peel Region?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
28 March 2002
Responded by
Minister for Justice and Legal Affairs
Response time
37 days
There has been a concerted effort over some years to try to establish a Community Legal Centre in Mandurah. At present Legal Aid is provided with the assistance of the Citizen's Advice Bureau and through the Courts system. With the commitment of the City of Mandurah, which invested funds into a review of the legal needs of the community and potential models, a volunteer-based Community Legal Centre has now been established. The Centre has managed to attract pro-bono services from local lawyers and assistance from outside the region. It is hoped that this will increase the profile of needs in the region and lead to the attraction of additional services into the region. The Centre expects to be operating on a voluntary basis for the next 12 months to demonstrate the demand and local commitment but then will actively seek funding as a formal Community Legal Centre. The Peel Development Commission, as part of its business attraction strategy, will target and encourage a range of professionals to establish businesses in the Peel region. The target will include solicitors/lawyers. Solicitors/lawyers work on a commercial basis and need to be assured of a viable business, without creating undue competition for existing services. The region has already been increasing the profile of the need in legal matters and this resulted in the commencement of an additional solicitors practice at the end of last year.
The Centre has managed to attract pro-bono services from local lawyers and assistance from outside the region. It is hoped that this will increase the profile of needs in the region and lead to the attraction of additional services into the region. The Centre expects to be operating on a voluntary basis for the next 12 months to demonstrate the demand and local commitment but then will actively seek funding as a formal Community Legal Centre. The Peel Development Commission, as part of its business attraction strategy, will target and encourage a range of professionals to establish businesses in the Peel region. The target will include solicitors/lawyers. Solicitors/lawyers work on a commercial basis and need to be assured of a viable business, without creating undue competition for existing services. The region has already been increasing the profile of the need in legal matters and this resulted in the commencement of an additional solicitors practice at the end of last year.
The Peel Development Commission, as part of its business attraction strategy, will target and encourage a range of professionals to establish businesses in the Peel region. The target will include solicitors/lawyers. Solicitors/lawyers work on a commercial basis and need to be assured of a viable business, without creating undue competition for existing services. The region has already been increasing the profile of the need in legal matters and this resulted in the commencement of an additional solicitors practice at the end of last year.
The Centre has managed to attract pro-bono services from local lawyers and assistance from outside the region. It is hoped that this will increase the profile of needs in the region and lead to the attraction of additional services into the region. The Centre expects to be operating on a voluntary basis for the next 12 months to demonstrate the demand and local commitment but then will actively seek funding as a formal Community Legal Centre. The Peel Development Commission, as part of its business attraction strategy, will target and encourage a range of professionals to establish businesses in the Peel region. The target will include solicitors/lawyers. Solicitors/lawyers work on a commercial basis and need to be assured of a viable business, without creating undue competition for existing services. The region has already been increasing the profile of the need in legal matters and this resulted in the commencement of an additional solicitors practice at the end of last year.
The Peel Development Commission, as part of its business attraction strategy, will target and encourage a range of professionals to establish businesses in the Peel region. The target will include solicitors/lawyers. Solicitors/lawyers work on a commercial basis and need to be assured of a viable business, without creating undue competition for existing services. The region has already been increasing the profile of the need in legal matters and this resulted in the commencement of an additional solicitors practice at the end of last year.
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