Wednesday, 6 December, 2017

Harriet Shing, Member for Eastern Victoria Region today announced Anglicare Victoria will receive a $191,292 funding boost as part of a grants program under the Andrews Labor Government.

The $191,292 of funding over two years will help Anglicare Victoria to provide vital legal assistance to vulnerable and disadvantaged people in Gippsland.

Anglicare will use the funding to:
• Employ a family violence lawyer at two days a week over two years to provide legal assistance and representation to Korumburra and Wonthaggi Magistrates’ courts, as well as family violence community legal education and professional legal education in the shires of South Gippsland and Bass Coast – $95,646
.
• Increase access to an awareness of family violence related legal services in the East Gippsland area for two year. This will include restoring the provision of a duty lawyer service in the Bairnsdale and Sale Courts for family violence matters, alongside a series of Community legal education sessions to remote and isolated communities – $95,646

Anglicare is one of 38 community legal centres across Victoria to successfully apply for a grant under the funding programs, including the Community Legal Centre Assistance Fund, the Family Violence Duty Lawyer Fund, and the Community Legal Centre Family Violence Fund.

The grants – totaling $8.9 million – will help support more than 100,000 Victorians each year with free advice and support on a range of legal matters including family violence proceedings and family law disputes.

The Victorian Budget 2017/18 provided $24.8 million in new funding to help community legal centres across the state to deliver critical legal services and advice to Victorians.

Quotes attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria, Harriet Shing:

“We’re proud to be delivering this funding to Anglicare because it will help to improve access to legal services in our community and deliver more support to those who need it most.”

“I congratulate Anglicare on their successful application, and thank them for its hard work and dedication to the Gippsland community.”

Quotes attributable to Attorney-General Martin Pakula:

“The Andrews Labor Government is making access to justice easier and fairer by supporting community legal centres across the state.”

“This funding will help community legal centres to deliver more family violence and legal support services to vulnerable and disadvantaged Victorians.”