Domestic violence breakthrough: funding boost to volunteer lawyers

THE LNP is promising to inject $600,000 into a volunteer legal centre which is in the frontline of helping families caught in the Gold Coast’s domestic violence crisis.

THE LNP is promising to inject $600,000 into an “essential” volunteer legal centre for domestic violence victims that had survived on money from sausage sizzles.

LNP Leader Deb Frecklington said the funding for the Robina-based My Community Legal

would extend the legal support and advice for vulnerable people in the city’s south.

Mudgeeraba MP Ros Bates and Currumbin MP Laura Gerber talking about the LNP's new domestic violence policy.

In a series of reports on the Coast’s DV murders in 2016, the Bulletin detailed how the service, swamped by calls for help, was surviving on money from sausage sizzles.

Ms Frecklington told the Bulletin: “The volunteers at My Community Legal do an incredible job supporting domestic violence victims who have no-one else to turn to.

“However, the service does not receive any funding from the State Government. If the LNP wins the next state election, this valuable legal service will receive public funding so that it can expand and improve the support it offers to the southern Gold Coast.

“The LNP will support the people who support victims. No-one should have to live in an abusive or violent relationship.”

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My Community Legal’s Ross Lee leading the team of volunteers. Pic John Gass.

My Community Legal president Ross Lee said the LNP DV plan provided legal certainty and the service would apply the resources to where they were most needed.

“My Community Legal sincerely thanks the LNP, led by Deb Frecklington and Shadow Minister Ros Bates for their commitment of $600,000 funding over four years if LNP wins the next state election. LNP Parliamentarians are long-time supporters,” he said.

“Demand for our services is huge and growing. This injection will pay for a desperately needed full time principal lawyer, co-ordinator, support staff and office costs.

“Our volunteers have already changed over 7,000 lives since our inception in 2014. The unmet need for legal assistance is vast in Gold Coast and we can leverage so many more pro bono lawyers with a little help from state government.

“Everyone knows someone affected by domestic violence. And those people are not only adults but also vulnerable children that are too often put in harm’s way. The human and economic costs are vast and enduring.”

Ms Bates has been a longstanding supporter of the centre which relies on the pro bono work of law students from Bond University and Griffith University.

Earlier discussions about funding — Ross Lee with then Councillor Jan Grew, Rebecca Gee and Ros Bates. Pic John Gass.

“Sadly, there is huge local demand for this service from DV victims,” she said.

“DV victims are usually desperate and frightened. They need expert advice and help to

ensure they and their children can be safe.”

The LNP’s funding support for the centre would be across four years.

Ms Bates recently wrote to Federal Attorney General Christian Porter asking if the Commonwealth could intervene.

“The clinic’s running costs constrict their consultation time,” she wrote. “In fact, they are only able to open one night per week with a queue for legal advice stretching right down the street. A lack of other services means people come from all over the Coast to access the centre.”

In his response, Mr Porter said the Commonwealth was providing $2 billion across five years as part of its national legal partnership, $443 million of which was given to Queensland.

“However, I am unable to intervene in State decisions about the allocation of legal assistance funding,” he said.