Both funding options were provided primarily for front-line service delivery to meet the legal needs of people in communities affected by the bushfires. A client-centred approach, drawing on consumer advice and feedback, ensures that legal services are tailored and appropriate to the specific legal needs, skills and knowledge identified by the person who needs assistance. The broader mutual legal assistance sector, which includes the private professions and those providing pro bono services, faces particular challenges for the workforce, which will be the subject of further consultation and reflected in the strategy in the future. The five outcomes form our strategic directions: improved access to justice for our clients, a better understanding of justice in the community, a collaborative legal aid sector, fairer laws and systems, and effective and sustainable legal aid in Victoria. The strategy does not deal in detail with all areas of the mutual legal assistance sector, such as services provided by State resources, mainly in the area of criminal law, and pro bono legal services. The Division will continue to consult with the sector to ensure that the strategy reflects the specific concerns and strategic directions for these services. This includes consulting with the Law Institute of Victoria and the Victorian Bar Association on issues relevant to the private sector and lawyers who receive funding from the legal aid sector. The demand for legal services currently outweighs the ability of legal service providers to adequately meet that demand. As the economic situation becomes more difficult, more and more Victorians are eligible for legal aid, with an increased focus on legal aid providers. “I speak for the board when I say – we know and accept that to make a meaningful difference for clients and the community, we need to put people with legal needs at the centre of our work and thinking,” Robbie said.
“Our evidence shows that the link between legal and non-legal defence is critical to the health of Victoria Legal Aid. Legal education, information and self-help tools that are provided or made available to the right audience at the right time (e.g. via online platforms), can allow people to find solutions to their own legal problems. Similarly, early resolutions, such as easy access to legal advice, when available, can reduce the risk of escalation into legal conflict. Such approaches allow the individual to exercise agency and maintain a sense of control and autonomy. Below is a brief introduction to Victoria`s key court partners who jointly provide legal assistance and related services. Our aim is to manage and promote a national legal aid system that provides access to justice for economically disadvantaged people and provides a forum for engagement at the national level. The framework is completed in phases, and project plans are developed for each phase. Individual project plans are developed in consultation with relevant stakeholders, defining scope, actions and outcomes. This section describes the projects and measures identified in the strategy. This action plan represents a cross-sectoral approach with projects that achieve the strategy`s results and vision.
Public funding of the legal aid sector varies from year to year, depending on the priorities of each state budget and the duration of funding received, noting that funding can be a mix of time-limited and ongoing funding. Promote an integrated national system of mutual legal assistance focused on keeping the judicial system within reach, upholding the rule of law and maximizing service delivery within available resources. Under this system, legal aid services should be provided in a high-quality and culturally appropriate manner. East Gippsland and North-East Victoria experienced catastrophic bushfires in early 2020, and communities faced an increased legal need for assistance immediately after the consequences and the longer recovery period. While the strategy includes an overview of the Crown`s legal needs, the ministry notes that several documents on legal necessity are underway in Victoria, such as the Victorian Law Foundation`s (VLF) Public Understanding of the Law Survey. The strategy will be updated to reflect the results of this work as they become available. When deciding whether or not to provide mutual legal assistance, VLA shall consider the following: These priority areas are high priority in the DJCS` work with the Commonwealth, state government and industry to ensure that legal aid is considered in the design, modification or transformation of the system in any reform programme. The provision and quality of legal aid are essential to ensure effective access to justice. Overall, the legal aid sector received $17.5 million from the state government and $12.1 million from the Commonwealth government for the period 2019-2020 to 2020-2021. Due to the timing of funding, a portion of the funds was spent during the 2021-2022 period.
As part of this important responsibility, VLA provides the primary entry point for the public to access legal information through the Legal Aid Hotline, web chat and website. Through this access point, people have access to legal assistance or are referred to appropriate sources of information or other services. Given the impact of COVID-19 over the past two years and changes in court operations, the legal aid sector has benefited from time-limited pandemic funding from state and Commonwealth governments, although this funding has now largely been eliminated. As part of the development of the Aboriginal Legal Aid Strategy, it is proposed that consideration be given to an assessment of First Nations-specific legal needs, building on current and ongoing legal analyses by VALS, DJIRRA, VLA, Aboriginal Justice Forum and LJF, and respecting Aboriginal data sovereignty. Legal service providers put people at the centre of their service design and interactions with clients. This includes giving people a choice between culturally safe and appropriate legal advice, and incorporating client feedback and experience into service design. Understanding the customer experience helps determine outcomes (for customers and departments) and the associated evaluation and reporting. Victorians who receive publicly funded legal aid play a role in ride-sharing services. A free national service providing independent information and legal advice to help Australian Defence and Veteran personnel share their experiences with the Royal Commission on Veterans Defence and Suicide. Strategy 26 also highlights our efforts to promote early intervention and prevention services to address legal issues before they escalate. CPC shall establish a work plan for cooperation activities of interest to the mutual legal assistance sector, including initiatives such as a targeted analysis of regional legal needs and a framework for mutual legal assistance. Assist the CLC Sector in building its capacity to conduct effective legal needs analysis.
Domestic violence remains the number one justice issue in Victoria. Legal assistance for victim-survivors and perpetrators is an integral part of the domestic violence support system. It provides both legal advice and access to other social support services. Catalyst to achieve the vision of a resilient and sustainable mutual legal assistance sector. With government funding, VALS will receive more than $16 million in funding for a range of legal and community services over a five-year period, from July 1, 2020 to June 2026. Legal counsel may be provided to a person in a court case who: Strategy 26 outlines how we will work towards a just, equitable and inclusive society where people can get help with their legal problems and have a stronger voice in how laws and the judicial process affect them. “We are fortunate to have strong opportunities to work together in Victoria thanks to the careful foresight and planning of those who came before us,” said Louisa. Legal issues arise from personal circumstances, but also from the interaction of systems with those circumstances.
Disadvantaged people often have multiple interactions with different government systems and/or law enforcement agencies, which can add complexity to their legal problems. This requires a holistic approach to ensure that all problems can be solved or solved, as well as the most important factors that bring people into contact with these systems. These principles reflect the shared values and commitment of Victoria`s legal aid sector and guide the sector towards achieving the above vision. They are based on the National Strategic Framework and are based on sectoral strategies. The Law Institute of Victoria (LIV) is the state`s governing body for lawyers, including the private professions. LIV`s goal is to be a leader and innovator in the legal profession, to support and inform members, and to raise the profile and reputation of the legal profession. The private sector is provided with legal assistance to represent clients supported by the law. Many overlapping factors contribute to the prevalence of legal necessity.
A key factor is persistent and deep-rooted criminalization. The Dropping off the Edge 2021 (DOT report) report (external link) identified places in Australia where complex and deep-rooted disadvantages occur. Government systems can rarely be defined strictly by their legal or non-legal characteristics, with many systems involving the provision of services that require legal information or assistance at some point, even if rights must be exercised as part of the system. We recognize that legal aid plays a key role in the following systems, but we do not present this list as exhaustive: Funding was included in the 2022-2023 federal budget, allowing for increased investments in specialized programs focused on legal needs.