<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>334191</docID> <postdate>2024-11-28 09:06:14</postdate> <headline>Funding shortfall denies 400,000 of key legal service</headline> <body><p><img class="wp-image-173205 " src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/pexels-photo-247314-e1732744994592.jpg" alt="" width="678" height="451" /></p> <caption>A Community Legal Centres Australia report found domestic violence support was the main area of need</caption> <p><span class="kicker-line">By <strong>Tess Ikonomou</strong> in Canberra</span></p> <p><strong>Community legal centres turned away almost 400,000 people seeking legal advice because of funding shortfalls, including thousands experiencing domestic violence.</strong></p> <p>Community Legal Centres Australia will release its annual state of the sector report at Parliament House on Thursday.</p> <p>Shocking findings include at least 3000 people impacted by domestic violence being declined help each week.</p> <p>More than 190,000 people were assisted by community legal centres in the past year.</p> <p>The 2023/24 year report found domestic and family violence legal support was the single largest area of need, making up to 50 per cent of the sector's work.</p> <p>Community legal staff travelled more than 1.2 million kilometres to reach and help people in regional and remote areas.</p> <p>The sector provides free legal and related help for victim-survivors of family violence, people experiencing homelessness, and parents resolving family law matters, among other vulnerable groups.</p> <p>Samantha Schulte, who turned to a community legal centre for help, said she never thought she would need to reach out for domestic violence support.</p> <p>"I was a shell of a person when I made it to Caxton Legal Centre. They believed and validated me and gave me all the support I needed over five years to find safety and resolve serious legal issues," she said.</p> <p>Community Legal Centres Australia chief executive Tim Leach said the nation's 165 services continued to play a vital role in preventing and resolving legal issues and crises.</p> <p>"The (report) shows us that even with additional investment this year, legal need in the community will still far exceed the capacity of community legal services," he said.</p> <p>"For the past two years, our sector has been forced to turn away over 1000 people in crisis every day.</p> <p>"We have yet to see the required investment from federal, state, and territory governments."</p> </body>