Cth Budget Update announces extra $23.8m legal assistance funding, $15.5 million to support family violence survivors

16/12/2019

The Commonwealth Treasurer has today released the Mid-Year Economic Fiscal Outlook budget update (available here). The Treasurer’s joint media release with the Minister for Finance is available here.

Policy decisions taken since the budget and featured in MYEFO include:

a. Securing Agreement to the National Legal Assistance Partnership (pg 198)

“The Government will provide an additional $23.8 million over three years from 2020-21, including ongoing funding as part of the single mechanism for Commonwealth legal assistance funding. This includes $15.3 million in additional funding for the delivery of frontline legal services to vulnerable Australians with legal needs. This additional funding is contingent on it being matched by the states and territories. The measure also provides the states and territories with $8.5 million for administration costs associated with the single national mechanism, and achieves savings of $1.7 million over three years from 2020-21 from Commonwealth administrative costs. This measure builds on the 2019-20 Budget measure titled Single National Mechanism for Commonwealth Legal Assistance that provided $1.2 billion over three years from 2020-21 for the single mechanism for Commonwealth legal assistance funding.

b. Supporting Victims of Family Violence in the Courts (pg 199)

“The Government will provide $15.5 million over three years from 2019-20 to support those affected by family violence who are involved in family law proceedings. This funding includes:

• $13.5 million over three years from 2019-20 to the Federal Court of Australia to pilot a screening and triage program for matters being considered by family law courts, with three interconnected processes: screening parenting matters for family safety risks at the point of filing; triaging matters to an appropriate pathway based on the identified level of risk; and maintaining a specialist list to hear matters assessed as involving a high risk of family violence

• $2.0 million in 2019-20 to legal aid commissions to provide legal representation to ensure that victims of family violence are not subject to cross-examination by their alleged abusers. This funding builds on the 2018-19 MYEFO measure titled Women’s Economic Security Package.”

c. PMC – additional funding to National Indigenous Australians Agency (pg 272)

“The Government will provide $74.7 million over four years from 2019-20 to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and the National Indigenous Australians Agency. This funding is an investment in the capacity of the Australian Public Service to respond to challenges and opportunities and deliver better services for the Australian people.”

d. Implementing the Govt’s response to Financial Services Royal Commission – additional funding

“The Government will provide additional funding in 2019-20 to support agencies as they undertake consultation and develop reforms to implement the Government’s response to the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry (the Royal Commission), including the delivery of the Unpaid External Dispute Resolution Scheme. This measure builds on the 2019-20 Budget measure titled Government Response to the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry. Further information on these reforms can be found in the Government’s response to the Royal Commission’s recommendations announced by the Prime Minister and the Treasurer on 4 February 2019 and the press release of 19 August 2019 issued by the Treasurer.”

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