Young people and migrants living in Wyndham will retain access to specialist legal services after the federal government reversed its decision to axe funding for community legal centres, including Wyndham’s.
As reported by Star Weekly, the Wyndham Legal Service was facing the prospect of losing $240,000 in the next two years when, as part of last year’s federal budget, the government scrapped the funding program for the legal centres.
The program was initiated by the former Labor government and was meant to provide centres with three years of funding for frontline services.
Last Thursday, Attorney-General George Brandis announced that the funding would continue.
The Wyndham service agreement meant it was set to receive $120,000 a year to fund youth and migrant services.
WLS manager Denis Nelthorpe described Senator Brandis’s announce- ment as “ a very good outcome”.
“There are still a few issues to sort through, but we are relieved,” he said.
Last week, Mr Nelthorpe said that without the funding, the legal centre would be forced to stop offering specialist legal programs to young people and newly arrived migrants and refugees.
He feared the cuts would result in the most vulnerable in the community being unable to seek help and advice.
Mr Nelthorpe said the programs provided about 1000 young people each year with support to avoid losing jobs because of court appearances, while refugees and migrants could learn about tenancy, driving and insurance laws.
