LAUNCH OF NEW ACCESS TO JUSTICE WEBSITE
16 May 2010
Attorney General, Robert McClelland, today launched an innovative new website as part of a comprehensive package of measures to improve access to justice in the community.
“Increasingly, the experience of ordinary Australians dealing with the justice system is marked by confusion and complexity. People often don’t understand legal events, what to do or where to seek assistance, while many are excluded because information is complicated or simply difficult to find,” Mr McClelland said.
The new website, located at www.accesstojustice.gov.au, will provide all Australians with seamless access to information about legal assistance and related services in their local area.
“All people need to do is punch in their postcode or suburb and they will get comprehensive information and contact details of local legal services such as Legal Aid, Community Legal Centres, Family Relationship Centres, and Dispute Resolution Services.”
“The website will also provide a link to lawyers who operate in each State and Territory as well as relevant laws to enable people to understand their options early, in order to prevent or resolve their disputes before they escalate or become entrenched.”
The website forms a key part of the Government’s Strategic Framework for Access to Justice, which includes a number of other important measures, including the largest injection of funding into legal assistance services for well over a decade, bringing the total Commonwealth contribution to over $1.2 billion.
“It is appropriate that we are launching these initiatives on the eve of National Law Week as they recognise that access to justice is not just about access to a court or a lawyer, it is about providing practical, affordable and easily understood information.”
Media Contact: Adam Siddique 0407 473 630
