Vic: Funding boost for Victoria's legal aid
MELBOURNE, Aug 15 AAP - Victoria's cash-strapped legal aid system will receive an extra$7.63 million in funding from the state government.
The move follows a rally by lawyers outside Melbourne's Magistrate's court last monthclaiming the system was at breaking point and they could no longer afford to do legalaid work.
It was the first ever walkout by Victorian solicitors and barristers.
Attorney-General Rob Hulls said said today Victoria Legal Aid (VLA) would receive anadditional $7.63 million this year.
Mr Hulls accused the federal government of tying the hands of the VLA by not allowingit to spend Commonwealth money on state matters.
"Unlike Commonwealth money there are no strings attached to this $7.63 million fundingboost," he said.
"VLA currently has more than $28 million in Commonwealth cash reserves because it cannotspend the funding."
He said the Bracks government had increased VLA's recurrent funding by $3.6 millionto $32.5 million since coming into power in 1999.
AAP svm/cjh/
KEYWORD: LEGAL
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