THE South East Community Legal Service is set to close under savage State Government funding cuts.
Concerns are on the rise for disadvantaged Limestone Coast residents following the announcement of the end of what has long been a pivotal service for residents.
The dedicated local team received the news this week the centre will cease to operate from July 1 after not receiving funding from the State Government.
Operating since 2000, the centre has helped 9830 clients and assisted with 3768 ongoing cases, from family law matters to social security claims and bankruptcy.
Senior solicitor Sandy Clark said the centre has had an enormous number of community workers calling in with concerns since the news was announced.
“Many people who come to us for help are unsure of the steps they need to take and in some cases they need immediate and urgent assistance – already this week we have had a number of people who need that help,” she said.
“There is no other local legal service here and without the centre clients will not have that face-to-face legal help they require,” Ms Clark said.
The South East Community Legal Service is one of three services throughout the state that will face closure in just one month – putting a plethora of people in difficult situations.
Services will be centralised in Adelaide under the government’s changes, with staff removed from regional areas.
Member for Barker Tony Pasin said he was shocked by the news after having announced the Federal Government’s decision to provide record funding to support legal services earlier this month.
“There was a strong push within the Coalition Government to increase funding to the legal services sector,” he said.
“Having achieved this, it is devastating to have the State Government take these much-needed services away from regional South Australians in the South East and the Riverland.”
National Association of Community Legal Centres chief executive officer Nassim Arrange said he was concerned about the impact the closures will have on people the centres help every day.
“The closure of these centres and the move to the centralisation of access to legal services will act as a barrier for people getting the help they need from local community-based services,” he said.
“We are very disappointed the South Australian Government has made this decision despite the Commonwealth Government reversing the funding cuts facing community legal centres in the recent federal budget.
“We have seen other state governments increase funding to community legal centres in recent months, but the SA Government has not done so.
“It is already one of the lowest contributing governments to community legal centres funding and has failed to act for the people of South Australia.”
