WGAR News: NATSILS Factsheet: funding cuts to Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Legal Services

Newsletter date: 22 December 2013

Contents:

* NATSILS - National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services: Government to defund Aboriginal Legal Services Peak Body and all Law Reform and Policy Positions
* NATSILS Factsheet: funding cuts to Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Legal Services
* CAALAS - Central Australian Aboriginal Legal Aid Service: Cuts to Aboriginal legal aid will silence Aboriginal communities
* NACCHO political health news: Abbott Government cuts to impact on Aboriginal health
* SNAICC News: Media Release 18 December 2013 - Cuts to Aboriginal Legal Services
* ANTaR: Cuts to Aboriginal Legal Services will undermine action on Aboriginal jobs and education
* ANTaR: Take Action: Abbott Government delivers a blow to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Justice
* Oxfam Australia Media: Cuts to Aboriginal Legal Services will widen the gap
* WA Greens Senator Rachel Siewert: Abbott’s legal aid cuts a bad sign for justice in WA
* Greens Senator Penny Wright: Abbott's cruel cuts will raise indigenous prison rates
* ABC PM: Funding cuts to cripple Indigenous legal services [Featuring NATSILS chairman, Shane Duffy]
* Gerry Georgatos, The Stringer: Government defunding NATSILS makes no sense
* Human Rights Law Centre: Aboriginal legal service cuts will make justice more remote
* Amnesty International Australia: Legal cuts a massive blow for Indigenous Australians
* Equality Rights Alliance: NATSIWA calls for a halt to funding cuts
* Mid North Coast Greens: The Government has proposed cuts to the funding for Aboriginal legal services and the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples
* Australian Human Rights Commission: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander programs at risk [Cuts to Aboriginal legal aid]
* The Guardian: Five questions to Amy McQuire: on Australia's two worlds - one for black and one for white [Includes cuts to Aboriginal legal aid]
* News.com.au : More indigenous in jail without legal aid
* Videos on the cuts to Aboriginal legal aid
* Background to Justice Reinvestment, Aboriginal imprisonment and Aboriginal Deaths in Custody

* NATSILS - NATIONAL ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER LEGAL SERVICES: GOVERNMENT TO DEFUND ABORIGINAL LEGAL SERVICES PEAK BODY AND ALL LAW REFORM AND POLICY POSITIONS

- Media Release

NATSILS - National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services: Government to defund Aboriginal Legal Services Peak Body and all Law Reform and Policy Positions - 17 December 2013
http://www.natsils.org.au/News/MediaReleases.aspx
http://www.natsils.org.au/portals/natsils/Media%20Releases/17-12-13%20NA...
17 Dec 13: "Federal Government cuts to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services will mean that even more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples will not be able to access essential legal services and will further entrench Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as second class citizens in their own country, says the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services peak body.
The Abbott Government is set to announce the defunding of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (NATSILS), the national peak body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (ATSILS), and of all Law Reform and Policy Officer positions within each State and Territory based ATSILS, in order to make an annual saving of $3m from the 2014-2015 financial year onwards. ... "

* NATSILS FACTSHEET: FUNDING CUTS TO ABORIGINAL & TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER LEGAL SERVICES

- Factsheet

NATSILS FACTSHEET Funding Cuts to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (Dec 13)
http://www.natsils.org.au/PolicyAdvocacy.aspx
http://www.natsils.org.au/portals/natsils/submission/Funding%20Cuts%20Fa...
December 2013: "What are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services? ...
How are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services funded? ...
What funding cuts has the Australian Government announced? ...
What impact will these cuts have? ...
Will the cuts affect "frontline" services? ...
What can you do to help? ... "

* CAALAS - CENTRAL AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINAL LEGAL AID SERVICE: CUTS TO ABORIGINAL LEGAL AID WILL SILENCE ABORIGINAL COMMUNITIES

- Media Release

CAALAS - Central Australian Aboriginal Legal Aid Service: Cuts to Aboriginal legal aid will silence Aboriginal communities
http://www.caalas.com.au/MEDIA.aspx
http://www.caalas.com.au/Portals/caalas/Media%20releases/CAALAS%20Media%...
18 Dec 13: "The Central Australian Aboriginal Legal Aid Service (CAALAS) says that Federal funding cuts will reduce frontline legal services in Central Australia.
"CAALAS is the oldest Aboriginal organisation in Central Australia. For 40 years, we’ve represented some of the most disadvantaged people in the country. We do a huge amount of work on a shoestring budget," said CAALAS Chairman Noel Hayes.
"These short-sighted cuts will mean Aboriginal people have less of a say. The Government is saying they don’t want to hear from Aboriginal people, they don’t want us speaking out against their policies," said Mr Hayes.
"But if the Government is serious about creating a better future for Aboriginal people, they should start by listening to people on the ground."
"Because our service is already under strain, any cuts will mean a loss of lawyers, and less legal service provision in Central Australia." ... "

* NACCHO POLITICAL HEALTH NEWS: ABBOTT GOVERNMENT CUTS TO IMPACT ON ABORIGINAL HEALTH

- Media Release

NACCHO political health news: Abbott Government cuts to impact on Aboriginal health
[NACCHO: National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation]
http://nacchocommunique.com/2013/12/18/naccho-political-health-news-abbo...
18 Dec 13: "National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) Chair, Justin Mohamed, said cutting legal services made no economic sense when you take into account the wider implications of incarceration on issues such as employment, education and health.
"The fact is people in our jail system often suffer from poor mental and physical health," Mr Mohamed said.
"Incarceration also can have broader impacts on the health of those left behind - on the imprisoned person’s family and broader community.
"With rates of incarceration of Aboriginal people increasing, we should be doing everything we can to turn around the huge numbers of Aboriginal people in our prisons.
"NACCHO supports the good work of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services - both who play an important role in keeping our people out of jail.
"They provide education and early intervention support and advice which can mean the difference between a life of incarceration and one that makes a contribution to the community. ... ""

* SNAICC NEWS: MEDIA RELEASE 18 DECEMBER 2013 - CUTS TO ABORIGINAL LEGAL SERVICES

- Media Release

SNAICC News: Media Release 18 December 2013 - Cuts to Aboriginal Legal Services
[SNAICC: Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care]
http://www.snaicc.org.au/news-events/fx-view-article.cfm?loadref=32&id=1302
http://www.snaicc.org.au/news-events/dsp-default-e.cfm?loadref=86&txnid=...
18 Dec 13: "Statement by Sharron Williams, Chairperson of SNAICC - the national peak body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and family services
Cuts to Aboriginal Legal Services will further disadvantage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
The proposed defunding of the peak body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services would undermine the Abbott Government’s stated intention to improve the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Defunding National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (NATSILS) and the Law Reform and Policy Officer positions based in each state and territory Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service would lead to more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people going to prison and undermine efforts to improve Aboriginal community life and safety.
More Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people going to prison would have a detrimental impact on more of our children and families, adding to an already increasing number of children and their families facing poverty, marginalisation and dysfunction. ...
SNAICC urges the Government to reconsider this proposed action"

- Related News

SNAICC News: Government to defund the Aboriginal Legal Services Peak Body NATSILS
[SNAICC: Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care]
http://www.snaicc.org.au/news-events/fx-view-article.cfm?loadref=32&id=1299
17 Dec 13: "The Abbott Government is set to announce the defunding of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (NATSILS), the national peak body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (ATSILS), and of all Law Reform and Policy Officer positions within each State and Territory based ATSILS, in order to make an annual saving of $3m from the 2014-2015 financial year onwards. ... "

* ANTaR: CUTS TO ABORIGINAL LEGAL SERVICES WILL UNDERMINE ACTION ON ABORIGINAL JOBS AND EDUCATION

- Media Release

ANTaR: Cuts to Aboriginal Legal Services will undermine action on Aboriginal jobs and education
http://antar.org.au/reports/cuts-aboriginal-legal-services-will-undermin...
http://antar.org.au/sites/default/files/mr_budget_cut_to_natsils.pdf
http://antarvictoria.org.au/news/cuts-to-aboriginal-legal-services-will-...
http://antar.org.au/news/cuts-aboriginal-legal-services-will-undermine-a...
17 Dec 13: "The proposed defunding of the peak body for Aboriginal Legal Services would undermine the Abbott Government’s efforts to improve education and employment for Aboriginal people, according to ANTaR.
ANTaR National Director, Gary Highland said that defunding the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (NATSILS) would lead to more Aboriginal people going to prison and undermine efforts to improve Aboriginal community safety.
"Over the past decade the numbers of Aboriginal women imprisoned has increased by 59 percent and men by 35 percent. We need more action, not less from Government to turn this situation around," Mr Highland said. ...
"The money saved will be a fraction of the damage done to Aboriginal families by neutering the legal peak body that represents them," Mr Highland said.
Mr Highland said that the Abbott Government has a genuine commitment to improving Aboriginal education and employment, but the continued high rates of incarceration are a major barrier to achieving its reform agenda. ... "

* ANTaR: TAKE ACTION: ABBOTT GOVERNMENT DELIVERS A BLOW TO ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER JUSTICE

- Action

ANTaR: Take Action: 1. Abbott Government delivers a blow to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Justice
http://antar.org.au/campaigns/justice-campaign#node-campaign-full-group_...
"For the last year we have been working towards establishing a national campaign to reduce the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people within the criminal justice system. We received a crushing blow with news that the Abbott Government have decided to defund the lead agency in this campaign, the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (NATSILS). This is not a cut, this is a complete defunding, meaning that NATSILS will cease to exist if the defunding goes ahead. ... "

* OXFAM AUSTRALIA MEDIA: CUTS TO ABORIGINAL LEGAL SERVICES WILL WIDEN THE GAP

- Media Release

Oxfam Australia Media: Cuts to Aboriginal Legal Services will widen the gap
https://www.oxfam.org.au/media/2013/12/cuts-to-aboriginal-legal-services...
18 Dec 13: "Federal Government plans to defund the peak National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services will exacerbate the appalling over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in prison, Close the Gap co-chair Kirstie Parker said today.
"Aboriginal people are locked up at 14 times the rate of other Australians. We’ve seen a rise in the rates of incarceration for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of 50% in the past 10 years compared to 5% for the rest of the population. We need better funded Aboriginal Legal Aid services, not cuts," Ms Parker said. ...
"ATSILS have provided frontline legal assistance in criminal, family and civil law to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples for over 40 years and are uniquely attuned to the needs of their communities, their effectiveness has been proved time and time again."
Campaign co-chair Mick Gooda, who is also the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, said the cuts directly target ATSILS work with governments to address the underlying causes of Indigenous incarceration. ... "

* WA GREENS SENATOR RACHEL SIEWERT: ABBOTT'S LEGAL AID CUTS A BAD SIGN FOR JUSTICE IN WA

- Media Release

WA Greens Senator Rachel Siewert: Abbott’s legal aid cuts a bad sign for justice in WA
http://rachel-siewert.greensmps.org.au/content/media-releases/abbott%E2%...
17 Dec 13: "More Aboriginal Australians will end up in jail because of the Abbott Government's cuts to indigenous legal aid, say the Australian Greens.
Spokesperson on legal affairs Senator Penny Wright said the Coalition's decision to cut $9m from legal services showed appalling lack of concern about shameful over-incarceration of Aboriginal people.
"More than one in four prisoners are Aboriginal, despite making up only a fraction of our population. Too many are in jail because of inadequate legal understanding and representation," Senator Wright said. ...
WA Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens spokesperson on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Issues said today that the cut would compound problems that Aboriginal people have accessing justice in WA.
"Western Australia has notoriously high incarceration rates for Aboriginal people," Senator Siewert said today."

* GREENS SENATOR PENNY WRIGHT: ABBOTT'S CRUEL CUTS WILL RAISE INDIGENOUS PRISON RATES

- Media Release

Greens Senator Penny Wright: Abbott's cruel cuts will raise indigenous prison rates
http://penny-wright.greensmps.org.au/content/media-releases/abbotts-crue...
http://greens.org.au/news/abbotts-cruel-cuts-will-raise-indigenous-priso...
17 Dec 13: "More Aboriginal Australians will end up in jail because of the Abbott Government's cuts to indigenous legal aid, say the Australian Greens.
Spokesperson on legal affairs Senator Penny Wright said the Coalition's decision to cut $9m from legal services showed appalling lack of concern about shameful over-incarceration of Aboriginal people.
"More than one in four prisoners are Aboriginal, despite making up only a fraction of our population. Too many are in jail because of inadequate legal understanding and representation," Senator Wright said.
"As government officials told me in estimates just last month, there is no way to separate out frontline legal assistance services from government cuts.
"Cutting legal aid funding is a cruel and senseless decision which will see more families torn apart and more children lost to the revolving door of incarceration. ... "

* ABC PM: FUNDING CUTS TO CRIPPLE INDIGENOUS LEGAL SERVICES [FEATURING NATSILS CHAIRMAN, SHANE DUFFY]

- Audio

ABC PM: Funding cuts to cripple Indigenous legal services
http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2013/s3913355.htm
17 Dec 13: "Rachael Brown reports.
RACHAEL BROWN: The Coalition went to last year's election promising $42 million in cuts to Indigenous legal services. After a backlash from the Indigenous community, the Government has revised this to $13 million across three years, according to today's MYEFO report. Still, the peak body, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services, or NATSILS, says it amounts to defunding, which will cripple its work at the coalface. NATSILS chairman, Shane Duffy.
SHANE DUFFY: We'll have to put staff off. It will impact directly upon the frontline service delivery."

- Related Audio Interviews

National Indigenous Radio Service's 'Weekly News In Review'
Download: https://www.dropbox.com/s/9tp8dzesf56veau/MASTER%20WNIR%20201213.mp3
20 Dec 13: "It includes interviews with -
* Congress Co-Chair Les Malezer,
* ATSILS Chair Shane Duffy,
* Australian Green’s Senator Penny Wright,
* Dr Mark McMillan and
* Professor Gillian Triggs."

[The NIRS WNIR may expire after about a week, so if you want to listen to these interviews you will need to download them soon.]

* GERRY GEORGATOS, THE STRINGER: GOVERNMENT DEFUNDING NATSILS MAKES NO SENSE

- Analysis / Opinion

The Stringer: Government defunding NATSILS makes no sense
http://thestringer.com.au/government-defunding-natsils-makes-no-sense/
17 Dec 13: "In order to save a paltry $9 million over three years the Federal Government is defunding the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services. NATSILS CEO Shane Duffy criticised this as short-sighted in the face of a rising unmet need in regards to Aboriginal peoples seeking legal assistance. According to Australian Greens Senator Penny Wright, more Aboriginal Australians will end up in jail because of the Government’s cuts to Aboriginal legal aid. Senator Penny Wright said the Federal Government’s decision to cut $9m from legal services showed an appalling lack of concern about the shameful over-incarceration of Aboriginal people." By Gerry Georgatos, a life-long human rights and social justice campaigner, a multi-award winning investigative journalist

* HUMAN RIGHTS LAW CENTRE: ABORIGINAL LEGAL SERVICE CUTS WILL MAKE JUSTICE MORE REMOTE

- News

Human Rights Law Centre: Aboriginal legal service cuts will make justice more remote
http://www.hrlc.org.au/aboriginal-legal-service-cuts-will-make-justice-m...
17 Dec 13: "The Australian Government’s decision to cut funds to vital Aboriginal legal services will make justice more remote for Australia’s most marginalised and disadvantaged communities. The Human Rights Law Centre’s Executive Director, Hugh de Kretser, said today’s announcement that the Government will defund the national peak body for Aboriginal legal services flew in the face of Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s pledge to be the PM for Aboriginal Affairs. "Legal aid is a key part of ensuring that all people are equal before the law. ... " said Mr de Kretser."

* AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL AUSTRALIA: LEGAL CUTS A MASSIVE BLOW FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS

- News

Amnesty International Australia: Legal cuts a massive blow for Indigenous Australians
http://www.amnesty.org.au/news/comments/33627/
17 Dec 13: "Amnesty International condemns a decision to cut funding to Aboriginal Legal Services, at a time when Indigenous incarceration rates continue to rise, in a major blow to ending Indigenous inequality. The Federal Government has confirmed cuts to the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (NATSILS), the national peak body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (ATSILS). "Aboriginal people make up just over 2 per cent of the population but over 28% of Australia’s prison population," said Rodney Dillon, Amnesty International Australia’s Indigenous Rights Campaigner. ... "

- Related Audio Interview

Indigenous radio station 98.9FM Brisbane:
Let's Talk - Rodney Dillon
http://www.989fm.com.au/category/podcasts/lets-talk/
16 Dec 13: "Rodney, a Tasmanian Aborigine (Palawa) is a former Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) Commissioner and recipient of the NAIDOC male Person of the Year in 2006 and was recently awarded the Human Rights Individual Award at the Tasmanian Human Rights Awards"
Listen to this interview on-line:
http://www.989fm.com.au/podcasts/lets-talk/rodney-dillon-2/

* EQUALITY RIGHTS ALLIANCE: NATSIWA CALLS FOR A HALT TO FUNDING CUTS

- News

Equality Rights Alliance: NATSIWA calls for a halt to funding cuts
http://www.equalityrightsalliance.org.au/news/natsiwa-calls-halt-funding...
20 Dec 13: "The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women's Alliance (NATSIWA) has urged the Prime Minister to reconsider funding cuts to vital Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander legal services. These services include the National Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention Legal Services (FVPLS) program. ... "

* MID NORTH COAST GREENS: THE GOVERNMENT HAS PROPOSED CUTS TO THE FUNDING FOR ABORIGINAL LEGAL SERVICES AND THE NATIONAL CONGRESS OF AUSTRALIA'S FIRST PEOPLES

- News

Mid North Coast Greens: The Government has proposed cuts to the funding for Aboriginal legal services and the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples
http://mncgreens.blogspot.com.au/2013/12/the-government-has-proposed-cut...
20 Dec 13: "The Government has proposed cuts to the funding for Aboriginal legal services and the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples – this makes a complete mockery of the Abbott Government’s ‘commitment’ to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The Congress is an important voice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We need to let Tony Abbott know that he can't defund this group." Greens Senator Rachel Siewart

* AUSTRALIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION: ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PROGRAMS AT RISK [CUTS TO ABORIGINAL LEGAL AID]

- News

Australian Human Rights Commission: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander programs at risk
https://www.humanrights.gov.au/news/stories/aboriginal-and-torres-strait...
18 Dec 13: "Federal Government plans to cut funding for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (ATSILS) are short-sighted and misguided, according to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Mick Gooda (pictured). "More people will end up in prison. It’s as simple as that," the Commissioner said. Mr Gooda said ATSILS has provided frontline legal assistance in criminal, family and civil law to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples for over 40 years."

- Related News

The Queensland Times: AHRC concerned about cuts to Indigenous legal aid services
http://www.qt.com.au/news/ahrc-concerned-about-cuts-indigenous-legal-aid...
18 Dec 13: "IN ITS quest to balance the books, the Federal Government has made cuts to legal aid services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders which will lead to more indigenous people ending up behind bars according to the Australian Human Rights Commission. The cuts to the National Aboriginal Torres Strait Island Legal Service will cost the jobs of policy officers, who consult with government on proposed legal changes, but could also cost some critical services." Owen Jacques

* THE GUARDIAN: FIVE QUESTIONS TO AMY MCQUIRE: ON AUSTRALIA'S TWO WORLDS - ONE FOR BLACK AND ONE FOR WHITE [INCLUDES CUTS TO ABORIGINAL LEGAL AID]

- Analysis / Opinion

The Guardian: Five questions to Amy McQuire: on Australia's two worlds - one for black and one for white
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/dec/20/five-questions-to-a...
20 Dec 13: "What issue are you most passionate about?
I think the sky-high rates Australia jails Aboriginal men, women and children are appalling and an international embarrassment. The latest cuts to Aboriginal legal aid will only further burden a system that already jails Indigenous people at some of the highest rates in the western world. Locking up blackfellas further ruptures communities and begets a cycle of disadvantage and dysfunction. It says to me the Abbott government is not serious about closing the gap."

* NEWS.COM.AU : MORE INDIGENOUS IN JAIL WITHOUT LEGAL AID

- News

News.com.au : More indigenous in jail without legal aid
http://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/more-indigenous-in-jail-wi...
17 Dec 13: "CUTTING Aboriginal legal aid will further entrench Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders as second-class citizens in their own country, a legal body says. The Abbott Government is set to announce the cutting funding of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (NATSILS), ... At a time when indigenous incarceration rates are alarmingly high and rising, cutting the funding such services is short-sighted, says NATSILS chairman Shane Duffy. "More people are going to end up in prison, it's as simple as that," he said in a statement on Tuesday."

* VIDEOS ON THE CUTS TO ABORIGINAL LEGAL AID

- Videos

SBS News: Indigenous legal aid to be cut by $13.4 million
By Brooke Boney with AAP
http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2013/12/17/indigenous-legal-aid-be-cu...
18 Dec 13: "Indigenous legal aid is set to take the biggest cut in funding to Indigenous services, the budget update has revealed. ... The biggest blow to Indigenous funding was to legal aid - $13.4 million will be taken out of the sector over the next four years. ... 'More Indigenous Aussies will end up in jail without legal aid'. Cutting Aboriginal legal aid will further entrench Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders as second-class citizens in their own country, a legal body says." By Brooke Boney

SBS News: Indigenous Australians hit hard by legal aid cuts
By Darren Mara; Source World News Australia Radio
http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2013/12/18/indigenous-australians-hit...
18 Dec 13: "Legal groups say confirmed cuts to Indigenous legal aid will entrench Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as second-class citizens. ... The Treasurer, Joe Hockey, has confirmed the government will stick to its election pledge to cut 43-point-one million dollars from legal aid services, including those accessed by many Indigenous Australians. Darren Mara has the details. ... The legal aid cuts will be spread across four main areas: legal aid commissions, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander legal services, community legal services and the Family Violence Prevention Legal Services." By Darren Mara

NITV News: Warren Mundine defends cut to Indigenous legal aid
http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2013/12/19/warren-mundine-defends-cut...
19 Nov 13: "The chair of the Indigenous Advisory Council has defended the Abbott government's decision to cut $13.4 million from the Indigenous legal aid budget, saying it is a sign of the times. ... "There is a new regime in town and things are going to be done different," Warren Mundine told NITV News. ... Among the organisations hardest hit will be the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Legal Services, or NATSILS."

* BACKGROUND TO JUSTICE REINVESTMENT, ABORIGINAL IMPRISONMENT AND ABORIGINAL DEATHS IN CUSTODY:

Last updated: 17 December 2013

http://indymedia.org.au/2012/12/17/background-to-aboriginal-imprisonment...

- - -

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