Self-Represented Hearings

The Hon. C. BONAROS (15:08): Supplementary: does the minister acknowledge that budgetary constraints have also been raised as an issue with the Attorney by the LSC and the ALRM? If so, what is being done to address those in terms of qualifying for, or being eligible for, representation?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (15:08): I thank the honourable member for her question. Again, I will take the second part first. The Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement certainly have raised budgetary concerns with me. They have traditionally in South Australia, and as is the case I think in every jurisdiction around Australia, received the vast majority, if not all, of their funding from the federal government.

The national funding for legal services is under review at the moment. There has been a report that the federal government published in recent months, and that will form the basis for discussions and negotiations between governments over the coming months. I think the ALRM has had some increase in their funding at a national level, but certainly from my discussions with the ALRM it's not enough to meet their ambitions in what they would like to do to represent Aboriginal people.

The Legal Services Commission receives significant funding from the commonwealth but also from the state of South Australia, and we regularly, as demand increases or there are specific complex expensive cases that particularly defendants need greater funding for, provide that from time to time.