The new National Partnership Agreement for Legal Assistance Services means community legal centres across Australia are facing a 30 per cent cut to their funding from 2017.

Ms Monro said: “One of my priorities over the next 12 months will be working with government and the legal assistance sector to ensure there is adequate funding to meet rising demand and enable access to quality legal help for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged members in our community.”

Ms Monro said while NACLC is pleased about the recent announcement of additional pilot funding as part of the Women's Safety Package, more needs to be done.

“We welcome the increasing recognition by governments of the crucial role CLCs play in holistic response to domestic violence. However, there is a need to ensure this continues, including through the provision of additional funding,” Ms Monro said.

NACLC has reiterated its call for the government to implement the Productivity Commission's recommendation of an immediate injection of $200 million per year to the legal assistance sector to meet the existing unmet legal need.

“Every single day, I see women and children struggling to deal with family violence and the legal problems that family violence contributes to, both directly and indirectly. This frontline experience and expertise, as well as our connection with communities, is a real strength of the CLC sector.”

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