Attorney General John Quigley has released a roadmap that sets out how the State will support the legal assistance sector to best respond to the legal needs of people experiencing vulnerability and disadvantage.
Published today, the Legal Assistance Strategy 2022-25 seeks to ensure access to appropriate and timely legal assistance irrespective of where people live in Western Australia.
A publicly available strategy is a requirement of the ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Legal Assistance Partnership (NLAP) between the Commonwealth and the States and Territories.
The NLAP is the instrument for Commonwealth funding for the delivery of mainstream, specialist and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander legal assistance services.
As part of the strategy, the Department of Justice is working with the legal assistance sector to map the services required across WA, and identify and respond to unmet legal needs.
It marks the first time the State, in partnership with WA’s legal assistance sector, has formally documented a whole-of-sector approach to the delivery of services to vulnerable people.
An action plan is currently being developed in consultation with the sector and other relevant stakeholders to set out how the strategy will be implemented and its outcomes measured.
The strategy is now available on
As stated by Attorney General John Quigley:
“I welcome the publication of this strategy, which sets out how Western Australia will support the delivery of legal assistance services to vulnerable people.
“I am confident this strategy will help build our understanding of the level and nature of legal need, and keep access to justice within reach.
“The strategy seeks to ensure that people experiencing disadvantage are able to access appropriate and timely legal assistance no matter where they live.
“It’s the first time that the State and WA legal assistance sector has been considered as a whole, which will benefit the delivery of high quality and culturally appropriate services.”
As stated by Federal Attorney General Mark Dreyfus:
“Legal assistance services play a vital role in helping the most disadvantaged Australians have access to justice.
“This strategy will help provide this assistance to the people who need it most and the Commonwealth looks forward to working with the States and Territories on these issues to assist those in greatest need.”
