Northern Metropolitan Region
Dr RATNAM (Northern Metropolitan) (14:53): (1887) My question is for the Attorney-General. Last month I was pleased to meet with the Northern Community Legal Centre, which provides much-needed, free and accessible legal services to residents in my electorate. NCLC operates in one of the fastest growing and most disadvantaged parts of Melbourne and is experiencing increased demand for its service. However, NCLC receives significantly less funding than other community legal centres operating in Melbourne—about $3000 less per client than CLCs in the eastern suburbs. As a result of this funding imbalance, NCLC has the highest rate of unmet legal need of any generalist community legal centre in Victoria, and many residents in my electorate are unable to access legal services and support. Attorney, when will you rectify this funding imbalance to ensure NCLC has adequate funding?