Law Council of Australia - Looking downstream: the long-term costs of underfunding legal aid in Australia

In its 2014 Report Access to Justice Arrangements, the Productivity Commission recognised the net public benefits to the community of proper investment in the legal aid and the ‘false economy’ of not doing so. The Productivity Commission noted that a significant funding injection was needed to increase access to legal assistance for many Australians. Seven years on, PwC analysis demonstrates that Commonwealth funding of legal aid on a per capita basis continues to fall.

In this webinar, a panel of eminent members of the legal and economic sectors discuss the downstream social and economic impacts of Commonwealth funding of Legal Aid in Australia and, in the lead up to a Federal Election in 2022, what needs to be done to fix the funding shortfall.

The webinar will involve a panel discussion moderated by Dr Jacoba Brasch QC, Law Council of Australia President and featuring the following eminent speakers:

• Mr Michael Brennan, Chair, Productivity Commission
• Mr Jeremy Thorpe, Chief Economist, PwC Australia
• Ms Louise Glanville, Chief Executive Officer, Victoria Legal Aid

This is a free event, however registration is essential. Please note that there is a limited attendance capacity for this event.