The Aboriginal Legal Service (ALS) has stopped its criminal law service at Moss Vale Court, due to a lack of funding in the federal budget.
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The Aboriginal-led not-for-profit organisation ended the service at the court on May 15, where it was also frozen at 12 other courts across the state.
The ALS prioritises cultural safety and and appropriate legal advice and court representation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, by working with Aboriginal community field officers and lawyers.
Through its criminal law service, it provides legal advice and representation, and assistance and referrals in prisons, ALS offices and courts.
It assists people charged with offences who appear before Local, Children's District, Supreme and High Courts.
A release on the ALS website on April 28 said the demand for its service has "almost doubled" since 2018, where federal government funding had dropped.
Staff were "stretched" to the limit, the release said.
ALS provided a follow-up on May 15 on Facebook to say the funding was not delivered and its service was halted.
"This is the action we have to take to protect the health and wellbeing of our staff, and their ability to provide the high-quality services our communities deserve," it said.
"There is no point sugar-coating this situation - it could result in far worse outcomes for our clients and communities," said NSW and ACT ALS CEO Karly Warner.
"We know that when culturally safe legal support isn't available, the result is more unjust incarceration, more families torn apart, more intergenerational trauma."
The CEO said there could be an increase in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths in custody.
"We are committed to doing everything we can to support our communities through this challenging time," she said.
Criminal law services also ended in the Byron Bay, Eden, Forster, Junee, Lithgow, Muswellbrook, Scone, Singleton, Temora, Tenterfield West Wyalong and Wauchope local courts.
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Briannah Devlin
I like to write about arts, entertainment, any local reality tv leads, and property for the Southern Highland News and Goulburn Post, but also report on everything in between. If you have any tips, please send them to Briannah.Devlin@austcommunitymedia.com.au, or call 0439142204.
I like to write about arts, entertainment, any local reality tv leads, and property for the Southern Highland News and Goulburn Post, but also report on everything in between. If you have any tips, please send them to Briannah.Devlin@austcommunitymedia.com.au, or call 0439142204.
