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Legal aid boost for the south west
Date : 22 May 2008
Victoria Legal Aid’s newest regional office opens in Warrnambool on Tuesday 27 May 2008, bringing the resources of the state’s major legal aid provider to the south west coast. A formal launch will be conducted in a few months’ time.
The South Coast regional office will provide a wide range of legal services to residents in Warrnambool, Portland, Hamilton and surrounding towns and communities. Victoria Legal Aid (VLA) provides advice and assistance in relation to criminal law, family law, social security matters, mental health, debt and human rights.
‘The South Coast regional office is the latest expression of VLA’s strategic plan to have a presence in each major regional centre,’ said the manager of VLA’s Regional Offices Division, Michael Wighton. ‘Warrnambool office joins Shepparton, Horsham and Ballarat as the fourth new office in six years.’
‘VLA and the Warrnambool staff in particular, are looking forward to assisting local residents with their legal issues’ said Amanda Chambers, the managing lawyer of the new office.
Services will be provided on site in VLA’s newly outfitted Fairy Street premises, and in outreach services visiting towns across the south west. The office will also be co-ordinating the provision of free duty lawyer services at the Warrnambool, Hamilton and Portland courts.
Ms Chambers has joined VLA after ten years with one of Warrnambool’s largest law firms, Tait Leishman Taylor. There she was at the forefront of legal aid work, becoming known as the firm’s “people lawyer”.
Ms Chambers’ colleagues at Warrnambool VLA include lawyers Jake Torney and Therese Wattis together with four local administrative staff. The office also intends to appoint two specialist family lawyers.
Ms Chambers said the VLA Warrnambool office expects to work closely with regional community agencies, government departments, private legal practitioners and the South West Community Legal Centre.
‘My experience has shown that the services in this area share a complementary aim, which is to ensure that disadvantaged clients have access to vital services. We also wish to work strongly with the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service and the Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention Legal Service. We envisage that the VLA facilities and resources will be fully utilised by all.’
The Warrnambool office of Victoria Legal Aid is situated at 185 Fairy Street and is open Monday to Friday between 8.45 am and 5.15 pm. For appointments please telephone 5559 7222.