Call for more access to justice

Date created: 29 November 2007

We must do more than simply pay lip service to access to justice, said Victoria Legal Aid managing director Tony Parsons in a recent speech at the 25th annual conference of the Australasian Institute of Judicial Administration. 

Mr Parsons pointed out that research shows that there are relatively low rates of reported legal needs amongst Indigenous Australians and people born in a non-English speaking country.

‘Rather than reflect lower incidence of actual legal need it is most likely that this reflects a failure to recognise legal issues, or a reluctance to complain about or seek help to resolve them,’ said Mr Parsons.

‘If we are serious about battling social exclusion and the risk that it poses to the liberal, democratic way of life that the whole community enjoys, the legal system must do more than simply pay lip service to access to justice.’ 

Download a full text of the speech.

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