A domestic violence hotline for rural, regional and remote women could be closed as a result of government funding cuts.
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Yvette D’Ath today announced $51.3 million in State and Commonwealth government funding for Queensland community legal centres.
The announcement saw the State government boost their contributions after a $2 million Federal funding cut to Queensland’s services.
While the Women’s Legal Service Queensland (WLSQ) received $1.2 million in funding annually for three years, it’s $300,000 below the current costs to run the organisation.
Among their services, WLSQ offers the Rural, Regional and Remote (RRR) Priority Line which ensures isolated women don’t have to compete with metropolitan areas when calling a lawyer for support.
WLSQ CEO Angela Lynch said without enough money the RRR Priority Line would have to be closed.
“At this stage a logical cut is the rural line and we could then say those rural women have to come in through out other helpline and then be competing with metropolitan callers,” she said.
“Legal advice is essential to safety. Not being able to answer the call for that woman may mean she gives up and she will stay where she is.
“The issues we are dealing with are life and death.
“We don’t understand when the Prime Minister and the Premier stand up and talk about the importance of domestic violence why they also don’t understand the importance of front line services.”
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Yvette D’Ath said the Palaszczuk Government’s portion of funding to Community Legal Centres would increase each year over the next three years but there was still a shortfall.
“The Palaszczuk Government is now covering 60% of the costs of providing these vital services,” she said.
“In its proposed cuts, the Turnbull Government has turned its back on our most vulnerable because the funding shortfall will mean thousands of people across Queensland will be turned away from Community Legal Centres.
“The Palaszczuk Government will continue its contribution in funding Community Legal Centres, because we understand how vital they are.
“However, we will see cuts to real funding occurring in this funding round due to the Commonwealth cuts.”
She called on the Turnbull Government to reverse the funding cuts that are proposed to come into effect on July 1.