Narrowing the Justice Gap

Narrowing the Justice Gap is VCOSS’ submission to the Victorian government’s Access to Justice Review. It contains recommendations aimed to ensure all Victorians can access legal support and services when faced with a range of issues. Recommendations call on the Victorian government to:

• Provide additional funding to expand legal assistance, particularly through community legal centres, to help them meet demand from people facing disadvantage, and advocate for the Commonwealth to do the same.
• Expand Aboriginal legal services, including the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service and Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention & Legal Service to provide services statewide.
• Ensure people living in rural and regional Victoria have the same capability to access legal assistance as people living in Melbourne.
• Increase access to training, advice and resources about legal issues, systems and services for non-legal workers and foster innovation, including by supporting the expansion of models like health-justice partnerships.
• Expand ombudsmen and dispute resolution schemes to sectors without industry schemes.