Canberra Liberals Leader and Shadow Attorney-General Elizabeth Lee will move a motion in the Legislative Assembly today, calling on the Labor-Greens Government to provide funding certainty for Canberra Community Law.

Short-term COVID-related funding for Canberra Community Law ceases on 30 June 2021 which will leave the organisation facing a significant shortfall in resources to maintain current service levels.

“Canberra Community Law is an independent community legal centre and has been providing legal services to low income Canberrans for over 30 years,” Ms Lee said.

“I am calling on the ACT Government to providing funding certainty within the next week.

“Canberra Community Law is the only free legal service that specialises in public housing, Centrelink, race and disability criminal law.

“Canberra Community Law is experiencing increased demand and greater complexity of cases due to the ongoing pandemic. However, short-term COVID funding will end in a matter of weeks and without funding certainty from government, Canberra Community Law faces a funding cliff.

“This vitally important organisation must get funding certainty from the government as soon as possible so they can keep providing these free and vital services to the most vulnerable in our community,” Ms Lee concluded.