The Law Society of Tasmania thinks a suggestion Legal Aid could be funded with taxes on alcohol and gambling is not a sensible approach to solving the problem of underfunding for the critical legal service.
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The Australian Bar Association made the suggestion on Friday after a forum in Brisbane. The idea that taxes from alcohol and gambling could fund Legal Aid was one of several measures suggested to increase Legal Aid funding.
“So far as the Australian Bar Association comments, it's good that they're turning their minds to the issues but I think they need to come up with more sensible options,” Law Society of Tasmania president Matthew Verney said. He said they are not opposed to a broad discussion on how funds could be raised for legal aid. But he said the proposal to use funds from taxes on alcohol and gambling were problematic when that money could just as rightly be directed towards health, which also feels the impact of those areas.
Australian Bar Association president Patrick O’Sullivan QC said it is imperative funding increases for Legal Aid, and that current funding increase are not adequate.
“We’re suggesting that we need to start thinking about doing things differently and look at the current challenges as an opportunity to innovate and change,” Mr O’Sullivan said.
Although he doesn’t agree with the proposed measures, Mr Verney does agree that more funding needs to be found for legal aid.
A productivity commission report in 2014 recommended and immediate Legal Aid funding increase of $200 million nationally. “The current budget for Legal Aid [in Tasmania] is $12 million, so you can imagine with another five or six the things Legal Aid could do.”
