Labor Member for Western Victoria, Gayle Tierney today announced Emma House Domestic Violence Services Inc will receive two grants totalling $200,000 as part of a grants program under the Andrews Labor Government.
The $200,000 of funding over two years will help the Emma House Domestic Violence Services to provide vital legal assistance to vulnerable and disadvantaged people in south west Victoria
The first Emma House grant of $100,000 will be used to continue the employment of a part-time Administrative Assistant over two years to support the Principal Lawyer in meeting an increased demand of the Family Violence Court Based Applicant Program and expand the other areas of the practice to include family law, Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal, child protection, and fines/small civil matters.
This grant comes under the $3.4 million Community Legal Centre Assistance Fund, which provides support for critical programs and free legal services for vulnerable Victorians.
The second grant of $100,000 to Emma House will provide for the employment of an additional part-time Solicitor over two years to assist the Principal Lawyer and to provide a duty lawyer service each week in Warrnambool Magistrates’ Court, Hamilton Magistrates’ Court and Portland Magistrates’ Court to meet the increasing demand for duty lawyer services in all three Magistrates’ Courts.
This grant is part of the Andrews Labor Government’s $2.1 million Family Violence Duty Lawyer Fund to provide specialist family violence duty lawyers helping victims with proceedings before the Magistrates’ Court.
This funding means that Emma House Domestic Violence Services can continue to run vital programs and services, as well as assist victims of family violence in the local community.
Emma House Domestic Violence Services Inc is one of 38 community legal centres across Victoria to successfully apply for a grant under the funding programs, including the Community Legal Centre Assistance Fund, the Family Violence Duty Lawyer Fund, and the Community Legal Centre Family Violence Fund.
The grants – totalling $8.9 million – will help support more than 100,000 Victorians each year with free advice and support on a range of legal matters including family violence proceedings and family law disputes.
The Victorian Budget 2017/18 provided $24.8 million in new funding to help community legal centres across the state to deliver critical legal services and advice to Victorians.
Quotes attributable to Member for Western Victoria Gayle Tierney
“The Andrews Labor Government is making access to justice easier and fairer by supporting community legal centres across the state.”
“We’re proud to be delivering this funding to Emma House because it will help to improve access to legal services in our community and deliver more support to those who need it most.”
“I congratulate Emma House on their successful application, and thank them for their hard work and dedication to the south west community.”