WA Government: $2 Million Boost for Community Legal Centre Funding

• The WA government has allocated an extra $2 million to community legal centres for the 2026–27 and 2027–28 financial years.
• This funding aims to help centres manage rising operational costs, including practising certificate fees.
• The decision follows advocacy from Community Legal WA and sector leaders regarding high annual practising certificate fees for lawyers.
• A proposed 50% discount on practising certificate fees, sought by advocates, was declined by the Legal Practice Board of Western Australia.
• Attorney General Dr Tony Buti confirmed the government continues to consider changes to practising certificate fees.

Attorney General Dr Tony Buti affirmed in a media release that this additional investment is critical for helping centres manage escalating costs, sustain their essential services, and continue their vital work in assisting vulnerable Western Australians.

The Western Australian government has committed an additional $2 million in WA government community legal centre funding over the next two financial years, specifically for 2026–27 and 2027–28. This crucial financial injection is designed to alleviate the increasing operational expenses faced by these vital community services, which include the burden of practising certificate fees. The allocation will be distributed proportionally among the 25 community legal centres operating across the state, supplementing existing indexation.

This new funding initiative will empower individual organizations to address a range of financial pressures, from covering workforce costs to enhancing service delivery and managing the aforementioned practising certificate fees. The announcement follows an intensive period of advocacy from Community Legal WA (CLWA) and various leaders within the community legal centre sector, who have been campaigning for measures to reduce the financial strain on lawyers working in public interest roles.

A key driver behind the advocacy efforts was the substantial cost associated with annual practising certificate fees for lawyers. Conrad Liveris, a prominent figure in the campaign alongside CLWA CEO Chelsea McKinney and chairs of several community legal centres, highlighted that each lawyer incurs an annual fee of approximately $1,250. For a centre employing ten lawyers, this translates to an annual expenditure of $12,500, funds that would otherwise be available for direct legal assistance to clients.

The advocacy group initially proposed a 50 percent discount on these fees, mirroring the reduction already extended to government lawyers. This proposed change was estimated to free up around $250,000 annually, which could then be redirected into frontline services. However, the Legal Practice Board of Western Australia ultimately declined to implement this suggested discount. Following this decision, the matter was escalated and brought to the attention of Attorney General Dr Tony Buti.

Chelsea McKinney, CEO of CLWA, expressed her appreciation for the government's response, emphasizing that the broader investment provides centres with enhanced flexibility to navigate their current financial challenges. While welcoming the additional funding, Conrad Liveris underscored the importance of a permanent fee reduction to ensure greater budget certainty for the centres in the long term.

CLWA also welcomed the confirmation that the government continues to consider changes to practising certificate fees, indicating ongoing dialogue on this critical issue affecting WA practising certificate fees and the operational stability of legal professionals in the sector.

Western Australia's 25 community legal centres play an indispensable role by offering free or low-cost legal assistance to vulnerable individuals throughout both metropolitan and regional areas. The Department of Justice currently oversees the annual administration of approximately $32 million in State and Commonwealth funding dedicated to this sector.

Attorney General Dr Tony Buti affirmed in a media release that this additional investment is critical for helping centres manage escalating costs, sustain their essential services, and continue their vital work in assisting vulnerable Western Australians. This ensures continued access to justice for those who need it most.

Lawyers and compliance officers should note that the additional funding for WA community legal centres aims to stabilize and maintain essential free/low-cost legal services, ensuring continued access to justice for vulnerable clients. This development also signals ongoing government consideration of adjustments to practising certificate fees, which could impact legal professionals' operational costs in the future.

Source: Original reporting via Australasian Lawyer