Gabrielle Williams MP today announced Casey Cardinia Community Legal Service will receive a $300,000 funding boost as part of a grants program under the Andrews Labor Government.

The $300,000 funding over two years will help the Casey Cardinia Community Legal Service provide vital legal assistance to vulnerable and disadvantaged people in Dandenong.

Casey Cardinia Community Legal Service will use the funding to:

• Employ a part-time Solicitor two days per week (0.4 FTE), a part-time social worker one day per week (0.2 FTE) and a receptionist / administration worker 2.5 hours per week (0.033 FTE) over two years to fulfil the unmet demand, especially within the cohort of elderly people experiencing abuse or seeking legal information, advice, community legal education and support groups.
• Employ a family violence duty lawyer at 0.6 FTE over two years to provide three additional days at the Dandenong Magistrates’ Court assisting family violence clients and victims.
• Employ a part-time Solicitor two days per week (0.4 FTE), a part-time social worker one day per week (0.2 FTE) and a receptionist / administration worker 2.5 hours per week (0.033 FTE) over two years to provide information and advice and case manage the client and assist with non-legal problems and community legal education.

Casey Cardinia Community Legal Service 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.