CLC Background

Community Legal Centres are non-profit organisations that provide legal and welfare services to members of the community. Services provided by centres include information, legal advice, casework, representation, community legal education and law reform. In Western Australia, there are 33 Community Legal Centres that are members of the Federation of Community Legal Centres WA. Of these centres, 18 receive funding through the Commonwealth Community Legal Services Program (CCLSP).

The overarching purpose of the CCLSP is to deliver community legal services to the disadvantaged in the Australian community. The Commonwealth, via the Attorney General's Department, is responsible for the Program at a national level. Legal Aid WA performs a function as State Program Manager in WA to administer the CCLSP and report to the Commonwealth.

The Commonwealth is undertaking a program of reviews of the CCLSP in nominated states. Reviews of the program have already been completed in Queensland, South Australia and Victoria.

In 2001 a WA Community Legal Centre Review Steering Committee was formed, the Committee consists of the following representatives:

• Chairperson (Director of Legal Aid WA)
• Commonwealth Representative (Commonwealth Attorney General's Dept)
• State Representative (Department of Justice WA)
• 2 Federation of CLCs WA Representatives (and 1 proxy)
• State Representative (Legal Aid WA)
• Secretariat (CLC Program Manager, Legal Aid WA)

In November 2002 the Commonwealth and West Australian Attorneys-General agreed the Terms of Reference for the WA Review.

Submissions based on the Terms of Reference from interested parties are encouraged and can be emailed to acurrie@legalaid.wa.gov.au or posted to CLC Review Secretariat, Legal Aid WA, GPO box L916, Perth , WA 6842.