Community legal centres turn away 1,000 Australians each day despite growing need for help

Sector suffers funding and workforce crisis and warns that people will face unnecessary jail terms, family violence and homelessness as a result

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Community legal centres report having to turn away more than 1,000 people every day last year due to budget constraints and short staffing – twice the number they were able to help.

The sector has asked for an urgent funding boost as cost-of-living pressures and poverty drive an increase in legal need, while its federal funding has slipped behind inflation amid staff burnout and huge workloads.

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