Expanding our impact

After amalgamating into one united Aboriginal Legal Service, we ramped up our representation for Aboriginal families facing intervention from so-called child protection authorities. Many Aboriginal parents facing the removal of their children were members of the Stolen Generations themselves.

In 2013, we also started providing legal information, advice and representation in family law, in response to a huge level of unmet need in our communities.

In 2015, we faced a government funding cut of $3.15 million or nearly 17% of our annual budget, equating to losing some 18 frontline lawyers plus 2 or 3 remote offices. In response, we ran a campaign called #savetheALS, calling on government to reverse the massive cuts, which would have the effect of severely limiting access to justice for many Aboriginal people. Thankfully, the campaign was successful and resulted in the continuation of financial support from the Commonwealth Government. Yet this dark chapter in our history serves as a reminder that together with our allies, we must remain vigilant to ensure our vital services are adequately funded and Aboriginal people get the legal support they deserve.