Vulnerable residents of the southern Gold Coast, including victims of domestic and family violence, have been left with nowhere to turn after the Robina Community Legal Centre was forced to close by the Palaszczuk Labor Government.
Shadow Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Minister and Member for Mudgeeraba Ros Bates has slammed the do-nothing Labor Government after it again refused to fund the Robina CLC, causing the centre to close.
“Labor has turned its back on domestic violence victims on the southern Gold Coast,” said Ms Bates.
“Labor has shamefully refused to allocate one cent the multi award-winning Robina Community Legal Centre and they have been forced to shut down.
“The most vulnerable in our community now have nowhere to turn for help with complex legal matters.
“This is a free, frontline, all-volunteer legal service ignored by Labor time and again as it struggled to keep its doors open.
“This is an appalling decision by a do-nothing Labor Government which is all show and no go when it comes to domestic and family violence.”
Robina CLC president Ross Lee said the decision came weeks after the Robina CLC won the Queensland Law Society’s Community Legal Centre Member of the Year Award 2017.
“We are bitterly disappointed to have again received nothing from the Queensland Government,” he said.
“The personal sacrifices are not sustainable. With no financial support, we are forced to close our doors,” he said.
“Our work has been recognised throughout the legal community and by our Gold Coast representatives, but we’ve been ignored again.
“A fraction of the additional funding allocated other CLCs would have been more efficiently spent by us leveraging volunteer lawyers.
“I’m astonished that the Australian pro bono program of year and Queensland CLC Member of the Year could be given zero funding. Committee is working through options to get us reopened as soon as possible. All support is appreciated.”