The poll, conducted by the Law Council of Australia’s ‘Legal Aid Matters’ campaign, found that 81 per cent of Australian respondents said that they either strongly agreed or agreed with the following statement: ‘In Australia, anyone who encounters a serious legal issue, but cannot afford a lawyer, should be able to rely on legal representation being provided through legal aid.’ Just 7 per cent of respondents said that they strongly disagreed with the statement. ‘It’s well known that Australians believe passionately in the right to a Medicare safety net. This data shows that we also believe in the right to a legal safety net,’ said Law Council of Australia president Stuart Clark AM in a statement.

Political pressure

The Legal Aid Matters campaign is hoping to put pressure on Australian politicians ahead of the federal election in July. It calls on political leaders to follow a Productivity Commission recommendation made two years ago which called for a A$350m cash injection into the legal aid system to resolve a funding drought. Currently, funding cuts and tightening criteria mean that only 8 per cent of Australians qualify for legal aid under current means tests. ‘Unfortunately, legal aid funding is so scarce that even if you’re living below the poverty line, you’re unlikely to qualify. People are being forced to represent themselves in court and its destroying lives,’ Mr Clarke said to Australasian Lawyer.