Western Australia’s community legal centres will receive an additional $2 million over the next two years to help manage operating costs, including practising certificates.
The Cook Government has announced the additional funding for the 2026–27 and 2027–28 financial years, with the money to be distributed proportionally among community legal centres across the state.
The funding, which is additional to indexation, is intended to provide greater flexibility and financial certainty for organisations providing free or low-cost legal assistance to vulnerable and disadvantaged Western Australians.
Community legal centres will be able to direct the additional money towards their individual priorities and financial pressures, including staffing costs, service delivery and practising certificate fees.
Community Legal WA (CLWA) CEO Chelsea McKinney welcomed the announcement, saying the investment would make a difference to services across the state.
“The Government has responded with a broader investment that gives services flexibility to address the pressures they are facing now,” Ms McKinney said.
Practising certificate fees remain an issue
The announcement follows months of advocacy by CLWA and community legal centre leaders seeking a reduction in practising certificate fees for lawyers working in the sector.
Conrad Liveris, who has been involved in the campaign alongside Ms McKinney and the chairs of community legal centres across WA, welcomed the Government’s intervention.
“I am very pleased that the Attorney General has confirmed additional funding for community legal centres to help meet practising certificate fees and other pressures,” he said.
Mr Liveris said the current annual practising certificate fee of approximately $1,250 per lawyer placed a significant financial burden on community legal centres, which generally cover the cost for their employed solicitors.
“A practising certificate is effectively a lawyer’s regulatory licence, renewed each year. It carries a fee of $1250, so a centre employing ten lawyers faces a $12,500 bill,” he said.
“The centre generally pays, using money that would otherwise help people who cannot afford a lawyer.”
The group had sought a 50 per cent discount, equivalent to the reduction available to government lawyers, estimating that the change could free up approximately $250,000 annually for frontline legal services.
Mr Liveris said the group initially approached the Legal Practice Board of Western Australia, which declined to introduce the discount.
“We went to the Legal Practice Board first because it had the power to make the change; however, it decided not to exercise it,” he said.
He described the Board’s approach as disappointing, saying the group had provided detailed submissions addressing its powers, the financial implications and how a fee reduction could be implemented.
Following the Board’s decision, the group raised the issue with the Attorney General.
Mr Liveris said he was grateful the Government had responded and welcomed confirmation that a permanent change to the fee arrangements remained under consideration.
“I would like to see that result in a permanent fee discount. That would allow centres to budget with certainty and avoid having to seek another funding allocation for the same expense,” he said.
CLWA also welcomed confirmation that the Government is continuing to consider changes to practising certificate fees and said it would work with the Government and the Legal Practice Board towards a permanent solution.
“We are pleased the door remains open to a fairer, permanent arrangement for practising certificate fees, so more funding can stay focused on providing legal help,” Ms McKinney said.
Longer-term funding pressures
There are 25 community legal centres operating across metropolitan and regional Western Australia, providing legal assistance to people who may otherwise struggle to access advice or representation.
The Department of Justice currently administers approximately $32 million annually in State and Commonwealth funding for the community legal sector.
Attorney General Dr Tony Buti said the additional investment recognised the increasing financial pressures facing the sector.
“Community legal centres are an essential part of the justice system and play a critical role in helping people access legal information, advice and representation,” Dr Buti said. “This additional funding will help community legal centres manage increasing costs, maintain services and continue supporting vulnerable members of the community.”
