New Legal Aid office opens its doors in Albany

12/07/06 Attorney General Jim McGinty has officially opened the new Duke Street premises of the recently established Legal Aid office in Albany.

12/07/06
Attorney General Jim McGinty has officially opened the new Duke Street premises of the recently established Legal Aid office in Albany.
Mr McGinty said the new $776,000 service was already providing more lawyers and better access to legal help for low-income and disadvantaged individuals and groups.
"The new facilities in Albany will significantly improve access to legal advice and representation for people in the Great Southern," he said.
"The Duke Street office will make the justice system accessible for more people, help cut waiting times for legal assistance, result in quicker trials and reduce the stress on victims of crime."
The Attorney General said three full-time lawyers, a paralegal and a legal secretary would staff the Albany Legal Aid office and provide the full range of legal work including:

  • one-on-one legal representation on family, civil and criminal law matters;
  • duty lawyer services and representation for criminal and traffic matters in the Magistrates and Children's Courts;
  • one-off legal advice for 30 minutes for minor criminal, civil and family law matters;
  • up to three hours of legal assistance to help people deal with legal problems through self-help mechanisms; and
  • a purpose-built dispute resolution centre for family law mediation.
Mr McGinty said Legal Aid representation was means and merit-tested and also available to children.
Before the Legal Aid Office was established, Albany residents only had access to legal aid through a visiting lawyer from the Bunbury office and from a Perth-based telephone service.
"One of the great benefits of the new Albany office will be the improved services for family law and children's court matters," the Attorney General said.
"Urgent matters such as the recovery of children taken without consent and matters involving violence can now be dealt with immediately.
"Children facing court also now have access to a duty lawyer service where previously they had none."
Mr McGinty said the Albany Legal Aid office would also complement the positive work done by local lawyers, the Aboriginal Legal Service and the Community Legal Centre.
Minister's office: (08) 9422 3000