2274. Hon Alison Xamon to the Leader of the House representing the Attorney General:
I refer to the Western Australian State Budget 2019–20, page 369, Significant Issues Impacting the Agency, 20., and I ask:
(a) what percentage of legal aid applicants in cases in the protection and care jurisdiction of the Children’s Court were deemed eligible for aid but were not successful in receiving a grant of aid; and
(b) how many individual legal aid applicants in cases in the protection and care jurisdiction of the Children’s Court were deemed eligible for aid but were not successful in receiving a grant of aid?
Hon Sue Ellery replied:
(a) In 2018/19, 2.68% of applicants in the protection and care jurisdiction were deemed eligible for aid but were not successful in receiving a grant of aid.
(b) In 2018/19, 20 applicants were deemed eligible for aid but were not successful in receiving a grant of aid. It should be noted that in this jurisdiction, clients stop applying for legal aid when funding is restricted and a large number of potential applicants were diverted to the duty lawyer services for advice and assistance.