Community law centre says funding inadequate for free legal services in Northland

Liz Cassidy-Nelson of 155 Tai Tokerau Community Law Centre says taxpayer funding for free legal advice is inadequate. Photo/Supplied

A law centre providing free legal advice to more than 1000 Northlanders is struggling to meet the demand with the current level of taxpayer funding.

The 24 Community Law Centres throughout New Zealand are given $2.2m a year to fund law-related education to about 25,000 people, especially on those on low incomes.

But the chief executive of 155 Tai Tokerau Community Law Centre, Liz Cassidy-Nelson, said the level of government funding was simply inadequate.

"We are working closely with the Ministry of Justice around parity in funding so we can get around the community. The geographical spread of Northland makes our work very challenging".

The centre's main office is on Kamo Rd but it has outreach clinics in Kaitaia, Kaikohe, Moerewa, Dargaville and Wellsford.

Last year, the Government increased community law centres funding by 20 per cent to $2.2m.

Cassidy-Nelson said her centre was contracted to help just over 1100 Northlanders but was seeing well over 1400.

"The demand is going up. For some people, they recognise there's space available to clarify their own rights. We've become more accessible to the community so we're not just sitting in our offices but going to the marae."

The centre has 12 workers, including four lawyers, case officers and community advocates.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said demand for Community Law Centres' services has been growing and that these services were crucial to ensuring New Zealanders received what they were legally entitled to, and their legal rights were upheld.