The State budget was handed down on Tuesday, June 21.
In the budget there was increased funding of $12.2 million over 4 years and $2.8 million ongoing to support Seniors in Queensland including expanding elder abuse services provided under the Seniors Legal And Support Services (SLASS). The service expansion will be for Logan, Beaudesert, Ipswich, and Moreton Bay North areas, and outreach services to the Outback and the Torres and Cape region. Well done to the coalition of SLASS services who worked hard to create this opportunity.
There were no other budget items directly impacting CLC funding, but there were allocations to Legal Aid Queensland that may have indirect impacts on CLCs, such as the continued rolling out of specialist domestic and family courts. There is $363 million over 5 years announced to implement the recommendations of the Here her voice report, which includes the criminalising of coercive control. It will take time to understand how this type of budget items gets implemented and the impact on CLCs.