Pat Conroy (Shortland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence Industry) Share this | Hansard source

Every day there are remarkable people across the Central Coast who go to work to help people they've never met before—people who quietly and diligently offer advice and support to others when it's needed most. That's what the outstanding team at the Central Coast Community Legal Centre do every day for some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged members of my electorate, and they've been doing it for three decades now. From financial problems and traffic offences to issues at work and family law matters, our Central Coast Community Legal Centre offers free legal help and support to everyone who needs it.

A few weeks ago I met the team behind it all and got to hear directly about the work they do to help locals navigate our legal system and how they empower people in our community with information, education and advice. Recognising that the pathway to justice isn't the same for everyone, the centre also offers additional specialist support for young people who might be experiencing financial hardship, people with a disability, those experiencing mental health challenges and locals who are at risk of homelessness.

By working with other community support services across the Central Coast, the team helps address more than just legal issues, because legal problems rarely exist in isolation, and neither do their solutions. Overall, last year, the Central Coast Community Legal Centre helped more than 1,621 people. The centre is community owned, community run and not for profit. It is one of almost 200 similar services operating across Australia. They were so positive about the five years of certainty that we've given them through our latest funding agreement. As they approach their 30th anniversary this year, I want to say thank you to Sym'mon and the team. Thank you for what you do for our community every single day. But, more than that, the centre staff sent me here with a message. The Central Coast Community Legal Centre is there for any local who needs it, whether it's on the phone, in person or at one of their outreach clinics. They're there to support you. I'm proud to be a member of the Albanese Labor government, a government that supports and values community legal services just like this one, because access to justice shouldn't depend on your bank balance. It should be available to everyone, and, case by case, the Central Coast Legal Centre makes that a reality. Thank you, Sym'mon and your team, for what you do every day. And here's to another 30 years of empowering and serving our community.

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