Call for legal help for bushfire survivors
Call for legal help for bushfire survivors
20 April 2009
published by www.abc.net.au
Australia — There are calls for the Victorian Government to fund legal assistance for survivors to make written submissions to the Bushfires Royal Commission.
The Chairman of the Commission, Bernard Teague, has urged victims to submit written evidence to the commission in response to concerns they will not be allowed to give oral evidence.
He says if the submissions are compelling enough, victims may be invited to appear before the hearings.
But Public Interest Law Clearing House spokesman Mat Tinkler says people will need help to fund the legal advice they will need to put their case in writing.
“Many people are still coming to grips with the tragedy and they haven’t had the time to turn their mind to writing a submission,” he said.
“They haven’t had access to lawyers who can assist them through that process, and the legal profession has done an amazing job in coming to the party pro bono so far, but that goodwill can only go so far.”
