Our Funding
“True peace is not merely the absence of tension: it is the presence of justice.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.
Community Law Waikato - Te Tari Ture ā-Hapori o Waikato, is funded through a variety of streams with one of the main sources being a public fund.
The Lawyers and Conveyancers Special Fund is derived from interest accrued in firms’ Trust Accounts. Banks retain 40% of the interest (except those banks who donate another 20% to Community Law) and 60% is legislated to fund community legal services.
The public source of funding is unfortunately not enough to sustain community legal services. The government (Justice budget) tops up the funding (which fluctuates depending on where the special fund is sitting).
In May 2020 Community Law Centres nationwide welcomes a "small but important" budget increase, the first since 2008. Whilst this funding increase helps, community law centres struggle to recruit and retain staff due to budget restraints.
“A funding increase for Community Law was a commitment made in the Coalition Government Agreement and Budget 2020 adds to an important increase in baseline funding for our services during the term of this Government,” says Sue. “It is welcome relief for a service that struggled with flat-lined funding and increased demand for the previous decade.”
Community Law Waikato - Te Tari Ture ā-Hapori o Waikato, receive financial and other support through many organisations and grant schemes. We wish to acknowledge these contributions. There are so many and too many to name individually. Combined it enables us to deliver our mission and contribute to a fair, inclusive, and just society.
