Federal Budget Fail
May 2026
The Tasmanian Aboriginal Legal Service (TALS) today echoed the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (NATSILS) response to the Federal Budget saying it fails to ensure access to justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
TALS CEO Jake Smith said no new investment was included in the Federal Budget to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services, that provide culturally safe legal assistance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, despite services across the country, such as TALS in Tasmania, being unable to meet demand for services.
“Aboriginal people across the country, including here in Tasmania do not have equitable access to culturally safe legal assistance services.” Mr Smith said.
“Without adequate funding to provide access to legal assistance and representation across a variety of family, civil, child safety and criminal matters, Aboriginal people will continue to be disadvantaged and over-represented in our justice system.
“For years our service, like others ATSILS across the country, have been chronically underfunded, costs continue to increase and we continue to be unable to ensure pay parity to mainstream services in the sector.”
Mr Smith said without new and significant investment in Tasmania, TALS will need to review the legal assistance services available for Aboriginal people in this State.
“New investment into Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services under the National Access to Justice Partnership began mid-2025.
“But the reality is that other funding was removed and it did very little given the years of chronic under funding, rising costs and the increase tough on crime policies - which don’t make safer communities - that lead to increased demand for the service.
“Despite the Federal Budget failing Aboriginal people across the country and in this state, the Tasmanian Government has an opportunity to step up to the plate in the upcoming State Budget and support Aboriginal people of Tasmania.”