BEATTIE GOVERNMENT GIVES $6,700 TO PROVIDE MACKAY DISABLED PEOPLE WITH ADVICE ABOUT DISCRIMINATION

The Beattie Government has allocated $6,700 to provide information about discrimination law to disabled people in Mackay.

The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Linda Lavarch, said the funding would allow the Disability Discrimination Legal Service, based in Cairns, to send a solicitor to Mackay for community legal education.

“This grant will allow the Disability Discrimination Legal Service to organise seminars with disabled people in the Mackay area to increase awareness of their legal rights,” Mrs Lavarch said.

The Member for Mackay, Tim Mulherin, said: “It is important to protect the interests of disabled people.

“We need to ensure that they have access to the same level of legal services as the general community, regardless of their location or situation.”

The Mackay project is one of 44 initiatives worth a total of $1.49 million that have been funded this year from the interest from solicitors’ trust fund accounts.

“This year’s grants, which range from $1,400 to $155,000, have been allocated to organisations that are dedicated to helping some of the most vulnerable people in our community,” Mrs Lavarch said.

The grants are funded through the Legal Practitioner Interest on Trust Accounts Fund, which is administered by the Department of Justice and Attorney-General.

Media inquiries: Paul Holmes, Linda Lavarch’s office, 3239 6400 or 0407 378 796