The words Wirringa Baiya in traditional language mean “Women Speak”.
Christine Robinson is a Bundjalung woman and CEO of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women's community legal centre Wirringa Baiya.
The organisation has a strong focus on working with survivors who have experienced domestic, family, and sexual violence.
Wirringa Baiya, like other community legal services, receives funding through the National Legal Assistance Partnership (NLAP) from the federal government and all states and territories.
Ms Robinson says the funding is not enough and that Wirringa Baiya often relies on grants from philanthropic organisations to stay afloat.
"It takes a lot of time and work trying to get funding. We do not have a dedicated funding or tender writing team to assist in this area," she told NITV.
We have a waitlist at the moment and we've had one for a couple of years because we are just not in a position to take on clients.
Community Legal Centres Australia has released a estimating that over 350,000 people across the country have been turned away from their services in the past year.
For the women who do miss out, Ms Robinson says their mental health is at risk.
"Our biggest concern is their mental health, and the impact on their levels of trauma and anxiety."
Wirringa Baiya is a legal service dedicated to Aborigianl and Torres Strait Islander women.
"Our biggest concern is how those feelings impact the clients when they've already been impacted by trauma, abuse and violence."
Some clients are willing to wait, which Ms Robinson says is a testament to Wirringa Baiya as an organisation for their ability to make women feel culturally safe. heard and respected.
"Many Aboriginal women tell us they don't want to go to another service where there may be a risk of not feeling culturally safe."
"Sometimes we'll have to refer clients to other community services and they may not have capacity as well. Unfortunately, not everyone can wait.
"The fact is that some women will not come forward because of the impact of colonisation, discrimination, racism and other issues which have impacted them when accessing services and government agencies," Ms Robinson said.
'This crisis will worsen'
Karly Warner is a palawa woman and CEO of the NSW/ACT Aboriginal Legal Service.
She said inadequate government funding has brought the service to breaking point.
"Since the National Legal Assistance Partnership was started in 2020, this funding hasn’t kept pace with inflation, let alone with the growing legal needs of our people," Ms Warner told NITV.
"We were forced to freeze ALS criminal law services in 13 courts last year because of the funding crisis. We want to resume these services but don’t yet have the resources to make it happen."
Ms Warner says that the Commonwealth, NSW and ACT governments are responsible for ensuring equal access to justice by properly funding.
"We know there are preventable cases of children being taken and people being locked up."
"It’s up to the government to respond with a funding increase in this year’s federal and state budgets. Otherwise, this crisis will worsen and more people will [continue to] be turned away," she said.
In Victoria, CEO of the state Aboriginal Legal Service, Nerita Waight said "Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continue to be overpoliced, overincarcerated, and dying in custody from preventable causes. Funding Aboriginal legal services is key to closing the justice gaps."
A recent independent review looked at the adequacy of funding for the entire community legal sector.
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus promised to release the of the National Legal Assistance Partnership.
"I'm very hopeful it will be a good foundation for some real reform in the sector," he said.
