4. Aboriginal Legal Services

Aboriginal legal services were established in the 1970s. The ALS offers free legal advice and representation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. ALS lawyers work in the areas of criminal law, family law and children’s care and protection law. For civil law matters they give information and referrals to other service providers. There is no means test except for contested family law hearings.

 

In 2006 the six Aboriginal legal services in NSW and ACT were amalgamated to form a single service, called the Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT) Limited (ALS), which continues to be an Aboriginal community controlled organisation. There are 23 offices in NSW and ACT in metropolitan and regional areas.