Care welcomes the ACT Government’s 2026–27 Budget commitment to ongoing funding for community legal assistance organisations and other justice support. 

 

The ACT Government has announced $14.8 million in ongoing funding, recognising sustained growth in demand and the need for certainty across our sector.  

 

Care Consumer Law provides free legal assistance to Canberrans with consumer law, credit and debt issues. 

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Care Consumer Law’s Mobile Debt Clinic and ACAT Duty Lawyer Service sit within this broader investment in legal assistance for vulnerable Canberrans.  

 

Through these services, we support people responding to debt collection actions in ACAT as well as making easier to access legal help via our Mobile Debt Clinic at locations across Canberra, including Woden Community Services, Meridian, St John's Care Reid, Communities at Work Tuggeranong and Gungahlin, Mura Lanyon Youth and Community Centre, North Canberra Hospital, and the University of Canberra. 

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“Our clients are seeking help with issues connected to financial abuse, unfair lending, banking disputes, insurance, gambling harm, scams, dodgy car loans and repairs, telecommunications disputes and other consumer law problems. With this long term funding Care can look to grow its Duty Law services to both the Magistrates and Supreme Courts as well as add additional Mobile Debt Clinic locations to meet increasing demand” - Ameena Rahimi, Principal Solicitor. 

 

“We will also allocate resources towards early intervention in ACT schools and youth services with particular focus on reducing gambling harm and sexually transmitted debt as well as increasing skills for financial empowerment to help young people build positive financial futures.” - Amy Kilpatrick, Care CEO.

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“For many in our community, legal problems are rooted in financial hardship and family violence. These issues trigger or snowball into housing stress and perpetual cost of living pressures. This investment means services like ours can continue to have the opportunity to help people and look for new ways to respond to the changing nature of hardship” - Amy Kilpatrick, Care CEO.

 

People seeking legal help with consumer law, credit and debt issues can contact Care Consumer Law on 6143 0044 or complete our referral form on our website www.carefcs.org/refer