All Australians, regardless of means, should have access to high quality legal services or effective dispute resolution mechanisms necessary to protect their rights and interests. In some cases, such services are clearly essential to ensure that an individual's rights are protected and injustice avoided. The objective of equality before the law is unattainable if people experience barriers that prevent them enforcing their rights. The most obvious barriers are the financial difficulties faced by people who cannot afford legal advice and representation.

 When it comes to the need for legal services, it's not a question of IF, but of WHEN.