THOUSANDS of Victorians will be disadvantaged by proposed cuts to the legal aid service, the Law Institute of Victoria says.
Victoria Legal Aid has advised the Law Institute of Victoria (LIV) it will consider cuts to legal representation when its board meets next week to deal with budget blowouts.
The LIV held a meeting on Monday evening where barristers and solicitors condemned the proposed cuts and voted to campaign against them.
LIV president Michael Holcroft said lawyers want the organisation to take up its concerns with the heads of all courts, attorneys-general and police and prosecutors.
"Lawyers were angry that proposed cuts would disadvantage thousands of Victorians as well as having a devastating effect on the justice system as a whole," Mr Holcroft said in a statement.
"The proposals will lead to increased court delays and increase the risk of people sentenced to jail who ought not be."
Victoria Legal Aid reported a $3.1 million deficit for 2011-2012 after two years of surplus and suffered a budget blowout in the first quarter of 2012-13.
It receives federal and state funding but the proportion of federal funding has fallen from 50 per cent to about 33 per cent since 1997.
Mr Holcroft said funding for legal aid has remained static while demand for services has grown following the Victorian government's law and order agenda, including increased numbers of police, PSOs and child protection workers.
"It cannot boost funding to Victoria Police and child protection officers without also funding the other side of the justice equation," Mr Holcroft said.
Lawyers are planning a protest at the County Court forecourt on December 11.
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