NATSILS welcomes the opportunity to provide this submission to the Productivity Commission in relation to their inquiry into access to justice arrangements in the civil law system. This submission will focus on highlighting overall national trends in relation to access to justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and will be complimented by a range of submissions from individual ATSILS who will provide a more localised analysis of
specific issues. The information and analysis contained herein will focus on the level of need for legal assistance services amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, whether this need is effectively being met and hence, whether Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are afforded equitable access to justice in the civil law system.