Hundreds of robed barristers picketed the Victorian County Court this week, in protest at the levels of legal aid funding.

According to the Law Institute of Victoria, government contributions to legal aid have barely moved in the last few years. A spokeswoman told RollOnFriday "The money for legal aid hasn't increased... You go in there unrepresented and you cop the consequences, and that is not representing fairness in the community. Not everyone can afford a lawyer". Under the banner "Legal Aid Matters" supporters made their point very publicly on Wednesday.

The protest in Victoria starts to turn ugly

The restrictions on access to legal representation are arousing strong feelings from a number of quarters. The Law Council of Australia has launched a website to help muster support for this issue, and the Salvation Army is opening its own law firm in an attempt to address the shortage in legal aid services. A spokesman told RollOnFriday that since the announcement last month, Salvo's Legal has had a rush of volunteers, keen to help out.

However the pressure from all sides seems to be working - the Victorian government has now announced a $50m boost for the legal aid system.