Well, who’da thunk it? Doh!
A classic case of Chicago School of Economics ‘public choice theory’ or ‘provider capture’. Read the full story for tales of (shock, horror) crooked lawyers playing the system. (Never!)
Next week's expose: "Dog pisses on lamp post!" (image: NZ Herald)
Breathless reportage from the NZ Herald:
A damning review of legal aid says a sea change is needed to fix a system undermined by incompetent, unscrupulous and sometimes corrupt lawyers looking after their own interests.
[…] administrative costs were out of control and raised serious concerns about how the agency operated which had opened the system up to abuse by bad lawyers.“There is a small but significant group of lawyers, and some defendants, who are abusing the system to the detriment of clients, the legal aid system, the courts and the taxpayer,” she said.
“While there are very good lawyers in the legal aid system, there is also a small but significant proportion of very bad lawyers who are bringing themselves and their profession into disrepute.”
Shock horror! Crooked lawyers! (Gasp) What a novelty! A “blinding flash of the obvious.”
