Total legal aid expenditure in the fiscal year to 1 July 2018 was up 11.1% on the previous fiscal year, information released by Justice Minister Andrew Little shows.

In response to a written parliamentary question from National MP Mark Mitchell, Mr Little has said total legal aid expenditure in the fiscal year to 1 July 2018 was $160,069,323.

This compares to total legal aid expenditure of $144,387,658 in the fiscal year to 1 July 2017.