The Pacific Institute at the Australian National University says the Australian government should find a way to continue to support a comprehensive database of Pacific legal documents.
The Institute, also known as PacLII, is based at the University of the South Pacific, where collects and publishes legal material from 20 Pacific countries on its open-access website.
But concern has been raised among the region's journalists and academics that the Australian government will cut funding for the service, something the Foreign Minister, Julie Bishop, denies.
In a statement, the ANU's Pacific Institute says the database has become an essential resource for governments, legal professionals, NGOs, academics and members of the public.
It says PacLII's services are vital to transparency, good governance and the rule of law throughout the Pacific region and it hopes a way will be found to continue to support what it calls a vital endeavour.
