Questions without notice and ministers statements
Echuca Magistrates’ Court
Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (11:30): (485) My question is for the Attorney-General. As the Attorney would be aware, the Echuca courthouse is located in the Campaspe Shire Council offices at the end of this building. There have been ongoing community safety issues where those waiting to appear in court are milling around in a shared space with ratepayers using the council services office. In 2016 the government announced a $1.1 million upgrade to provide separate court access and safe interview rooms as part of the response to the family violence royal commission. Eight years on, why hasn’t the promise of separate entrances to the courthouse and council service centres been delivered?
Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (11:31): I thank Ms Crozer for her question, and indeed I had the pleasure of visiting the Echuca courthouse yesterday and hearing firsthand of the amazing work they do. The newly opened Koori Court is providing an amazing service to Indigenous Victorians in this region, a model that we know is responding to specific communities, and Aboriginal Victorians are receiving that service now here in Echuca. It is obvious when you enter the Echuca courthouse that its facilities are not modern and not up to date, and they are doing an amazing job to work around those constraints. They did all reflect on the brand new Bendigo court facility that has been recently opened, an amazing facility that does benefit the broader region and brings through other jurisdictions in relation to that. There have been minor upgrades to the Echuca facility, and I remain in conversations with the Magistrates’ Court, with Court Services Victoria and indeed with the hardworking registrars, court staff and magistrates at the Echuca courthouse.
Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (11:32): Attorney, it was eight years ago that you made that announcement, and you are failing the community in not delivering what you promised. In the May 2018 budget the government announced an additional $5 million for upgrades to the Echuca courthouse. Four years later this project has not even started. So again I ask: when will the work on the Echuca courthouse start?
Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (11:33): Thank you, Ms Crozier, for your question. It is a difficult site to work around. It is obviously, as you have indicated, a facility that has been in existence for some time. It has some history – obviously its partnership with the council. In relation to specifics around projects, you would appreciate that Court Services Victoria, not the government, are the –
A member interjected.
Jaclyn SYMES: I will continue to work with, as I said in my previous answer, Court Services Victoria and the amazing court workers out here in Echuca.