INVESTING IN OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM

ELISE ARCHER MP, Attorney-General and Minister for Justice

The Rockliff Liberal Government is Building Tasmania’s future and a safe and secure community with strong investments, to ensure all Tasmanians have access to an efficient, fair and effective justice system.

The 2023-24 Tasmanian Budget delivers on our commitment for a replacement Burnie Courts Complex in the Burnie CBD at 100-106 Wilson Street with additional funding of $46.5 million, increasing the total commitment to $86.5 million.

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Elise Archer said this significant investment demonstrates our ongoing commitment to improve the administration of justice in the North West of the State.

“We said we would deliver a replacement Burnie Courts Complex that would meet the needs of the North West community into the future, and this significant increase in funding confirms we are delivering on this commitment,” the Attorney-General said.

“The replacement complex to be built in the CBD will ensure the efficient and effective operation of both the Supreme and Magistrates Courts, as well as meeting local community expectations.

“Importantly, it will also revitalise the Burnie CBD – delivering jobs and investment for the North West, and increased trade for local businesses.”

“Our investment will:

• ensure access to justice for the North West community through ongoing Magistrates and Supreme Court services;
• improve safety and amenities for court-users;
• improve disability access; and
• enable contemporary functioning of the facilities, including technology.

“Our Government also remains deeply committed to better protecting our children. Where victim-survivors seek to commence a civil claim for child sexual abuse, it is critically important that we ensure that victim-survivors are treated with respect and dignity.

“Accordingly, this Budget invests an additional $350,000 to establish the new State Litigation Office announced earlier this year, along with delivering trauma informed training to all staff.

“Civil claims arising from child abuse require careful and considered management to ensure that they do not re-traumatise victim-survivors of child abuse and, in particular, institutional child sexual abuse, and this new office will ensure this occurs into the future,” the Attorney-General said.

“We are also allocating additional funding of $70 million over the forward estimates for compensation and administration costs of the National Redress Scheme and civil claims for child sexual abuse.

“Additionally, preventing and responding to family violence remains a priority for our Government and we remain committed to doing everything we can to ensure all Tasmanians are safe, respected and free from all forms of family and sexual violence.

“That’s why we’re investing ongoing funding of $19.5 million across the Budget and Forward Estimates to meet increased demand and support for the delivery of Safe at Home, Tasmania’s nationally recognised integrated criminal justice response to family violence.

“The additional funding is in response to community needs and will further support the prevention of family violence.”

“We are also taking action to further reduce backlogs in the criminal justice system, with the Budget to include:

• funding of $1.2 million over two years for Acting Judges and related costs;
• $750,000 to extend the Serious Cases Fund for complex criminal trials for a further year through 2024-25; and
• $820,000 in 2025-26 for the Legal Assistance Sector to continue to provide core legal services to vulnerable Tasmanians.

“This Budget delivers the biggest ever spend in my Justice portfolio with the Burnie Courts Complex the largest investment in a generation.”