❓ Hon Nick Goiran asks about restraining order applications before the Magistrates Court, processing times, and judicial appointments. The Attorney General provides data and outlines efforts to streamline processes and increase judicial capacity.
AnsweredQoN 575Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to page 415 of Budget Paper No. 2, Volume 2, in reference to Court and Tribunal Services, and I ask: (a) how many restraining order applications are currently before the Magistrates Court; (b) of those in (a), what percentage are granted interim restraining orders; (c) what is the average number of applications processed by the Court each day; (d) what is the average time for each application to be processed by the Court; (e) what action, if any, is being taken to streamline the process; (f) what is the current number of Magistrates and how does this compare with the previous five years; (g) is there any action being taken to increase the judicial appointments; and (h) is a reduction in Magistrate appointments impacting on the outcomes and key effectiveness indicators of the Magistrates Court?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
14 October 2025
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary to the Attorney General
Response time
4 days
(a) As at 1 October 2025, there were a total of 4,032 Restraining Order applications before the Magistrates Court of Western Australia.
(b) As at 1 October 2025, 75% of the matters before the court, as reported at (a), have been granted an interim Restraining Order. Note, these figures do not demonstrate the percentage of applications that are granted versus not granted.
(c) For the 2024-25 financial year, the average number of Restraining Order applications processed each business day in the Magistrates Court was 75.
(d) The average time to process (from time of application lodgement to first hearing) Restraining Order applications received in 2024-25 was three days.
(e) The Magistrates Court continues to examine ways to streamline lodgement and hearing processes relating to Violence Restraining Order and Family Violence Restraining Order (FVRO) matters before the court.
The Attorney General has also announced an independent court jurisdictional review to consider efficiencies for the court.
(f) 2025-26 – 62
2024-25 – 62
2023-24 - 60
2022-23 - 56.8
2021-22 - 54
(g) Eight additional Magistrates have been appointed under the Government’s Justice Pipeline model between 2021-22 and 2023-24. The Attorney General monitors the workload of the Magistrates Court.
(h) There has not been a reduction in the number of Magistrates appointed.
(b) As at 1 October 2025, 75% of the matters before the court, as reported at (a), have been granted an interim Restraining Order. Note, these figures do not demonstrate the percentage of applications that are granted versus not granted.
(c) For the 2024-25 financial year, the average number of Restraining Order applications processed each business day in the Magistrates Court was 75.
(d) The average time to process (from time of application lodgement to first hearing) Restraining Order applications received in 2024-25 was three days.
(e) The Magistrates Court continues to examine ways to streamline lodgement and hearing processes relating to Violence Restraining Order and Family Violence Restraining Order (FVRO) matters before the court.
The Attorney General has also announced an independent court jurisdictional review to consider efficiencies for the court.
(f) 2025-26 – 62
2024-25 – 62
2023-24 - 60
2022-23 - 56.8
2021-22 - 54
(g) Eight additional Magistrates have been appointed under the Government’s Justice Pipeline model between 2021-22 and 2023-24. The Attorney General monitors the workload of the Magistrates Court.
(h) There has not been a reduction in the number of Magistrates appointed.
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