❓ This parliamentary question addresses the closure of 26 regional and remote courts in Western Australia due to police security issues, focusing on the impact on victim-survivor safety and restraining order applications. The Attorney General's response outlines continued arrangements for restraining orders but confirms no modelling was done on increased wait times.
AnsweredQoN 435Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
Courts—Closures
435. Hon Dr Brad Pettitt to the parliamentary
secretary representing the Attorney General:
I refer to the
current closure of 26 regional and remote courts in Western Australia due
to the inability to guarantee police security, and to media reports and
community concerns that the closures and potential delays will impact victim-survivor
safety.
(1) What did the Department of Justice
mean when it said it would "actively support affected court users,
including those involved in restraining order matters"?
(2) We have been told that the wait time
for a family violence restraining order application in the Karratha court can
already take up to a week, prior to the closure of other regional courts. Has
the Department of Justice done any modelling on the impact these regional court
closures will have on wait times for courts that will now have to deal with
more cases?
(3) If yes, please table the modelling.
(4) If no to (2) or (3), why not?
435. Hon Dr Brad Pettitt to the parliamentary
secretary representing the Attorney General:
I refer to the
current closure of 26 regional and remote courts in Western Australia due
to the inability to guarantee police security, and to media reports and
community concerns that the closures and potential delays will impact victim-survivor
safety.
(1) What did the Department of Justice
mean when it said it would "actively support affected court users,
including those involved in restraining order matters"?
(2) We have been told that the wait time
for a family violence restraining order application in the Karratha court can
already take up to a week, prior to the closure of other regional courts. Has
the Department of Justice done any modelling on the impact these regional court
closures will have on wait times for courts that will now have to deal with
more cases?
(3) If yes, please table the modelling.
(4) If no to (2) or (3), why not?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member
for some notice of the question.
(1) As per the Magistrates Court of Western Australia Practice
Direction 1 of 2026 , current restraining order arrangements will
continue, subject to the discretion of the presiding magistrate at a designated
home court and subject to the Western Australia Police Force continuing to
facilitate audiovisual links for interim hearings, when required. At Department
of Justice staff circuit locations, arrangements will be in place for urgent
initial hearings of restraining order applications to be conducted via
audiovisual link. For all other circuit locations, the Department of Justice,
in consultation with the presiding magistrate at each home court location, will
implement flexible arrangements for the lodgement and hearing of restraining
order applications within legislative constraints.
(2) Modelling was not undertaken as
existing arrangements to hear restraining order applications have been
continued. Regional magistrates at designated home court locations will hear
similar numbers of cases, noting they had been travelling to remote circuit
courts prior to their suspension.
for some notice of the question.
(1) As per the Magistrates Court of Western Australia Practice
Direction 1 of 2026 , current restraining order arrangements will
continue, subject to the discretion of the presiding magistrate at a designated
home court and subject to the Western Australia Police Force continuing to
facilitate audiovisual links for interim hearings, when required. At Department
of Justice staff circuit locations, arrangements will be in place for urgent
initial hearings of restraining order applications to be conducted via
audiovisual link. For all other circuit locations, the Department of Justice,
in consultation with the presiding magistrate at each home court location, will
implement flexible arrangements for the lodgement and hearing of restraining
order applications within legislative constraints.
(2) Modelling was not undertaken as
existing arrangements to hear restraining order applications have been
continued. Regional magistrates at designated home court locations will hear
similar numbers of cases, noting they had been travelling to remote circuit
courts prior to their suspension.
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