❓ This parliamentary question addresses concerns about court security and custodial services in regional WA, following a public notice warning of vacated criminal court sittings. It specifically asks about impacted courts and the tabling of sensitive correspondence between WA Police and the Department of Justice.
AnsweredQoN 425Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
Court security—Regional and remote courts
425. Hon Nick Goiran to
the parliamentary secretary representing the Attorney
General:
I refer to the
extraordinary public notice issued last month by the heads of jurisdiction
warning that criminal court sittings across large parts of regional Western
Australia will be vacated this winter because court security and custodial
services cannot be guaranteed.
(1) Which courts have been directly
impacted since 1 June 2026?
(2) Will the Attorney General table the
December 2024 correspondence from the WA Police Force to the Department of
Justice advising that WA police will withdraw from providing court security and
custodial services under the existing arrangements?
(3) Will the Attorney General table the
relevant memorandum of understanding?
(4) If no to (2) or (3), why not?
425. Hon Nick Goiran to
the parliamentary secretary representing the Attorney
General:
I refer to the
extraordinary public notice issued last month by the heads of jurisdiction
warning that criminal court sittings across large parts of regional Western
Australia will be vacated this winter because court security and custodial
services cannot be guaranteed.
(1) Which courts have been directly
impacted since 1 June 2026?
(2) Will the Attorney General table the
December 2024 correspondence from the WA Police Force to the Department of
Justice advising that WA police will withdraw from providing court security and
custodial services under the existing arrangements?
(3) Will the Attorney General table the
relevant memorandum of understanding?
(4) If no to (2) or (3), why not?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member
for notice of the question. The bulk of this answer is in tabular form, as the
member would probably appreciate from the question, and I ask that it be
incorporated into Hansard .
Leave granted for
the following material to be incorporated.
Table 1: Home Court and Circuit Locations
Circuit location with temporary
impacts
Bidyadanga
Dampier Peninsula
*Derby
Fitzroy Crossing
Looma
Wyndham
Warmun
Kalumburu
Balgo
Halls Creek
Newman
Jigalong
N/A
Tom Price
Exmouth
Wiluna
Meekatharra
Cue
Shark Bay
Mullewa
Three Springs
Warburton
Blackstone
Warakurna
Leonora
Laverton
*Esperance
*Merredin
*Katanning
*Narrogin
*Collie
*Manjimup
Harvey
Margaret River
*Moora
*Department of
Justice staffed court location – no resident Magistrate. Registry remains open.
2 – 4.
No. These documents contain operationally sensitive information that, if made
public, could jeopardise the safe operation of Western Australia's courts.
for notice of the question. The bulk of this answer is in tabular form, as the
member would probably appreciate from the question, and I ask that it be
incorporated into Hansard .
Leave granted for
the following material to be incorporated.
Table 1: Home Court and Circuit Locations
Circuit location with temporary
impacts
Bidyadanga
Dampier Peninsula
*Derby
Fitzroy Crossing
Looma
Wyndham
Warmun
Kalumburu
Balgo
Halls Creek
Newman
Jigalong
N/A
Tom Price
Exmouth
Wiluna
Meekatharra
Cue
Shark Bay
Mullewa
Three Springs
Warburton
Blackstone
Warakurna
Leonora
Laverton
*Esperance
*Merredin
*Katanning
*Narrogin
*Collie
*Manjimup
Harvey
Margaret River
*Moora
*Department of
Justice staffed court location – no resident Magistrate. Registry remains open.
2 – 4.
No. These documents contain operationally sensitive information that, if made
public, could jeopardise the safe operation of Western Australia's courts.
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