Judge Dread: Taxpayers funding home security for SA’s ‘vulnerable’ judges

SA taxpayers are funding security systems for the state’s judiciary – already pocketing more than $500,000 a year – amid fears about judges’ safety, it can be revealed.

South Australian taxpayers are funding security systems for the state’s judiciary – already pocketing more than $500,000 a year – after fears were raised about judges’ safety.

Official records show a once-off payment is available for the state’s highest ranking legal officers to install, and upkeep, home security systems after undisclosed incidents of concern over the past 18 months.

The state’s independent pay umpire granted the additional payment to judicial officers, who already are able to recover $1000 in expenses for home security systems.

Judges had warned the Remuneration Tribunal of “security concerns over the past 18 months”.

Authorities said judicial officers face “increased vulnerability to threats to their physical safety and that of their families”, which they warned “is greater than most members of the community”.

South Australian judges earning more than $517,000 a year can also access a $1600 home security system fund.

The tribunal also approved a 3.5 per cent pay rise for South Australian Supreme Court justices, who now earn more than $517,000 a year.

The increase, also applying to other judiciary members, will be backdated to September 1.

The tribunal approved the supplementary security allowance in its latest judiciary review.

Members revealed the Judicial Remuneration Coordinating Committee submitted the current security allowance “should be supplemented by an optional once off payment to each judicial officer”.

It added: “(This was) for the set up and installation of an appropriate security system within their homes and thereafter continue with the current allowance of $1025 per year divided and received fortnightly for monitoring of the system.”

The $1600 is a one-off payment supplementary to an existing $1000 allowance.

“The JRCC referred the Tribunal to arrangements in other jurisdictions, to indicative security system costs and to some security concerns over the past 18 months.”

The JRCC had previously raised concerns about accessing the allowance and the varying amounts judicial officers would spend on home security systems.

It argued for a once-off payment – which tribunal members Matthew O’Callaghan, Donny Walford and Mark Young have now approved – noting the existing budgetary allowance under the Courts Administration Authority.

“Accordingly, the Tribunal considers that judicial officers should be able to seek to be reimbursed for the cost of the installation of a home security system to a maximum of $1600 if these costs are unable to be met through existing cost recovery mechanisms,” it said.

“The Tribunal is prepared to consider home security issues which may impact on other officers covered by this Determination if information about these issues is provided in the future.”

A spokeswoman for Attorney-General Kyam Maher said the security allowance had been in operation “for a number of years” and was a reasonable safety measure that should be afforded to judicial officers.

“South Australia’s judicial officers play a crucial role in upholding justice and community safety in our state,” she said.

A Supreme Court spokeswoman said there had been no expansion to the eligibility of accessing the allowance.

“The security allowance is paid to meet the costs incurred by judges and magistrates in providing for home security,” she said.

“By reason of the office they hold, they have an increased vulnerability to threats to their physical safety and that of their families.

“This vulnerability is greater than most members of the community.

“The security allowance is paid in recognition of that fact.”