Upper House MLC Justin Hanson criticises Chief Justice’s response to sheriff’s officers bullying inquiry

A state MP has hit back at the Chief Justice after he criticised a scathing parliamentary report for relying on secret witnesses.

A parliamentary report alleges court sheriff’s officers have worked for decades in a “festering” culture of bullying and intimidation. Picture: Roger Wyman

Politicians who investigated the alleged bullying of court sheriff’s officers have hit back at secrecy criticisms from the state’s top judge, labelling them “a bit rich”.

Labor Upper House MLC Justin Hanson, spokesman for the Standing Committee’s inquiry into the Courts Administration Authority, has responded to Chief Justice Chris Kourakis’ rejection of its report.

In a radio interview, Chief Justice Kourakis said the report – which asserted a decades-long “festering” culture of belligerent bullying – was “prepared to wound but afraid to strike”.

He dubbed it “unfair”, saying the committee had relied upon “innuendo” and “secret information” while refusing to disclose the identities of those who had given evidence.

On Tuesday, Mr Hanson said it was difficult for the committee to accept His Honour’s critique, given the prevalence of secrecy orders in SA’s courts.

Upper House MLC Justin Hanson. Picture: AAP/Morgan Sette

Chief Justice Chris Kourakis. Picture: Dylan Coker

“Parliament has accepted confidential evidence since time immemorial, and both parliament and the courts have the ability to hear matters in private,” he said.

“In SA in 2020, there were 164 suppression orders made by our courts – up from 143 in 2019 – which was the third highest number of suppression orders in the nation.

“So it’s a bit rich of the Chief Justice to turn around now and say the parliamentary committee’s report should be disregarded because it accepted confidential evidence.”

The committee’s report, published in November, found the CAA’s “inconsistency and lack of accountability” had led to “significant adverse impacts” on officers’ wellbeing.

It recommended they be placed under the control of the Department for Correctional Services so their status and rights as public servants receive “full protection”.

In its wake, Chief Justice Kourakis said officers would get to vote on who oversees them and the State Courts Administrator, Julie-Anne Burgess, tendered her resignation.

Chief Justice Kourakis said, in a radio interview, there “just isn’t the systemic culture” of bullying as alleged by the report. Picture: Dean Martin

On ABC 891 radio last week, Chief Justice Kourakis said he had received a petition “signed by 75 per cent” of the 120 officers “saying they did not want to be transferred” to DCS.

He questioned how “damning” the report could be if a “steady stream” of officers were “voting with their feet” to stay with the CAA.

“Our agency is not perfect, it is imperfect and has made mistakes … I think we may have lost some good people … but there just isn’t the systemic culture that the report alleges,” he said.

Mr Hanson said the results of a “single survey” could not compare to the committee’s 19-month inquiry.

“I have been told by sheriffs that (Ms Burgess) met with them before resigning to ‘inform’ all staff they would be moved to DCS and be forced to perform prison staff duties,” he said.

“The petition would have been conducted around this time.

“The fact is, at the end of the day, CAA staff need and want new management – dollars to doughnuts the petition didn’t seek any comment from staff on that.”

A list of questions and a request for an interview sent to Chief Justice Kourakis by The Advertiser was acknowledged but not answered by deadline.