Law Society of NSW calls for multipurpose justice precinct in the southwest

Councils and business organisations in Sydney’s southwest have backed calls for a multipurpose justice precinct as local courts struggle under the weight of increased demand.

Liverpool Local Court.

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Councils and business organisations in Sydney’s southwest have backed calls for a multipurpose justice precinct as local courts struggle under the weight of increased demand.

The NSW Law Society has launched a community-backed campaign for an expansion of court services in the southwest to meet current and future needs.

NSW Law Society president Elizabeth Espinosa said the “inadequacy” of the region’s court resources had reached “a tipping point”.

The NSW Law Society president Elizabeth Espinosa is calling for a justice precinct to be established in southwest Sydney.

“Victims of crime and people seeking resolutions to business disputes and family law disputes are being forced to wait inordinate lengths of time for justice or travel into the Sydney CBD to have their matters heard,” she said.

“Another concern is that southwestern Sydney doesn’t have a Federal Circuit Court to deal with family law matters, which means residents and court users must travel to Wollongong, Parramatta or the Sydney CBD to resolve family disputes.

This is impractical, inconvenient and unfair and places additional time and financial burdens on some of the most vulnerable people in the community.”

Cr Waller said there were plans to develop a District Court in Liverpool that haven’t eventuated.

The society is calling on the state and federal governments to commit funds for a new justice precinct in the southwest, a move that has been supported by Liverpool Council, Western Sydney Business Chamber, Liverpool Fairfield Regional Law Society and others.

Ms Espinosa said the complex should include court rooms for the Local, District, Land and Environment, Federal Circuit and Family courts, as well as facilities for alternative dispute resolution, police and justice services.

Liverpool Mayor Wendy Waller supported the campaign, saying southwest Sydney was at “the forefront of Australia’s population growth” and needed the State Government to provide “the necessary infrastructure”.

“Liverpool was supposed to have a District Court when the police station and courthouse were redeveloped. This has still not eventuated.”

Western Sydney Business Chamber executive director David Borger is backing the campaign. Picture: Hollie Adams/The Australian

Western Sydney Business Chamber executive director David Borger backed the calls and said it made “good sense” for a law precinct to be based in the southwest.

“The chamber is calling on government to establish a state-of-the-art and well-resourced justice precinct so everyone has access to the court system,” he said.