'Enormous' workload: Call for third Townsville judge sounded by legal community

Serious concerns have been raised about the “enormous” workload facing Townsville’s judges, prompting a respected barrister to publicly call for a third judge to join the bench. 

Townsville Court House. Picture: Shae Beplate.

Serious concerns have been raised about the “enormous” workload facing Townsville’s judges, prompting a respected barrister to publicly call for a third judge to join the bench.

Barrister Harvey Walters made the proclamation before a courtroom filled with members of Townsville’s legal community, including current and retired judges.

Speaking to Justice David North, Judge Gregory Lynham, Judge John Coker, and Federal Circuit and Family Court Judge Christopher Bowrey – Mr Walters said there was a “real concern” that the district court judges were expected to do “too much”.

He called for a return of a third judge – such as what was present in the 80s and 90s in Townsville – citing the rise of Covid-19, a growing population, and ice epidemic as creating additional work and delays of matters through the courts.

“It is time that we as practitioners bring to the attention of the community and government that there must be … the requisite number of judicial officers who perform (the) functions required to administer justice in Townsville and (the region),” Mr Walters said.

Barrister Harvey Walters at Townsville court. Picture: Evan Morgan

His call comes after 11 judges from the southeast sat in on matters in Townsville in 2022.

That number is expected to grow to 13 in 2023.

“The public doesn’t realise that (Townsville) judges don’t just sit in court … the volume of work … is enormous,” Mr Walters told the court.

Townsville’s judges often conduct multiple sentences a day, sometimes while sitting in on complex trials, in addition to circuiting to other courts in and out of the region.

“It’s just not good enough; it’s not good enough for the people of this region, and its not good enough for the judicial officers who have to work (so hard),” he said.

He said even visiting judges had expressed concern regarding the amount of work undertaken by the judges, with Mr Walters claiming they were doing “double” the work.

Townsville District Court Judge John Coker. Picture: Queensland Courts

Townsville District Court Judge Gregory Lynham. Picture: Queensland Courts

Judge Lynham in response said there were “many benefits” to having judges circuit to Townsville, such as assisting with the workload, and maintaining the court list to a “manageable level”.

He said both he and Judge Coker would soon have the “additional burden” of circuiting to Mackay – as well as their regular circuiting commitments – following the retirement of Judge Julie Dick.

Speaking to the Bulletin, Mr Walters stood by his claims that the judges were “overworked and understaffed”, and that he was “honestly concerned” for the health of the judges.

“These judges are working themselves far and above what they normally should have to do, just to try to keep the list here under control, and make sure matters are heard in a timely fashion …,” he said.

“ … People complain about (how) crime is out of control and how long things take (in court), well this is the perfect example of one of the reasons why.”

Townsville Courthouse precinct.

“And it is a matter that could fairly easily be cured, because all the facilities are there, the courts are there; we have enough courts to have an extra judge there.”

Questions to Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman by the Bulletin regarding the cost of sending almost a dozen judges to Townsville were unanswered.

According to judicial papers, the total remuneration of a district court judge, other than the chief judge, sat at $421,218.00, from July 2019.

Ms Fentiman said the state government was committed to ensuring all courts could operate in the “most effective, responsive, and effective manner possible”.

“The government has recently released its response to the Women’s Safety and Justice Taskforce report two, which includes recommendations relating to the district court to further improve the criminal justice system,” Ms Fentiman said.

“I continue to work closely with the relevant heads of jurisdiction to discuss any issues that impact our courts, including monitoring demand,

“The allocation of judicial resources and circuits to the Townsville District Court is a matter for the Chief Judge (Brian Devereaux).”

Originally published as 'Enormous' workload: Call for third Townsville judge sounded by legal community