Statements
Judicial system—Accessibility—Review
Brief ministerial statement
Dr Tony Buti (Armadale—Attorney General) (12:04 pm): I rise to inform the house that an independent jurisdictional review will be undertaken to examine ways to make Western Australia's justice system faster and more accessible for Western Australians. This review presents an opportunity to examine how court resources might be managed more efficiently. It will have two central areas of focus.
Firstly, the review will examine the current jurisdictional arrangements of Western Australia's Supreme, District and Magistrates Courts, as well as the State Administrative Tribunal. This review will occur at both a whole-of-system and individual jurisdiction level with a view to identifying opportunities to improve the administration of justice, reducing the criminal courts' time to trial and increasing process and procedural efficiency. Secondly, the review will consider the fee structure for people involved in civil litigation in the Supreme Court and the potential for increased cost recovery, particularly in respect of those known as well-resourced litigants. This type of litigation, often complex and lengthy, places a considerable burden on the time and resources of the court. There is an important balance to be struck between fair access to justice and ensuring that the court is not overburdened.
I am pleased to advise that the review will be led by former Supreme Court Justice Hon Justice Janine Pritchard. Ms Pritchard also has experience as the President of the State Administrative Tribunal and as a District Court judge. This places her in good stead to undertake this review.
As part of the review, consultation will be undertaken with stakeholders across the judiciary and legal profession, as well as court and tribunal staff and other important stakeholders. This announcement reaffirms the commitment of the Cook Labor government to ensure that our justice system works fairly and efficiently for Western Australians.
