GOIRAN SAYS REGIONAL COURT CLOSURES SHOW JUSTICE SYSTEM FAILURE

BY ZOE OLIVER

Western Australia’s Shadow Attorney-General has accused the Cook Government of failing regional communities, after criminal court sittings were vacated across parts of regional and remote WA due to concerns over court security. 

Nick Goiran MLC says the closure of some regional court sittings from June 1st  has left victims, witnesses, families and accused people facing longer delays or extra travel to access the justice system.

The changes follow a public notice from WA’s heads of jurisdiction, who said court security and custodial services could not be guaranteed in some remote and regional locations. The notice was signed by Chief Justice Peter Quinlan, District Court Chief Judge Julie Wager, Children’s Court President Hylton Quail and Chief Magistrate Steven Heath.

Mr Goiran told Ngaarda Media’s Jasper McDonald Blair the notice was highly unusual.

• “In my 17 years in Parliament, I’ve spoken to some of the former members of Parliament, particularly in the justice portfolio... None of them can recall a scenario like this before where the heads of the courts have issued a public notice indicating that some of the regional courts are going to be closed down.”

The court notice said sittings would be limited to regional centres where reliable court security or custodial services could be assured.

Mr Goiran said the disruption was not sudden and should have been dealt with before sittings were affected. “They’ve known about this for now, what, 18 months,” he said.

“We now have a situation where regional Western Australians are being treated as second-class citizens when it comes to the justice system…The courts are operating in metropolitan Perth, and why? Because there’s security. Why is that not the case in regional Western Australia?”

The Nationals WA Leader Shane Love has also called for urgent action, saying regional communities were blindsided by the announcement. In a statement, Mr Love said the closures showed a serious breakdown in access to justice for regional Western Australians.

Mr Goiran said the closures would add pressure to a justice system already dealing with delays and backlogs. He said some matters could be adjourned for at least three months, while others may be redirected to larger regional courts.

• “We already know that backlogs and delayS are an inherent problem in the justice system... Of course these court closures are going to exacerbate that.”

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Mr Goiran says the issue now needs urgent intervention from the Premier, Attorney-General and Police Minister. He says regional communities deserve the same access to justice as people in Perth. A person’s address should not determine whether they should be left waiting, travelling further, or giving up on the system altogether. 

Listen to the full interview below:

NICK GOIRAN INTERVIEW

WITH JASPER McDONALD BLAIR

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