Residents of outer South Western Sydney are left waiting, often in custody, for criminal matters to come to court, with District Court backlog at double historical levels.
The NSW Government’s own plans to increase court infrastructure in South West Sydney to service the demand have been left on the shelf.
Progress has stalled on a plan for redevelopment and expansion of community and justice facilities in Campbelltown, meaning that prospective jurors who use wheelchairs continue to be excluded from serving, and colonial era Children’s Court facilities leave vulnerable witnesses exposed to unacceptable risks and intimidation.
Mayor of Campbelltown City Council George Greiss says that despite joint funding from the three tiers of government for a masterplan of the site for a community and justice precinct, an expected commitment to invest in court infrastructure had not been forthcoming from the NSW Government.
“Our community can’t wait for Macquarie Street to wake up to the sheer scale of neglect being inflicted on South Western Sydneysiders,” Cr Greiss said.
“We’ve done the rounds of the politicians’ offices time and time again with our hat in our hand, but commitment to the court infrastructure that our region desperately needs has been delayed and progress stalled,” he said.
“Macarthur deserves better than stonewalling.”
Campbelltown City Council has long advocated for a community and justice precinct in Campbelltown, to centralise justice services and triple access to current court facilities for Australia’s fastest growing region.
Mayor Greiss made it clear before Christmas that he would be making funding of the community and justice precinct an issue during the current campaign for the March 25 NSW state election.
“We will be talking to both sides as we try to get a commitment for funding,’’ he said.
As well as improving access to the courts, a community and justice centre would be an economic boost for the centre of Campbelltown some estimates put at $1 billion.
