The Commonwealth Government announced the provision of funds in recognition of the unprecedent growth in migration filings in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2) (the Court). The funding totals $34.2 million over three years, designed to add capacity to the Court's migration jurisdiction and to support vulnerable applicants.
The measure includes funding for additional Registrars and support staff, together with capital funding for hearing rooms and registry facilities.
Migration represents a significant and growing area of the Court's work. Filing volumes have increased by more than 116% since 2022-23. This sustained growth has placed considerable pressure on the Court's resources and contributed to delays in the resolution of migration cases.
Chief Justice Alstergren AO said the funding is a significant step forward in ensuring the provision of access to justice.
"Migration filings in the Court have more than doubled over the last three years and continue to grow. An increase like that has a real and significant impact on the workload of Court staff and Judges.
"This funding will help to expand the capacity of the Court to process the majority of new migration applications within a more efficient timeframe", Chief Justice Alstergren said.
The Court's CEO and Principal Registrar, David Pringle PSM, said the funding will make a real difference for the Court and its users.
"This is a significant investment that recognises the increased caseload that has accumulated in the Court's migration jurisdiction in recent years. The additional Judicial Registrars and support staff will enable the Court to ensure that migration cases are managed and resolved in a timely way.
"The Cultural Liaison Officers will continue to play an important role in supporting culturally and linguistically diverse applicants to navigate the Court's case management processes. A large proportion of migration applicants are unrepresented and require additional support, so these resources are critical to ensuring access to justice.
"Importantly, these resources will help the Court focus on supporting vulnerable applicants," Mr Pringle said.
This funding builds upon funding the Court received in the 2023-24 MYEFO and the 2024-25 Federal Budget to assist with the migration caseload, including the appointment of additional Judges and support staff.
