The Law Society of NSW and Police Association of NSW are jointly calling for the fast track construction of a new multi-jurisdiction court complex to replace outdated, overflowing and unsafe court facilities in the Macarthur region.
President of The Law Society of NSW President Doug Humphreys said an explosion in the Macarthur population, expected to double over the next 10 years, would put even greater pressure on the courts and legal services that were already struggling to cope with demand.
"The three local courts at Camden, Campbelltown and Picton cannot manage the current backlogs in criminal and civil cases. Camden and Picton were built in the 1800s and are no longer fit for purpose," Mr Humphreys said.
"This means victims of crime and residents seeking resolutions to business and family disputes are waiting inordinate amounts of time for justice."
Secretary of the Police Association of NSW Pat Gooley said court backlogs in the Macarthur region were absorbing police time that could be better spent responding to and investigating crime.
"Crime prevention requires smart planning and smart investment in the justice system," Mr Gooley said.
"This means ensuring our courts have the necessary resources and security, as well as adequate numbers of police prosecutors and support staff to serve our community.
"Police are tired of having to explain to victims and witnesses why matters are taking so long to come on for trial. We join with the Law Society in calling for urgent action to address this issue."
President of Macarthur Law Society, Brett McGrath said both Camden and Picton Local Courts did not have adequate security facilities for many types of cases, including apprehended violence orders relating to family violence.
Mr McGrath said this was despite a disturbing increase of around 44.9 per cent in the number of domestic violence cases in the Camden Local Government Area over the past two years, reported by the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research.
"While an increase in the number of domestic violence cases may be attributed in part to growth in the population, a lack of appropriate court resources poses serious safety concerns for court users and particularly for victims of crime," he said. ---
