- The Crisafulli Government dedicates an extra $18.8 million in Budget to make Queensland courts safer for victim-survivors of domestic and family violence (DFV).
- More than $5 million to upgrade Maroochydore Courthouse including new safe room for victims and extra security.
- Under Labor, Maroochydore Courthouse upgrades were significantly underfunded and could not have been delivered without Crisafulli Government's budget boost.
- The Crisafulli Government is delivering a fresh start for Queensland.
The Crisafulli Government is delivering an $18.8 million funding boost to Queensland's Domestic and Family Violence Courthouse Improvement Program, making courts safer for victim-survivors.
This additional funding brings the total investment in the program across the state to almost $68 million.
This means critical upgrades to the Maroochydore Courthouse will go ahead, despite increasing construction costs putting the project at risk after Labor failed to allocate sufficient funding.
Work will include construction of a new safe room with direct access to a courtroom, giving vulnerable witnesses private and secure areas to prepare for and access the court.
Safety will be further bolstered with a security upgrade to the court's entry, along with a refurbishment of the court registry to accommodate additional staff.
It's just one of the ways the Crisafulli Government is delivering a fresh start for Queensland.
The construction tender will be released and work expected to commence by the end of this year, with completion due by mid-2026.
The project supports enhanced delivery of DFV justice services at the Maroochydore Magistrate's Court, which dealt with 787 applications for domestic violence orders and 1,410 charges of contravening a domestic violence order between June 2024-25.
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister for Integrity Deb Frecklington said the Crisafulli Government was prioritising the rights of victim-survivors in Queensland.
"The Crisafulli Government firmly believes that everyone deserves to feel safe when seeking justice," the Attorney-General said.
"I am very proud this important upgrade to the Maroochydore Courthouse can be completed thanks to the extra funding boost provided by our government.
"Labor left the domestic and family violence upgrades at Maroochydore Courthouse with nowhere near enough money to cover the costs.
"These critical upgrades will help victims of domestic and family violence navigate the court process, and deliver faster and safer access to justice, while ensuring offenders are held to account."
Member for Maroochydore Fiona Simpson said these upgrades were crucial to her community.
"This significant investment by the Crisafulli Government into my local courthouse will greatly improve the support provided to domestic violence victims who are pursuing legal protections," Ms Simpson said.
"We cannot underestimate the scale of domestic violence cases in our legal system.
"To address this scourge on the Sunshine Coast, but also across Queensland, we are equipping our courts to deliver justice."
Upgrades to Ipswich and Caboolture courthouses are already complete, and projects at Brisbane, Cairns, Mackay, Rockhampton, and Toowoomba courthouses continue to be delivered under the DFV Courthouse Improvements Program.
