Ageing Supreme Court of South Australia buildings to get $500m overhaul
by: Chief Court Reporter Sean Fewster
From: The Advertiser
September 12, 2013
Concepts
A REVAMPED courts precinct, worth an estimated $500 million, will form the centrepiece of a "massive reform" of the state's justice system, the Premier says.
Premier Jay Weatherill, Attorney-General John Rau and Infrastructure Minister Tom Koutsantonis this afternoon announced expressions of interest were being sought, from private developers, to “transform” the courts precinct.
The concept would see the heritage-listed Supreme Court buildings on the corner of King William St and Victoria Square kept, but the much-maligned courts library building behind them torn down.
Mr Weatherill said it would be replaced with a “first-class 21st Century justice facility” that would be “hardwired” with information technology resources to establish a paperless justice system.
That facility would unify the Supreme, District, Youth and Coroners Courts in a single location - benefiting not only lawyers and the judiciary, but the entire community.
“Obviously this is a very dilapidated precinct (currently), and those who use the courts have had to put up with substandard facilities for too long,” he said.
“The justice system needs massive reform ... someone who has suffered a wrong should not have to wait around for that to be dealt with and justice to be done.
“We need to deliver more efficient and timely justice for the people of South Australia.”
The state’s archaic court facilities have been a source of dispute between judges, lawyers and multiple state governments for more than a decade.
Problems with the ageing facilities include the need for:
BIGGER courtrooms with disabled access.
IMPROVED infrastructure, including modern audiovisual equipment.
REFURBISHED elevators connecting courtrooms with underground cells.
In 2011, then-Chief Justice John Doyle could not access his own office, following a fall, because the building was not wheelchair-accessible.
Earlier this year, Chief Justice Chris Kourakis revealed the courts’ IT system was 25 years old and prone to failing as often as once a week.
Today, Mr Rau said the new facilities would address those problems.
“We will have a more efficient justice system because we will hardwire technologies into the building itself,” he said.
“Everything that is now done with paper will be done electronically, from the initial issuing of a summons through to the hearing of cases.
“Our whole system is capable of being managed electronically, which is light-years away from where the courts are presently.”
Mr Weatherill said a new court building meant fewer delays due to lack of court space and therefore less grief and angst for victims awaiting justice.
He stressed that the project would be undertaken by private developers on Crown land.
He said the State Government would then lease the facility back from the developers, as it currently does with the Sir Samuel Way Building.
“The cost of that lease has been budgeted for in the State Budget,” he said.
“There’s a very strong likelihood of success (with this project) if we get the sort of proposals that match what we’ve allocated for in the Budget.”
Mr Koutsantonis said the goal was to unify the higher courts in one place.
“With the Adelaide Magistrates Court on the opposite corner of Victoria Square, South Australia would be unique in being able to provide a fully integrated precinct,” he said.
He said that, as a commercial project, space in the new courts could be leased to other government departments including the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The developers could also lease space to private law firms, cafes and other legal industry businesses.
“Preliminary investigations indicate a privately funded project of this scale has the potential to deliver some 1500 construction jobs,” he said.
