Family law and family violence practice principal lawyer at Hume Riverina Community Legal Service (HRCLS), Alison Maher, has echoed growing concerns about the impending closure of 'in person' services at Wangaratta Magistrates' Court to the public on non-sitting days.
Official announcement about the closures were confirmed late on Thursday, 11 July with more details emerging this week when it was also confirmed in a statement from Magistrates' Court Victoria (MCV) a total of 10 courts have switched to remote registry services on non-sitting days.
The statement said this was the third phase of MCV's "successful pilot" to shift to remote servicing on non-sitting days at remote courts, which began in early 2024.
A pilot program, it seems, that few were aware of until recently.
"Court users can access support by phoning or emailing the court," a MCV spokesperson said.
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"There are no court security officers present on non-sitting days.
"There is no reduction to staff hours, no job losses and no changes to existing sitting days.
"This model provides the staff with time to prepare listing for future sitting days and do other registry work.
"On non-sitting days judicial officers are allocated to other locations within the region to hear court matters within those local communities.
"All phone calls made to Magistrates’ Courts across Victoria are answered by the MCV Service Centre, which provides administrative support for courts statewide.
"This process has not changed and was established in 2022."
The 10 courts to have switched to remote registry services on non-sitting days are Bairnsdale, Bacchus Marsh, Benalla, Echuca, Korumburra, Kyneton, Sale, Seymour, Swan Hill and Wangaratta.
Wangaratta is earmarked for 14 non-sitting days, although 8 August and 7 November there will be magistrates' court at Myrtleford.
The MCV website had updated the Wangaratta Magistrates' Court page with details of the dates on Monday, 14 July.
Court users can speak to a Registrar by calling (03) 9087 5728, emailing wangarattacoordinator@courts.vic.gov.au or visiting the Shepparton Court at 18 High St, Shepparton 3630.
Ms Maher said HRCLS, as a community legal service, sees firsthand the level of need in the community.
In 2023-24 HRCLS assisted 1338 clients with more than 88 per cent experiencing financial disadvantage, more than 71pc were experiencing or at risk of family violence, more than 51pc experiencing poor mental health or living with disability, over 28pc were experiencing or at risk of homelessness, almost 17pc were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and almost 15pc young people under 25 years of age.
"Our service is concerned about the impacts the court closures will have on the general public," Ms Maher said.
"In addition to magistrates hearing matters, the courts provide a valuable service to the community, including assisting victim survivors with family violence applications and having the applications put before a magistrate for an urgent interim hearing.
"Many victim survivors do not reach out to police for assistance with intervention orders, or are referred by police or other organisations to the Magistrates Court.
"If clients can’t navigate the systems remotely, there is a real risk that the applications won't be made in a timely manner, or at all.
"I am deeply concerned that the closure of the court on certain days will be another barrier to people accessing justice."
Ms Maher said at a time when family violence in our region continues to rise, above state averages, it is imperative that courts be open and available to help victim survivors obtain critical Intervention Orders to keep themselves or their families safe.
"We need more court services in the North East, not less," she said.
"You can’t replace place-based services.
"Not all members of the public have phones or laptops, or can navigate systems online."
Ms Maher said courts also provide information about court days and processes as well as JP services – to witness or sign important documents, they provide individuals with information to other legal and non legal organisations such as lawyers, or support services such as family violence frontline services or housing and take payments from people, for instance for fines, or fees for licence restorations (such as drug driving) and not all of these are accessible by phone or online.
"Closures of courts may mean that clients are reaching out for more free legal services," Ms Maher said.
"These resources are already stretched, we turned away more people than we saw in 2023-2024."
She said HRCLS were advocating:
• For Court Services Victoria to continue to ensure Wangaratta Court is resourced to open to the public five days per week.
• for proper consultation with the community on the impacts of any closures, including the impact of replacing face-to-face services with remote options such as phone lines, websites and a distant headquarter court.
MPs worried about impact on communities
Wangaratta-based Nationals MP for Ovens Valley, Tim McCurdy, said the reduction of 'in-person' service contradicts everything the Labor Government has claimed it is doing to reduce the rising crime statistics.
"Labor spruiks that it is tough on crime and beefing up bail, yet at the same time is cutting access to judicial services," Mr McCurdy said.
"Regional Victorians already face an uphill battle accessing any form of government service in person, and now the Magistrates’ Court is following the same trend, removing any local or face to face connection.
"This will cause issues for the elderly, hard of hearing, or those who prefer to actually talk to someone face to face, particularly when it comes to such complex, and oftentimes traumatic, legal advice.
"Another heartless and devastating blow to regional Victoria under the watch of Premier Jacinta Allan that was clearly made on paper without any real consultation or consideration of the impact this will have in our communities."
Nationals MP for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland was equally outraged.
"At a time when crime is skyrocketing, the justice system is under immense pressure and court backlogs are worsening, it is unfathomable that the Allan Labor Government has chosen to slash funding to magistrates’ courts," Ms Cleeland said.
“Regional courts are already operating on the edge.
"Benalla Magistrates’ Court is currently only supported one day a week.
"Any further cuts to nearby courts such as Wangaratta will increase pressure on the system and risk grinding it to a halt.
"Justice delayed is justice denied, and that is exactly the direction we are heading in.
“This is not just poor policy, it is dangerous.
“These local courts deal with some of the most serious issues our communities face, including family violence and community safety.
"Reducing access to justice means more victims left in limbo, more perpetrators walking free, and more regional communities left without support.
“The Allan Labor Government is choosing bureaucracy over justice and putting lives at risk as a result.”
