Four acting judges are set to immediately start two-year terms in Tasmania’s Supreme Court in an attempt to clear significant case backlog, it was announced on Friday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Former Federal Court judge Shane Marshall, former Northern Territory Chief Justice Brian Martin AO QC, and retired Supreme Court Justices David Porter QC and Lautalatoa Pierre Slicer AO QC have been appointed.
Attorney-General Vanessa Goodwin said the allocation of the acting judges was a matter for the Chief Justice.
The news comes after the most recent Report on Government Services found backlogs in both the Supreme and Magistrates courts.
The report found that as of June 30, 2016, 28.9 per cent of criminal cases in Tasmania’s Supreme Court were more than one year old.
About 7 per cent of the 381 cases were more than two years old.
The previous year, 27.6 per cent of criminal cases in the Supreme Court were more than 12 months old.
Law Society of Tasmania president Rohan Foon said while he was happy the appointment of the acting judges had been announced, a seventh, permanent judge should be appointed to the Supreme Court.
“The appointment of additional judicial officers in itself isn’t the whole answer, there is no point having the ability for the court to run if there’s not adequate prosecutors and defence lawyers to run matters before them,” Mr Foon said.
“What’s being done is welcomed but we hope they’ll also have a look at funding of the [Director of Public Prosecutions] and of legal aid.
“It’s in the interests of alleged victims and defendants that matters are heard as quickly as possible … for victims to get closure, defendants to have their day in court and be able to move on with their lives.”
Mr Foon said delays were often felt more in the Magistrates Court.
Dr Goodwin said the announcement was one of many initiatives being implemented to reduce the case backlog.
“There is always more to be done, which is why I am continuing to work constructively with both the Chief Justice and Chief Magistrate of the Supreme Court and Magistrates Court to address timeliness issues in the Tasmanian judicial system," she said.
The news follows the passage of the Supreme Court Amendment (Judges) Bill last year, which allows for the appointment of part-time acting judges to be paid on a part-time basis.
