The NSW Government is creating a swifter and more convenient justice system, investing more than $150 million in upgrades and maintenance to courts and other justice infrastructure as part of the 2020-21 NSW Budget, designed to turbocharge the State’s system into the digital age.
Attorney General Mark Speakman said an additional $100 million investment over two years would improve courts, correctional and youth justice facilities and create jobs, while more than $54 million invested over three years would deliver a digital transformation for NSW courts.
“The NSW Government is boosting access to justice by delivering faster, smoother and more convenient court services across the State,” Mr Speakman said.
“We’re building better brick-and-mortar courts and integrating them in cyber space.
This will benefit communities across NSW – creating jobs to support the COVID-19 economic recovery, improving the experience for court users and upgrading the security and condition of our essential infrastructure.
“We’re supporting the economic recovery from COVID-19 by investing in projects and maintenance that will create immediate jobs as well as better services.
“This investment will drive productivity in our justice system for years to come and ensure the system delivers for the people of NSW.”
Individual projects will include preservation works for heritage courthouses and new or upgraded audio visual links (AVL) in more courtrooms.
“AVL increases access to justice and has come into its own during COVID-19 by keeping the wheels of justice moving during this once-in-a-century pandemic, triggering a court technology revolution,” Mr Speakman said.
“The digital transformation program will put NSW courts at the vanguard of technology,
building more paperless courts by moving more than 200,000 court appearances online and digitising court files.
“A single point of digital contact will allow court users to seek adjournments, enter
pleas, lodge documents and order transcripts online.”
