By Alesha Capone
A Wyndham councillor has labelled Werribee Magistrates Court as “draconian” and “embarrassing”.
Wyndham safer communities portfolio holder Kim McAliney posted a statement on Facebook earlier this month in which she said Wyndham needed a new justice precinct, including a new police station and Magistrates Court.
A new justice precinct in East Werribee has been talked about for a number of years.
In 2014, the state government allocated three hectares of land, directly behind Werribee police station, for a potential justice precinct.
Earlier this year, Wyndham council made a pre-budget submission to the state government’s 2019-20 budget, asking for funding to be allocated to develop the justice precinct.
The submission said Werribee Magistrates Court “… has just two courtrooms, is outdated and unsafe”.
“Wyndham’s population has grown from 40,000 people to 257,000 since these law courts were built, and as such, it is failing to properly service the community,” the submission stated.
Cr McAliney said that building the new justice precinct was “an absolute must” for Wyndham.
“This project cannot be delayed yet another year,” she said on Facebook.
“Our Werribee Magistrates Court is draconian, embarrassing … victims and perpetrators sit together, causing an absolute huge security risk”.
Cr McAliney also said “many thousands of cases” were being diverted from Werribee to Sunshine Magistrates Court.
A state government spokesperson said: “The Andrews Labor government has provided significant funding in the last two state budgets for planning and land acquisition for a new Wyndham Law Court, which will form part of a broader Wyndham Justice Precinct.
“More than $27 million has so far been allocated towards both the Wyndham court and a new court facility in Bendigo.
“The new court will replace the existing Werribee Magistrates Court, which is no longer large enough to accommodate the needs of the rapidly growing Wyndham population.”
