Wyndham lawyers are calling for a new Werribee Magistrates Court to be built sooner rather than later, saying that the present court building is too small to cope with the demand for legal services in the municipality.
The court, which was built in 1980 to service a population of 40,000, has no space for drug and alcohol support workers, welfare officers and family violence support workers. It has two courtrooms and no wheelchair access.
Wyndham Legal Service (WLS) says the size and layout of the court means that victims of family violence are forced to sit within metres of their abuser with no security to protect them.
Last April, WLS, the Committee for Wyndham, police and the council launched a campaign to have a new justice precinct built in Wyndham next to Werribee police station.
While the Metropolitan Planning Authority has set aside four hectares for the development, it could be up to five years before the project begins, according to WLS manager Denis Nelthorpe.
He said a new court was “urgent” and called for the state government to obtain space next to the existing court to house support services while the justice precinct was being built.
“Court is no longer about just crime and punishment; it’s about providing support to people and that can’t be done at Werribee,” he said.
A spokeswoman for Attorney-General Martin Pakula said Court Services Victoria was responsible for deciding infrastructure works at Victoria’s courts.
