Port Pirie Courthouse

The Hon. G.G. BROCK (Frome) (15:02): Thank you, Mr Speaker. My question is to the Attorney-General. Can the minister please advise the house whether there have been any discussions or proposals to privatise, reduce operations and/or close the Port Pirie courthouse?

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General) (15:02): Well, certainly not by me and, as the member may be aware, the Courts Administration Authority is entirely, quite uniquely amongst our agencies and departments, independent of government. So, whilst the council is in charge of the Courts Administration Authority, headed by the Chief Justice, as Attorney-General it is not within my purview—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: —by the statute to make decisions in relation to that. At this stage, the Chief Justice, who I meet with regularly, had indicated earlier in the year that he would be going out to consult with a number of people in the units for which he is responsible, including the country courts, as to their requirements, their views, etc., and as to the services they were providing.

I welcome that, and I think it's an important thing for anyone who is in charge of a department, the Courts Administration Authority included, that they do so. I can't remember a chief justice indicating that they were going to do such a comprehensive tour since the former chief justice the Hon. John Doyle, who is now retired, of course. I think it is important that they do exactly that, that is, to go out—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: —and make sure that they are fully briefed before they ultimately make the decision in respect of the funds that are provided. But certainly, on behalf of the Chief Justice, he sought assistance to promote certain other projects that he has in mind that he would like to pursue, and I continue to discuss those with him.