The State government has delivered what is being described as a “big-spending” budget, with $100 in fuel support coming your way soon. Brief is pleased to report that the justice system hasn’t missed out, with spending earmarked across a number of the Law Society’s key advocacy priorities.
Tech in courts
In a much-needed win for lawyers, clients, judges and witnesses, funds have been earmarked for upgrades to court AV systems in the David Malcolm Justice Centre and the District Court Building. The DCB will receive an injection of $18.2m for urgent improvements.
This follows the Law Society’s efforts earlier this year to highlight the very real consequences of serious and escalating technology failures at the DCB.
Youth justice wins
The budget indicates that it costs the State $4,000 a day to keep a young person in detention, compared to $256 per day to manage a young person in community supervision. This financial impact is one of the many benefits of extending the therapeutic programs in the Children’s Court, including the Dandjoo Bidi-Ak Court and the In-Roads Court initiatives, with over $10m in funding.
Just after the budget was announced yesterday, Law Society members heard from the President of the Children’s Court (and former Law Society President) – His Hon Judge Hylton Quail – about the impact of therapeutic courts on the lives of young Western Australians at our first Law Week event of the year, Rethinking Youth Justice in WA.
Corrections
Several prison improvement projects will benefit from funding, including money for ongoing infrastructure planning to expand Acacia prison by 480 beds and to provide a further 100 beds across the estate.
$158m has also been earmarked for the State’s new youth detention centre, including $73m in 2026/27.
Prisons will see an expansion of health workforce capability in 2026/27, alongside enhanced Adult Community Corrections capability in response to the growing number and complexity of offenders subject to community-based orders.
An additional $47m has been assigned to bolstering the capability of the State DPP.
Public Trustee
The Budget provides for an uplift in resourcing for the State’s Public Trustee, to address ever increasing demand. This will also allow the Public Trustee to progress implementation of a revised fee model and fee waiver policy designed to deliver simple, transparent and equitable fees and charges.
Judicial Commission? Crickets
Despite expectations that a Judicial Commission Bill will be tabled in 2026, this important new body didn’t get a mention in the Budget. The Law Society will be asking the government how this will impact the project timing and will be pushing to get the Bill over the line without further delay.
