By Henry Ea -
The District Court of New South Wales has celebrated the official opening of the newly refurbished Central Courthouse in Sydney's CBD. This significant development enhances the court's capacity and highlights its commitment to innovative justice programs. The ceremony also acknowledged the ongoing success of its specialist initiatives designed to support Indigenous defendants and child witnesses in sensitive cases.
The Governor of NSW, Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC, officially opened the Central Courthouse on Liverpool Street on Thursday, along with the Chief Judge of the District Court of NSW, the Honourable Justice Sarah Huggett, who hosted a morning tea to mark the occasion. The event provided an opportunity to spotlight the successful statewide expansion of the Child Sexual Offence Evidence Program (CSOEP) and the impactful work of the Walama List.
Judge Kate Traill, appointed as a Specialist Child Sexual Assault Judge in 2015, has been instrumental in overseeing the CSOEP. “Our criminal justice system was designed for adults to give evidence in a courtroom setting,” Judge Traill explained. “This program allows children who previously may have struggled to give evidence to have their voices heard and give their best evidence.”
The CSOEP is designed to mitigate the stress and trauma experienced by child victims and prosecution witnesses in sexual offence cases. It streamlines the justice process for children by pre-recording their evidence and providing witness intermediaries to assist them during police interviews and at court. Initially piloted in Sydney’s Downing Centre and Newcastle District Court, the program has expanded statewide following the passage of new legislation in 2023.
Justice Dina Yehia SC, acknowledged the Walama List’s profound impact, “The Walama List is a conversation between the participant, the judge, and representatives from the local Indigenous community,” Justice Yehia stated. “It has produced excellent results for participants, and it is hoped that Walama can be implemented in more locations throughout the state.”
The Walama List provides a therapeutic and holistic approach to sentencing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders with criminal matters before the District Court. Its core objectives include reducing reoffending, addressing the overrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons in custody, and fostering greater community participation and confidence in the criminal justice system. The pilot, which began at the Sydney Downing Centre in 2022 and initiated by Justice Yehia, now operates as a District Court practice note from its new home at Central Courthouse.
The refurbished building, previously home to Central Local Court, underwent extensive renovations since its closure in 2022. It now features four state-of-the-art District Court courtrooms, which will play a crucial role in maintaining timely case hearings for matters originating from the nearby Downing Centre.
District Court sittings at Central Courthouse will be listed online as ‘Downing Centre Central Court’.
Images courtesy of Department of Communities and Justice
