Leaders in the remote West Australian community of Balgo are calling for the resumption of in-person court hearings, arguing that the ongoing suspension is limiting local access to justice. Hearings were suspended over a year ago due to safety concerns related to family feuding, but community members and police insist the conflict does not pose a threat to outsiders. The Department of Justice says it will continue to monitor the situation.
Leaders in Balgo are calling for circuit court hearings to return to the community.In-person court hearings in the remote West Australian community of Balgo have been suspended for more than a year due to safety concerns.
Court hearings in Balgo, around 3,000 kilometres north-east of Perth in WA's Western Desert, were suspended in July 2023 due to escalating local tensions., which had allowed the region's lawyers and magistrate to travel to Balgo once a month to hear criminal cases. "They can't get there half of the time and then they miss and there's a warrant out for them," Mr Hickey said.He said the suspension had also seen some matters continuously delayed, and was leaving locals confused and less engaged by the system.
"The situation at Balgo continues to be monitored and reviewed regularly with the assistance of the WA Police Force," a spokesperson said.
COURT HEARINGS JUSTICE REMOTE COMMUNITIES FAMILY FEUDING WESTERN AUSTRALIA
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