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Sydney justice precinct receives $1.2m funding boost
To support Australia’s “fastest-growing region”, the federal and state government has invested a further $1.2 million into south-west Sydney’s justice precinct.
Naomi Neilson
Under the Western Sydney City Deal, the community and justice precinct located in Campbelltown has received a $1.2 million funding injection to assist the concept design stage. This funding and commitment to legal services could not come soon enough for one of Australia’s fastest-growing regions, the NSW Law Society said.
President Juliana Warner said the Law Society has long advocated for improving the available court services in this region, including launching a major community-backed campaign for a south-western Sydney justice precinct that started in 2019.
“Current court facilities in the region are outdated, under-resourced, unsafe and failing to meet basic community needs,” Ms Warner said. “The pandemic has only exacerbated current backlogs in criminal and civil cases in south-western Sydney.”
Ms Warner added that the demand for a multi-purpose precinct in the region is “only going to become more urgent” as the region experiences further population growth.
By the time the Western Sydney International Nancy Bird-Walton Airport at Badgerys Creek is open in 2026, Ms Warner said the population south of the airport is expected to have grown to nearly 90,000 and, by 2036, to 1.1 million people.
The $1.2 million funding comes off the back of a $1 million strategic business case to investigate the potential development of a community and justice precinct, funded by the federal government, NSW government and Campbelltown City Council.
“The Law Society encourages all levels of government to continue to work with the key stakeholders and community groups to ensure access to justice for the residents of south-western Sydney,” Ms Warner said.
