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Victorian courthouse to receive $250k upgrade
The Victorian state government has announced plans to revamp one of its civic landmarks to ensure a “safer and more modern facility” is readily available.
Emma Musgrave
Last week, the Andrews Labor government said it will upgrade the Mansfield Courthouse by investing $250,000 to deliver better disability access, heritage restoration, building refurbishment, and garden and fencing improvements. The investment comes as part of the government’s Safe and Sustainable Victorian Courts Initiative.
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The upgrades, which will kick off in October, will see the Mansfield Courthouse's front border fence replaced with a heritage-style picket fence. The garden will also be improved with new plantings, and the heritage courthouse will be carefully preserved during restoration and refurbishment. In addition new toilets will be constructed to provide disabled access, a statement from Attorney-General Martin Pakula said.
These upgrades are in addition to the government’s investment in improved security at Mansfield Courthouse, with three new Court Security Officers on court sitting days since January 2018, the A-G noted.
“Court Security Officers provide entry screening and help protect vulnerable parties, especially victims of family violence, and were delivered as part of the government’s $58.1 million investment in court safety and security in the 2016–17 budget.”
Mr Pakula added: “These important upgrades at the Mansfield Courthouse are about making sure that people attending court can access more secure, and more modern facilities closer to home”.
“Everybody attending court deserves to be able to access court buildings easily – we’re making sure more people get greater access, especially those attending court with a disability,” he said.
“Mansfield Courthouse is a significant civic landmark for the region and we’re ensuring this heritage building can serve the community for many years to come.”
This latest news follows the Law Society of NSW and the Police Association of NSW calling for their state government to construct a new multijurisdiction court complex in the Macarthur region, with current facilities struggling to keep up with demand.
