2000s: into the third millennium
Australia continued to be led by John Howard’s conservative government until 2007 when Kevin Rudd’s Labor government swept aside 11 years of Coalition rule, destroying Howard’s hopes for a record fifth term. Rudd’s pitch of fresh leadership and new ideas overcame Howard’s record of economic management and unprecedented years of growth under his government.
In Queensland, Peter Beattie had led Labor to victory in 1998 and went to the polls again in February 2001, winning a record number of seats. Queensland gained its first female premier in 2007 when Beattie was succeeded by his deputy, Anna Bligh.
The department had several changes in Attorney-General. The Honourable Matthew Foley MP, former Arts Minister and Attorney-General and Minister for Justice since 1998, was succeeded in 2001 by the Honourable Rod Welford MP. In turn, he relinquished the position in 2005 to take up the position of Minister for Education, Training and the Arts. Welford was succeeded by Linda Lavarch MP, Queensland’s first female Attorney-General and Minister for Justice. Lavarch also took on the role of Minister for Women, before handing over the reins in 2006 to the Honourable Kerry Shine MP. As of 26 March 2009, the Queensland Attorney-General is the Honourable Cameron Dick MP who has also taken on the role of Minister for Industrial Relations.
The success of the SPER project meant that, for the first time, imprisonment was, in reality, the final option in an increasing array of alternatives available to enforcement authorities. SPER took over responsibility for the SETONS work and conducted an amnesty on outstanding warrants. The result for the fledgling registry could not have been better. The $25 million raised from outstanding fines, the training for staff and the media exposure established SPER as a world-class system.
The passage of the Guardianship and Administration Act in July 2000 led to appointment of an Adult Guardian. The Guardianship and Administration Tribunal and the Public Advocate provided other departmental responses to increased public concern about the rights of aged or intellectually impaired people in the community.
The Children Services Tribunal also became part of the portfolio in the early part of the decade, conducting reviews of decisions made under the Child Protection Act 1999, the Adoptions Act 1964, the Child Care Act 2002 and the Commission for Children and Young People Act 2000.
The Queensland Government took steps to address the very real social problems posed by habitual drug-dependent offenders with the establishment of Drug Courts in 2004 at Ipswich, Beenleigh, Southport, Cairns and Townsville. Under the legislation, offenders are offered the chance to undergo rehabilitation programs rather than return to the cycle of drugs–crime–prison. The Drug Courts received the Innovation and Creativity Award at the 2005 Premiers Award for Excellence in Public Sector Management.
The creation of the Office of the State Coroner in 2003 aimed to provide Queenslanders with a consistent and coordinated system to review deaths occurring in circumstances where further explanations were needed. All Queensland magistrates are still able to act as coroners, but the State Coroner’s role is to investigate deaths in custody and to ensure the coronial system is administered efficiently.
Murri Courts were established in Mount Isa, Rockhampton, Brisbane Children’s Court, Cleveland, Ipswich, Cherbourg, Coen, Caloundra, Cairns and St George to provide a forum for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to have input into the sentencing process.
The Legal Services Commission was introduced in 2004 to investigate complaints about lawyers, improve accountability and promote higher standards of conduct within the legal profession.
Dividing the state into six, implementation of the regional services model for the Magistrates Court – with major centres in Far North Queensland, North Queensland, Central Coast, Sunshine Coast, South West Queensland and South East Queensland – enabled a focus on improvements to service delivery, registry processes and systems and the skills and capability of Magistrates Court staff.
The Brisbane Magistrates Court opened in its new building on George Street in October 2004, 29 years after being “temporarily” housed at North Quay. Courthouses were also built on Thursday Island (with video links to other Torres Strait Islands and Cairns), at Richlands, Sandgate, Maryborough, Pine Rivers and Mareeba.
In 2008 work began on the new Brisbane Supreme Court and District Court complex, also on George Street. With a budget of $600 million and housing 45 courtrooms, it will be one of the largest courthouses in Australia when it opens in late 2011.
Originally home to Queensland’s first courthouse, Ipswich too will receive a new $111 million legal precinct, due to open in the state’s 150th year, 2009. The new complex will include eight magistrates courtrooms - including one purpose-designed for Murri Court and Drug Court hearings.
Closed circuit TV, WiFi, digital recording, transcription technology and video conferencing for the protection of vulnerable witnesses were introduced to courthouses statewide. By the start of 2009, there were 111 Magistrates Court courthouses, 32 District Court courthouses and 11 Supreme Court courthouses in Queensland.
In this respect, thankfully, very little has changed since the colony of Queensland was established 150 years ago - the department and the rule of law have become an integral part of Queensland and will continue to serve the interests of its citizens.