09-10 JAG State Budget Highlights
Message from the Minister
The Department of Justice and Attorney-General, which includes responsibility for industrial relations, electrical safety and workplace health and safety, is committed to ensuring Queensland communities are safe, just and fair.
The 2009–10 State Budget delivers on the Bligh Government’s vision for the future by building state-of-the-art courthouses, improving delivery of justice services and enhancing community safety.
Construction will continue on two landmark courthouse projects, which are not only delivering a modern, responsive and inclusive justice system for the people of Queensland but helping create jobs.
The budget provides $200.8 million in capital works funding, including $152 million to progress construction of the new $600 million Supreme and District Court complex in Brisbane in 2009–10. Further funding has been allocated to finalise construction of the new $91.5 million Ipswich courthouse and stage two of the $10 million refurbishment of the Toowoomba courthouse.
Victims of crime will have access to better compensation and support services, with the Queensland Government allocating $25.3 million in this budget to the new Victims Financial Assistance and Services Scheme (VFASS), rising to $28.8 million a year for the scheme from 2011–12.
The Government has committed $3.3 million in 2009–10 to establish the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal which amalgamates 18 separate civil, administrative and human rights bodies to provide more accessible, convenient and efficient justice services.
The Government will also outlay $20.8 million over five years through the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages to introduce new technology to allow its paper-based records to be stored electronically. This will enable the public to obtain certificates more quickly, enhance identity security and allow greater access to the extensive historical records of our community.
Safe communities and safe, fair and productive workplaces are a priority for this Government. The State Budget allocates $126.6 million in 2009–10 to industrial relations services and electrical and workplace safety, to further improve workplace health and safety, electrical safety in the community and fairness at work throughout Queensland.
Cameron Dick MP
Attorney-General and Minister for Industrial Relations
Introduction
In 2009–10, the Department of Justice and Attorney-General remains focussed on making our justice system more open and accessible, and our communities and workplaces safer. This will be achieved through building modern justice facilities, enhancing our services and their delivery, and implementing programs to assist vulnerable people and improve safety.
Building modern and accessible courthouses
In 2009–10, the government will continue its program to provide state-of-the-art modern courthouses that effectively support the criminal justice system and court users, with significant investment in courthouse infrastructure.
Brisbane Supreme and District Court complex
Capital funding of $152 million has been allocated in 2009–10 to progress construction of the flagship Supreme and District Courts precinct in Brisbane’s city heart. The total estimated project cost is $600 million. The 19-storey building features an environmentally-efficient design. Its construction will support almost 5000 jobs during the project. When complete, the building will deliver a new era of justice in Queensland, with greatly enhanced facilities for victims of crime, witnesses, jurors and members of the public.
Ipswich
Funding of $27.2 million is provided in 2009–10 to finalise construction of a new courthouse and watch-house at Ipswich, with a total estimated cost of $91.5 million. The Queensland Police Service is also building a new police station as part of the Ipswich legal precinct project.
Toowoomba
The refurbishment of Toowoomba courthouse will continue, with $3.8 million allocated for stage two in 2009–10 (estimated total cost of $10 million over four years). The project includes construction of a new entrance and refurbishment of courtroom, registry, public areas, offices and installation of prisoner lifts.
Protecting vulnerable people
Better compensating victims of crime
Victims of crime will have enhanced access to financial assistance and coordinated support services with $25.3 million allocated to the new Victims Financial Assistance and Services Scheme (VFASS) in 2009–10 and rising to $28.8 million each year from 2011–12. VFASS will benefit a broader range of victims while reducing costs and processing times.
Addressing homelessness
The Homeless Persons Court Diversion Program and Special Circumstances List is part of a whole-of- Government initiative to address homelessness. Funding of $1.2 million is allocated in 2009-10 ($3.7 million over four years) to help address the underlying causes of homelessness to reduce numbers of homeless people involved with the criminal justice system.
Enhancing justice services
Modernising access to historical records
The Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages will receive $1.9 million in 2009–10 ($20.8 million over five years) to transfer its paper-based records to electronic format. Introduction of new data management systems will improve service delivery by reducing waiting times for certificates, and contribute to national initiatives addressing identity security and fraud prevention.
Improving delivery of tribunal services
A total of $3.3 million has been allocated in 2009–10 to establish the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) which will commence on 1 December 2009. QCAT will amalgamate 18 separate civil, administrative and human rights bodies to provide more accessible, convenient and efficient tribunal services for community and business.
Expanding prosecution services
The government continues its commitment to expand the prosecutorial services provided by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions with an allocation of $4.3 million ($17.2 million over the next four years). The funding enables the practice to increase the number of prosecutors employed to help keep pace with the increase in cases coming before Queensland’s courts.
Improving community safety
Fair, safe and productive workplaces
In 2009–10 the department will maintain its focus on improving safety and industrial harmony across Queensland and ensuring working families get a fair deal when it comes to wages and conditions at work.
One of the department’s key priorities is to ensure Queensland workers return home safely from work each day. The Budget allocates $76.3 million for Workplace Health and Safety Queensland to fund compliance and education programs.
Safety and hazardous industries
The Hazardous Industries and Chemical Branch (HICB) will continue to safeguard the operations of the State’s 34 major hazard facilities regulated by the Queensland Government. These are either hazardous industries or industries that use dangerous chemicals.
The allocation for Workplace Health and Safety Queensland programs includes $1.5 million to enforce the safe operation of oil refineries, chemical processing facilities, LPG storage facilities, explosive manufacturing facilities, explosive storage facilities and chemical warehouses across the state. HICB also answers calls from the public, industry and other agencies on the storage and handling of dangerous goods and related matters.
Informing workers and employers
Industrial Relations Services will work to ensure workers get the best possible advice and advocacy when it comes to wages and conditions. The Budget allocates $34.8 million to help educate and inform workers and employers about their rights and obligations, while enforcing Queensland’s fair and balanced industrial laws.
Promoting electrical safety
The Electrical Safety Office will receive $14.9 million to reduce the number of deaths and injuries caused by contact with electricity through education, compliance and enforcement activities. This includes employing more inspectors to make Queenslanders safer at work, at home and in the community.