Recording and transcription project

The recording and transcription project was developed to implement a new recording and transcription service into Queensland courts and tribunals. The new service delivery model provides benefits by bringing the recording and management of the service to our department, with transcription outsourced to one or more providers.

The recording and transcription project team was established in 2017 to review current court recording and transcription services, and identify future options for service delivery.

Following this review, a new service delivery model was recommended where our department and a panel of transcription service providers would be responsible for recording and transcription services. This new service delivery model was chosen to ensure quality and timeliness and to improve security of court transcripts, while providing the best value for money. This recommendation was announced in early 2019 by the Honourable Yvette D’Ath, the former Attorney-General and Minister for Justice.

Auscript Australasia provided recording and transcription services to Queensland Courts, the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal and the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission from 2013 until 10 October 2022. From 11 July 2022 Queensland courts and tribunals commenced a staged transition to the new recording and transcription service delivery model.

The project team has worked closely with key stakeholders across the legal profession to implement the new service delivery model. These include the judiciary, courts and tribunal staff representing various business areas and service providers.

Transitioning to the new model

Queensland courts and tribunals started transitioning to the new recording and transcription service delivery model under a staged roll-out from 11 July 2022 at the following Stage 1 locations:

• Brisbane Magistrates Court (including Arrest Courts and Coroners Court)
• Southport District and Magistrates Courts (including Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) and Coroners Court)
• Land Court
• Queensland Industrial Relations Commission (QIRC).

From 22 August 2022, the transition to the new model rolled out at the following Stage 2 location:

• all courts within the Brisbane QEII Courts of Law complex.

Stage 3 commenced 10 October 2022, implementing the new model across all remaining Queensland courts and tribunals, completing the staged transition process.

QTranscripts is the new way for court users to request and receive transcripts and audio. QTranscripts is our in-house, web-based platform that is secure and easy to use. It has replaced the myAuscript portal.

Key changes to the new service delivery model are:

• new equipment and recording software installed in 248 courtrooms across Queensland
• staff and transcription service providers use the new software to control the recording of court proceedings and create annotations
• a new web-based portal (to be known as QTranscripts) has replaced the myAuscript ordering portal.

Find out more about what this transition means for court users.

Procurement

All procurement associated with the project has been completed, with no more open market processes to be undertaken.

Service operations platform—DXC Technology Australia Pty Ltd

A multi-stage procurement was undertaken in 2019 to engage an organisation with the expertise to design, customise, support and maintain a service operations platform for court recording and transcription services.

DXC Technology Australia Pty Ltd (DXC) was successful in the process and has subsequently worked closely with us and is undertaking final enhancements to the service operations platform (to be known as QTranscripts).

Recording software—For The Record Pty Ltd

For The Record Pty Ltd will provide the software that will be integrated into our recording platform and used to record and assist with the creation of transcriptions of court proceedings.

Transcription services—VIQ Solutions Pty Ltd and Epiq Australia Pty Ltd

We conducted an extensive evaluation process for transcription services providers. The invitation to offer (ITO) process was for the procurement of one or more transcription services providers to deliver transcription services, document audio recordings as a written transcript when requested by the court, by parties to proceedings, or by other court users.

Contract negotiations are now complete. VIQ Solutions Pty Ltd and Epiq Australia Pty Ltd have been contracted to deliver ongoing transcription services in the new recording and transcription model.