Council supports legal campaign

The Parramatta legal community plans to mount a campaign promoting the role of Parramatta as the major judicial and legal services centre for Greater Western Sydney. The essence of the campaign is to seek greater use of the existing legal facilities in Parramatta.

The Parramatta Access Justice Campaign seeks

a) Greater use of the existing 13 Federal Courts facilities through the engagement of additional Family Court Judges;

b) The appointment of up to six Federal Court Magistrates to the Parramatta Federal Courts

c) The inclusion of Parramatta in the circuit for Federal Court Judges hearing federal matters in this region

d) The establishment of a permanent NSW Supreme Court in Parramatta and the appointment of up to six Supreme Court Judges to be based at Parramatta.

The campaign strategy would be constructed around building support across the region from business, both legal and accounting firms, business chambers, local government, state and federal MP’s in Western Sydney, a council report said.

The campaign would include case studies to demonstrate the cost reductions of hearing matters in Parramatta rather than Sydney CBD.

“Successful implementation of the proposal would have flow on employment growth benefits as related legal services and support businesses would also be likely to relocate to the city,” the reprt said

“The range of legal specialties would be increased, for example, growth in commercial law practices”.

Considerable business and public benefits would result council said: “Instead of regional businesses having to travel into the city to seek legal services and access to the courts, these would be accessible within much shorter commutes.

“Western Sydney residents who are jury members and or appearing in courts would have far shorter travel times to attend courts in Parramatta, rather than Sydney.The potential economic and social benefits suggest that this is a project which should attract council support,”

Council resolved to contribute $15,000 from the city strategy and economic development budgets