Confusion over court house opening hours

By Tim Howard

Clarence Valley Council is on a fishing expedition to see if the NSW Government has any plans to reduce operating hours at Maclean Court House.

At the latest council meeting, Cr Debrah Novak revealed a local solicitor informed her the government had plans to slash the court house’s hours to just four days a month, from the five-day-a-week service if offered.

But the debate at the December 19 meeting revealed Services NSW appeared to contradict that information, telling Cr Novak the court house hours would remain unaltered.

Cr Novak brought a notice of motion to the meeting, to seeking to find out why the government had closed down the Maclean Courthouse with the exception of four court sitting days per month, “without notice”.

She said this would restrict services and justice for many people living in the local area of the Lower Clarence who would incur costs to travel to Grafton or go online for legal services.

“This closure also places undue stress and workloads on local solicitors who are now acting as ‘front of house’ for Maclean Court House services because they are closed most of the time,” her NOM said.

“Solicitors can’t access files for their court cases prior to sitting days, waiting times have increased for information, advice for domestic violence victims is restricted, elderly are disadvantaged due to travel costs and face to face.

Making the proposed reduction of hours more bizarre was the fact a year-long refurbishment of the building has just been completed.

Cr Novak said discussion with the Member for Clarence, Richie Williamson, last week revealed the confusion about the decision.

The picturesque setting of Maclean Court House on the banks of the Clarence River. There are rumours the government plans to slash its opening hours.

“He made some inquiries and Service NSW said it hasn’t changed its operating hours at all,” Cr Novak said.

“So there’s now confusion.

“That’s why I’ve actually changed the wording of the NOM to write to the attorney general rather than to Richie, or to anybody else.

“And I’ve sent around the email from the solicitor and fairly significant information if it’s not, you know, true.”

Cr Karen Toms was worried the wording of the NOM was too mild and sought to get a direct answer from the attorney general.

She said asking Mr Daly if the court house hours were to be slashed was not strong enough.

With the support of Cr Novak and her seconder, Cr Ian Tiley, the meeting agreed the wording for the correspondence to Mr Daly should read: “That council advocate to the NSW Attorney General Michael Daly for the reopening of the Clarence Maclean courthouse to its previous five days a week.”

She said it was pointless to ask the attorney general if the court house hours were to be slashed, if it was something the community already knew would happen.

“Whether it’s right or wrong, he’ll soon tell us and he’ll come back with now that’s not true, or whatever he’ll tell us.

“But we need to not waste time and asking somebody especially somebody as high up in the government as a NSW Attorney General, a simple question like that.”

Former Mayor Cr Ian Tiley was horrified at the implications of the potential reduction in opening hours.

“Regardless of whether it’s to be or not to be four or 30 days, for me, there’s the potential at least partial loss of a vital service to Maclean and the Lower River and that’s not on,” he said.

“We need a clerk of petty sessions. It beggars belief that we’ve had considerable renovations done to this building in the last 18 months or thereabouts.

“And now we’re going to close it, or partially close it. Crazy. Let’s keep onto Richie, and let’s fight the good fight to retain this vital service.”

Councillors voted unanimously to support the resolution.

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