A Batemans Bay lawyer has accused the state’s Justice Department of putting saving money ahead of the rights of people arrested on the Far South Coast.
A controversial centralisation of all first bail listings across the state began this week with accused to face a Sydney courtroom via audio visual link instead of a local magistrate.
Kennedy and Cooke Solicitors Principal Geoff Knox said ever since COVID when the Attorney-Generals Department and the courts worked out that actually you can do a lot remotely via AVL they’ve just pinned their ears back and gone for the cheapest option, which is you don’t transport prisoners.
Above – Solicitor Geoff Knox. Image: Kennedy and Cooke Solicitors
Mr Knox also questioned the fairness of it to those arrested.
“If they were granted bail, for example a condition was not to go to Moruya you know to keep them away from potential witnesses and victims,” he said
“Now when you’re dealing with someone up at Parramatta they’ve got no idea of the geography of an area.
“That lack of local knowledge is very important also. It makes it really hard to explain to an out of town magistrate what’s going on.
“It’s a system now virtually hidden in secrecy. Before a bail application would be done in open court. The family, friends or interested persons could actually attend the court, hear what is being said and view what’s going on.
“”Technically there is supposed to be some form of way for family or friends or whoever can actually log in and hear the proceedings up at Parramatta but from a practical point of view it’s just impossible to do.
“We find, the lawyers and the prosecutors and all, just find the technical aspects of it quite shambolic.
“The jails are just going to get stacked with people on remand.”
