CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM OVERHAULED

Attorney General Simon Corbell tonight welcomed significant new laws designed to improve efficiency in the courts while preserving the rights of the accused and of victims of crime. The changes to the criminal justice system will take effect early next year following the passage this evening of the Crimes Legislation Amendment Act 2008 in the Legislative Assembly.

"These changes address the objective need for change in our court system to improve the efficiency of the system and maintain public confidence in our court processes," Mr Corbell said.

"Increasing the jurisdiction and the sentencing power of the Magistrates Court reflects the professionalism of our Magistrates and their ability to appropriately deal with a wide range of criminal matters.

"It also ensures longer and more expensive processes of Supreme Court jury trials are kept for the most serious offences in our community, further enhancing the efficiency of the courts, and therefore the delivery of justice to our community.

"The reforms to the criminal justice system that we have passed today improve efficiency, ensuring that court time is used more effectively. The changes to the committal process will streamline the process, reduce stress on witnesses and speed up the delivery of justice.

"These changes have been the subject of much attention from the legal profession and the media over the last few weeks, consistent with the debates that have been held over the last decade in the ACT.

"Finding consensus on the issues raised by this legislation is difficult, particularly given the range of different interests of participants in the criminal justice system.

"Overall, the legislation introduces significant changes that will improve the criminal justice system to ensure that it is balanced, fair, effective and responsive to the needs of our community."