Dylan Thorne: Urgency needed on Rotorua court house upgrade

The Rotorua courthouse. Photo / File

OPINION:

"One of the most under-invested buildings in the ministry property portfolio."

That's the blunt assessment of Hauora House outlined in reports on Rotorua's faulty courthouses.

The documents, released to the Rotorua Daily Post Weekend under the Official Information Act, also highlight serious issues with the neighbouring District and High Court.

The documents go on to say that Hauora House's fire protection, plumbing and electrical systems do not meet the current building code and that the northern wing of the courthouse next door sits at just 30 per cent of national building standards, meaning it has 10-25 times the risk in an earthquake, relative to a new building.

The District and High Court building is in such a poor condition that leaks appear when it rains and this has caused files to be damaged by water and forced the closures of some facilities.

These alone are cause for concern, but most alarming are the issues around security.

The staff tearoom is next to the cells, which has led to breaches of privacy, and bailed prisoners exit around the judge's car parking area, which is meant to be secure.

"The Department of Corrections advise the risk levels are currently estimated as extreme," the documents say.

There is overcrowding in the cells and no designated search area, as well as difficulties separating genders, youth and people from opposing gangs.

Frustratingly, this all comes as the Government continues to ponder what to do about the situation - a year after refurbishments were due to start.

Planning for the $110 million upgrade began in 2017 and already $2m has been spent on scoping and design of the refurbishment, but the Ministry of Justice is still considering a total rebuild.

The ministry says planning is still in the early stages and is still subject to consultation and approval.

When asked why a new $100m upgrade of the Tauranga courthouse had been prioritised over an upgrade of Rotorua's facilities, Gibbs said the Tauranga project was being used as "a benchmark".

The Rotorua legal fraternity has expressed frustration with the delays and - given the extent of the issues with the building - so they should.

It's clear there are genuine safety concerns - both for the staff who work there and those appearing before the courts.

The ministry needs to select a path and move with urgency.