Northland's premier courthouse has been attacked as inferior, inadequate and hopelessly inappropriate by a district court judge.
Judge Michael Lance says major changes are needed at the Whangarei courthouse to accommodate an increase in work across all sections of the court system.
The judge delivered his stinging rebuke of the courthouse in open court after adjourning a case because of the situation, saying judges had been complaining about the facility over two or three years.
In March 2000, it was reported there were 1298 outstanding cases in Northland district courts, including jury trials, criminal cases and youth court matters. However, by the end of March this year that number had risen to 1772.
"Major changes are needed to accommodate that work in a proper and businesslike way. The judiciary forecast these needs, particularly over the past two to three years, and more recently when it was known that an additional district court judge was to be permanently appointed to this court," Judge Lance said.
"Examples [of the shortcomings] in my view are the inadequate number of courtrooms, inadequate carparking facilities, inadequate facilities for the Crown Solicitor to operate properly, inadequate facilities for the jury assembly area and so it goes on," Judge Lance said.
Minister for Courts Rick Barker said Judge Lance's comments were valid.
"I have visited Whangarei Court and it is under pressure, but there are a number of other court buildings under pressure as well," Mr Barker said.
"I'm taking these matters up with the Minister of Finance to see what improvements we can make in the capital works programme across the court system."
He said plans were under way that proposed a solution to Judge Lance's concerns but he would not reveal how much the changes would cost.
- NZPA
Judge slams inadequacies of Whangarei courthouse
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