Major reforms to the court system in Canberra were announced in a prepare statement, The Canberra Times reported on this day in 1973. The purpose of the changes was to ensure that everyone could have equal access to the courts. It followed on from a commitment by the government to restructure its legal system.
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The decision to introduce these changes followed from a discussion the previous week between legal representatives from Canberra, senator Murphy and then acting attorney general Enderby.
It led to the establishment of an intermediate court, a small claims court and traffic court that will operate a few nights a week and in the day.
The statement said ''people charged with offences should have their cases dealt swiftly" and "costs should not be a stumbling block in the proper dispensation of justice". In addition, it stated that "legal advice should be available for persons charged with offences in the Court of Petty Sessions".
The central theme of the statement was to improve the overall efficacy of the courts system while ensuring that any cost associated do not hinder one's access to justice and equal treatment.
Some of the issues included the bail process where defendants were sent to Goulburn on remand, so there was a strong desire to develop a remand system within Canberra.
The traffic court within the court of petty sessions would come with several benefits including the daily efficiency of the court and lowering the waiting time for cases. The night sittings of the traffic court would also help defendants avoid incurring the additional penalty of losing a day worth of pay to attend the hearing.
