Palmerston North Court redevlopment

Courts Minister Rick Barker speaks at the opening of the Palmerston North courthouse after its extensive refurbishment.

I'd like to welcome you all here today for the official opening of the redeveloped Palmerston North courthouse.

Palmerston North is not one our older courthouses.  In fact it was built in 1988 in the popular medium of the time, concrete.  Over the last 20 years there hasn't been any major refurbishment or alteration to the building, while demand for court services has continued to grow at pace.

The range of services required in a modern court setting means that we need multi-purpose, flexible court spaces to meet changing demands.  And that is what we are here today to celebrate, the delivery on time and on budget of this wonderful new and improved courthouse.

Construction has been carried out in four stages to allow the continuing operation of the court, and some areas have had to temporarily change premises to keep things running.  I would like to thank all of you who have worked through and around the building work; I'm sure you'll find that the end result was worth the inconvenience.

A courthouse is a complex building to design.  It must express the importance and solemnity of the rule of law and its traditions, while at the same time ensuring that it is open and welcoming for those who come through the doors.

The people who use the court are many and varied, from those who come here to carry out their daily duties such as judges, lawyers, Police, court staff and Corrections staff - who all come more or less voluntarily - to those who perhaps would not choose to be here, such as victims, witnesses and the defendants themselves.

A good design requires a clear understanding of operational and security requirements and of the need to keep many of the people involved in the delivery of justice services separate from all others.  These factors provide a significant challenge to designers, especially when modifying a multi-courtroom building.

The Palmerston North courthouse redevelopment project has touched just about every type of justice service we provide.  There is a new multi-purpose courtroom with its own holding cell, a new, bigger family courtroom and an enlarged youth courtroom.  Both the family and youth courtrooms have larger public galleries which will allow for increased family and whanau support for those appearing in the court.

There are two new Tenancy and other tribunal rooms, an office for referees and adjudicators, a second secure witness room and three new judicial chambers.

Collection staff have a dedicated counter and administration space and all staff can now use and enjoy the new meeting and training room.

There is a new public entry and refurbished waiting spaces, along with expanded and refurbished staff administration areas.

And I must mention the increased level of comfort delivered by the buildings new heating and ventilation system which is described as top of the range.  It will no doubt be appreciated by all those who use the building in the depths of a Manawatu winter.

I have spoken many times over the past couple of years about the need for increased focus on safety and security in courts.  It is vital that the judiciary, staff, victims and witnesses, and the public in general are able to feel safe as they carry out their business in the courthouse.  The design of this court supports better security for the public and those who work in the court.

In particular I would like to mention the bail tunnel which is an unusual addition to the courthouse and its security.  Difficulties had been experienced when people being bailed left the building through the custodial area and then out into the staff car park.  The solution - dig a tunnel under the new building and now they come out on the other side, away from public areas.  This provides a safer exit for all concerned, including the person being bailed.

Moving away from building improvements, I would like to talk about the recent establishment of the Family Violence Court, a new initiative for Palmerston North.

The Family Violence Courts established in New Zealand have the same powers and resources as other Criminal Courts, but they are about re-ordering existing court resources to get a better outcome for families affected by family violence.

By scheduling cases involving family violence to be heard on one day of the week in the District Court, family violence matters are dealt with in a timely way, with specialist support and education services made available to both the victim and the offender on that same day.  This can help make sure that the victim, and their children in a lot of cases, are safe and get the right advice and support as soon as possible.

The first sitting of the Palmerston North Family Violence Court was held on Friday 12 September with 20 cases set down in the list.  The presiding judge provided positive feedback on the support provided by court staff and community groups. He met with the various agencies involved at the conclusion of the court to thank them and to gather comments on how it went from their perspective.  Victim advisers in the Palmerston North area are pooling together their resources to support the Judiciary and victims.

Family violence is an important issue facing communities, and this is an example of the justice system responding to community needs.

The completion of this refurbishment and extension project is the latest step in a major building programme being carried out by the Ministry of Justice. Five new courthouses and 28 major courthouse refurbishments in the last six years, have been completed nationwide.  A further two new courthouses are currently being planned and eight more major refurbishments are either planned or underway.

As well as bricks and mortar, we are investing in our staff.  This is a critical factor to the success of our courts. Staff numbers have been increased in the busiest courts and new training resources have been launched to build capability and ensure nationwide consistency.

Work has also been focussed on the operational efficiencies within the court system. We are a large organisation doing a tremendous variety of work across geographically dispersed locations, and all these factors bring with them their own set of challenges.

Resource management models for both staff and judiciary have been introduced to more effectively manage the spread of people across the courts, so we have the right number of people, in the right places, at the right time.

In closing, I'd like to draw your attention to the carving in the main entrance, now enjoying pride of place in the building.  It was carved by artist Kelly Kereama and originally unveiled on 19 February 1988.  The carving symbolises continuity of justice, which is a message that is just a relevant today, as it was 20 years ago when it was put into the building. 

The work that has gone into this building has resulted in a modern court building that will provide for the justice needs of the Manawatu region for many years to come.