Sam Dastyari (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Attorney-General, Senator Brandis. Senator, in February the Attorney-General appointed Judge Myers to an Australian Law Reform Commission inquiry, creating a vacancy at the Newcastle registry of the Federal Circuit Court. Why, after six months, have you failed to appoint a replacement to the Newcastle registry of the Federal Circuit Court?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's quite a timely question, Senator Dastyari, because the government is about to announce that appointment.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Dastyari, a supplementary question.

Sam Dastyari (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Data prepared by the Chief Judge of the Federal Circuit Court reveals that the crisis of your creation has left judges straining under workloads twice the size of the national average. Minister, why are you standing idly by and leaving waiting times to blow out to 19 months?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, far from that, I often speak with the Chief Judge of the Federal Circuit Court about these very matters. I find Chief Judge Pascoe to be an extremely constructive interlocutor as we work together to deal with this issue. Chief Judge Pascoe was integrally involved in the selection of the best person to take the vacancy in Newcastle, and it was thanks to Chief Judge Pascoe's advice that we were able, after a period of careful search, to identify the ideal candidate. When she is identified, I think you will agree with me, Senator Dastyari, that the person about to be appointed—or whom the government will recommend to His Excellency the Governor-General for appointment—will be a very sound choice.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Dastyari, a final supplementary question.

Sam Dastyari (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm impressed. All it took was me asking a question to get it fixed. My supplementary question is: given that members of the community—

Government Senators:

Government senators interjecting—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order on my right. Senator Dastyari, you have the call.

Sam Dastyari (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can I get the clock reset?

Honourable senators interjecting—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'll adjudge that when you continue the question.

Sam Dastyari (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Given that members of the community, including women and children, are trying to escape domestic violence and are being forced to wait for justice, isn't it clear that former Federal Circuit Court Judge Coakes is right to accuse you of being 'reckless' and 'negligent'?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Far from it. This government has in fact invested more in domestic violence and family violence services than any other Australian government. We've done that in this year's budget. We've done it through increased assistance to the community legal sector, and particularly women's legal services. We've done it through increased funding, which Senator Cash and I announced, for the Third Action Plan for the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children. We've done it through the Women's Safety Package, the signature first-ever announcement of the Turnbull government.

I want to acknowledge my colleague Senator Cash in her capacity as the Minister for Women in this government as being an absolutely outstanding champion for Australian women, as indeed is every minister in the Turnbull government, in defeating and addressing this very, very serious social problem. Senator Dastyari, I would hope that, rather than be flippant, rather than regard a serious social problem as something to score a political point about, you would have taken the matter with due seriousness.