Tammy Tyrrell (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is for the Minister representing the Attorney-General, Senator Watt. On 25 May, legal practitioners on the north-west coast of Tasmania were advised the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia could no longer operate out of Burnie because there are no suitable premises available. It has since been revealed that the court has not had a permanent home in Burnie since 2021, when it was squeezed out of the Burnie Magistrates Court. Since coming in to government, why hasn't Labor found a permanent home for the Federal Circuit and Family Court in Burnie?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Tyrrell. I am aware that this has been a longstanding issue, and I recognise the advocacy that you have undertaken on this, along with a number of Labor senators, I must say, to ensure that the community of Burnie in the north-west of Tasmania receives the services it needs.

Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What about us?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'll take the interjection from Senator Scarr. The reason we are having this discussion is that it wasn't fixed under the previous government during the 10 years that they were in government. So any time you want to ask that, feel free.

But this is a serious matter, Senator Tyrrell. People deserve proper access to family and circuit court services no matter where they live. I will undertake to provide you with some information about that, but I'm sure you're aware of the efforts that the Attorney-General in particular has undertaken to boost Family Court access for all Australians no matter where they live.

We remember that under the former government not only did Burnie and the north-west of Tasmania not have those services, but in fact it was the former government that abolished the Family Court. That's how little they cared for the Family Court, whether it was in Burnie or anywhere else. And it would appear they're unrepentant of their action to abolish the Family Court. And it has been proven that this action has created worse outcomes for Australians. We, of course, recognise that the Family Court does need improvements and did need improvements, but the solution to that was not to abolish the court in its entirety, which was exactly what the former government did.

Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It was a merger!

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You can dress it up however you want, but you abolished the Family Court. That came at the expense, in particular, of women and children fleeing domestic violence who needed the services, the specialist services, that were able to be obtained through the Family Court. But as I said, Senator Tyrrell, I'll come back to you with the precise information that you're seeking.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Tyrrell, first supplementary?

Tammy Tyrrell (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I've heard from a constituent, let's call her Linda, who's a single mum in Smithton who doesn't own a car and so has to now go and take a six-hour one way—that's worded wrong. She has a six-hour, three-bus journey one way to get to a Family Court hearing. How is it she's spending more getting to court than the federal government is spending on getting a court at all?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you again, Senator Tyrrell. I understand from my very good friend and north-west Tasmania's greatest champion Senator Urquhart—some in fact describe her as the minister for Braddon, that's how good an advocate she is for the north-west of Tasmania—that local governments in the region are working to find new premises to ensure those services can be made available, and that the movement from the Burnie Arts Centre is due to refurbishment needs of the existing premises. Obviously, that's not a satisfactory permanent solution.

It sounds to me like those premises probably needed refurbishment some time ago, and there are a few people from Tasmania sitting on the other side of the chamber who might have liked to take the opportunity to do that, but, yet again, we step up to the plate with the support of people like Senator Tyrrell. Action is being taken to find those new premises to ensure that people get the services they deserve.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Tyrrell, second supplementary?

Tammy Tyrrell (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I've got to ask: how is it that you've found $240 million to fund a stadium in Hobart that nobody wants but you can't find a single lonely cent to fund the Family Court in Burnie, which Burnie actually needs?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you again, Senator Tyrrell. Just to add to the information I've provided to you already, my understanding is that the court and its representatives went down to Burnie last week to source a new location for the court, to find a new and safe location for the circuit when it goes to Burnie. The Attorney-General is monitoring the situation closely, and his department is working closely with the courts. We certainly acknowledge that not having a Family Court circuit presence in Burnie is a problem, and this will be treated as a priority.

I did hear some interjections from some members of the opposition about the comparison you made to the stadium investment. I make the point that some of those—

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Not from me!

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm not talking about Senator Colbeck, of course, because we know Senator Colbeck supports the stadium. It's just that some of the others don't support the stadium. What might have been nice is those who are now interjecting to have done something during their 10 years to ensure that Burnie had the services it needed. (Time expired)