Work on Sydney’s Downing Centre has added fresh lustre to the former grand dame of Sydney retail and led to four new state-of-the-art courtrooms being added for the Local Court.
Attorney General Mark Speakman said the $10.6 million refurbishment of Australia’s busiest courthouse had boosted its capacity which would improve people’s access to justice.
“The Local Court deals with 96 per cent of all criminal matters from start to finish,” Mr Speakman said.
“The new courtrooms increase its hearing capacity, helping the court to manage its significant workload,” he said.
“The additions include a multi-purpose custodial courtroom able to accommodate a Drug Court.”
Mr Speakman said the refurbishment also provided new spaces for “wraparound” legal and support services that collaborated in the Drug Court, including Legal Aid; NSW Police; NSW Health; Community Corrections; and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
He said there were also an additional six interview rooms, three additional remote witness rooms and a new safe room.
“Victims of crimes such as domestic violence and sexual assault show great courage in coming forward and it’s pleasing there are now more private and secure areas for them to prepare for court and give evidence,” he said.
Mr Speakman said the 1908 building, which now houses 40 courtrooms, was originally home to Mark Foy’s department store until the company was sold in 1968.
“The building eventually closed as a store in 1983 and was transformed into the Downing Centre in 1990,” he said.
“This project preserves the heritage of the former Mark Foy’s department store, an important Sydney landmark,” Mr Speakman said.
