News

Court Services Victoria – Family Violence Intervention Orders

Alvin.Bautista — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 07:28:24 +0000

On 15 November 2024, Court Services Victoria (CSV) implemented requested changes to the wording of Magistrates' Court and Children's Court family violence intervention orders (FVIOs).

A coding error was made as part of those changes to a legacy system, leading to a line in the orders being omitted when printed.

CSV was notified about the error on 4 March 2025 and took immediate steps to rectify it.

All copies of family violence intervention orders printed from 6 March 2025 no longer omit the relevant line.

A full post-incident review is underway.

CSV acknowledges and apologises for the error. The safety of all affected family members was CSV's priority as we remedied the issue.

Affected family members or respondents can call the Magistrates' Court of Victoria's Service Centre on 03 9087 6116 between 9am and 7pm Monday to Friday.

Contact: feedback@courts.vic.gov.au

Progress on Gender Equality Action Plan (GEAP)

marcel.ianno — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 05:29:53 +0000

Court Services Victoria (CSV) has successfully submitted its first progress report and audit, fulfilling its obligations under the Gender Equality Act 2020 and taking another step towards achieving gender equality across our operations.

In March 2022, CSV submitted its first Gender Equality Action Plan (GEAP), which includes six strategies and 34 measures. As of 30 June 2023, when progress was measured, only five measures had not yet been started.

Highlights include:

Finalised the CSV People Strategy 2023-2026
Implemented the Peer Support Network and Contact Officer Program
Launched employee networks, including the CSV Pride & Allies Network and the Gender Equality Advisory Group
Implemented 10 of the 11 recommendations from the Szoke Review
Provided training on unconscious bias, gender equality, diversity, and inclusion
Integrated behavioural expectations into induction processes
Developed guidelines for Gender Affirmation in the Workplace.

Since June 2023, we have also completed other actions including:

Launched the CSV Inclusive Language and Communication Guide
Finalised the CSV Flexible Work Policy and Guide
Conducted a detailed analysis to understand the causes of our gender pay gap
Improved intersectional data collection with the introduction of a new Personal Details Form.

Progress Against Gender Equality Indicators

The Commission for Gender Equality in the Public Sector assessed CSV's progress on seven key indicators:

Gender Composition at All Levels: Yes (women make up 71% of the workforce; 61% in leadership roles, more employees identifying as non-binary or gender diverse).
Gender Composition of Governing Bodies: Yes (equal representation in Courts Council - noting equal does not mean gender diverse)
Gender Pay Equity: No (mean gap remains at 9.8%)
Workplace Sexual Harassment: Yes (increased reporting and decreased prevalence rates indicates greater awareness)
Recruitment and Promotion: No (further work to be done on promotion processes and opportunities for career development)
Leave and Flexibility: Yes (increased uptake of flexible work arrangements by all genders and increase in men taking parental leave)
Gendered Work Segregation: No (ongoing underrepresentation of women in management and technical roles, high levels of inappropriate workplace behaviours)

Gender Impact Assessments

CSV conducted four Gender Impact Assessments in the reporting period, leading to significant actions:

Bendigo Law Courts: Created inclusive facilities such as a Parent Room, a safe entrance for family violence victim-survivors, and culturally safe and inclusive building for First Peoples.
Court Management System: Updated gender identifiers and included pronoun options to support gender diversity.
Therapeutic Justice Program: Designed with gender and intersectionality in mind.
Remote Support Hearing Services: Designed with gender and intersectionality in mind.

CSV is dedicated to promoting gender equality in our workplace and services. We are committed to implementing the remaining actions from our GEAP and addressing intersectional gender inequality.

Read the full progress report:

Gender Equality Action Plan - Progress Report (DOCX 358.11 KB)
Gender Equality Action Plan - Progress Report (PDF 315.24 KB)

Read the summary:

Gender Equality Action Plan - Progress Report (Summary) (DOCX 71.98 KB)
Gender Equality Action Plan - Progress Report (Summary) (PDF 135.8 KB)

Court Services Victoria 2023–24 Annual Report released

marcel.ianno — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 02:35:05 +0000

Court Services Victoria's 2023-24 Annual Report tells a story of agility, collaboration, and finding opportunities in a challenging environment.

Tabled in Parliament on Thursday 28 November 2024, the report showcases CSV's efforts to deliver assets and services that are inclusive, accessible and culturally appropriate. Primary focus areas continue to be court and tribunal users, the broader community and the wellbeing of those who work to enable the operations of the Victorian courts and tribunals, the Judicial College and Judicial Commission.

This year's report features Djaara/Yorta Yorta artist Troy Firebrace's painting Mirrors of Country from the Koori Court at Bendigo Law Courts.

The Court Services Victoria 2023-24 Annual Report is now available to download from this website.

Sexual harassment audit release – CSV statement

Alvin.Bautista — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 03:23:37 +0000

In 2021, Court Services Victoria, the Heads of Jurisdiction, the Judicial College and Judicial Commission committed to the implementation of 16 recommendations of the Szoke Review into Sexual Harassment in the Victorian Courts and the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT). The Review made 20 recommendations for reform to Court related entities and Government to prevent sexual harassment, improve reporting and support for those who experience it, and increase awareness and accountability.

Recommendation 20 required an independent audit of the implementation of the Review recommendations and their effectiveness.

CSV has now published phase one of the audit by Ashurst Risk Advisory; an independent report which considers whether recommendations have been acquitted as intended.

The audit found that implementation of 16 of the 20 recommendations were met and the remaining four were partially met. Overall, the audit report findings are positive and illustrate the "clear commitment from Courts and VCAT leadership to improving the workplace culture at CSV through the adoption of strategies to prevent sexual harassment".

CSV recognises that cultural change takes time and while the results in the phase one audit report are positive, the work to eliminate sexual harassment continues.

The audit identified a number of improvement opportunities. All five opportunities for CSV and Heads of Jurisdiction have been adopted, underscoring CSV's continuing commitment to preventing sexual harassment and providing a safe and respectful workplace. These include the creation of a sexual harassment prevention plan, implementing Safe Work Australia's guidance for sexual harassment risk assessment, and continuing to encourage all judicial officers and VCAT members to attend sexual harassment education programs. As at 30 March 2024 more than 87% of judicial officers and VCAT members had completed programs.

CSV welcomes the findings and improvement opportunities identified and remains committed to the ongoing cultural change that has positive and practical impact on the daily experiences of our people.

CSV continues to monitor its progress and phase two of the audit will assess the effectiveness of the interventions put in place.

Bendigo Law Courts achieves 6 Star Green Star energy rating

marcel.ianno — Fri, 22 Mar 2024 03:46:25 +0000

Marking 12 months of operation, the Bendigo Law Courts has achieved World Leadership in sustainable design and construction with 6 Star Green Star - Design & As Built v1.2 Certified Rating by the Green Building Council of Australia.

Established by the Green Building Council of Australia in 2003, Green Star is an internationally recognised rating system. The system aims to enhance health and quality of life, and drive resiliency in buildings, fit-outs, and communities.

The project joins the 12% of buildings in Victoria to achieve the standard.

Integrating specialist courts including family violence and Koori courts, the court building is the first in Victoria with dedicated circulation reserved for vulnerable persons, and separate remote witness and safe waiting facilities.

The building minimises its carbon footprint by integrating solar panels, efficient HVAC systems, and intelligent lighting controls, and boasts rainwater harvesting systems, low-flow fixtures, and water-efficient landscaping.

Warm, natural colours and textures, and outlooks over Bendigo important to the traditions of the Dja Dja Wurrung People are bathed in natural light, with skylights thoughtfully positioned to further reduce the energy needed for lighting.

In practical terms, the energy consumption performance target of 128.1 kWh/m2 has been exceeded, achieving 103.92 kWh/m2 using onsite renewable energy sources, including a photovoltaic solar panel array generating approximately 150-160 kWh per day.

The rating achievement follows a Gold award in the Australian Design Awards for Rob McHaffie/AIRBAG's custom installation in the Children's Court waiting area, Feathers in the Wind. The screen is a digital interactive experience designed for young children that uses body tracking.

Depicting a park, the interactive digital collage is inspired by the local area and follows the motion of each person's head, hands, arms, and legs as they move in front of the screen. The work was designed to ease the stress of attending court, and similar instalments are planned in other court buildings.

The work sits alongside several artworks that consider the user-experience, which is at the forefront of the building's design.

The recognition for the installation enhances the William Wardell Award for Public Architecture and a Commendation for Sustainable Architecture at the 2023 Australian Institute of Architects' (AIA) Victorian Architecture Awards.

The project's bold environmental sustainability agenda, engagement with Dja Dja Wurrung Traditional Owners and use of local businesses and tradespeople has been acknowledged and the project declared one that works as "a beacon for reconciliation and longevity".

Court Services Victoria – Cyber Incident Information

Alvin.Bautista — Mon, 01 Jan 2024 22:45:13 +0000

Thursday, 18 January 2024

A series of frequently asked questions (FAQs) have been developed in support of the cyber security incident:

See FAQs - Cyber Security Incident

Statement from the Chief Executive Officer of Court Services Victoria, Louise Anderson:

On 2 January 2024, Court Services Victoria (CSV) released a statement outlining a cyber security incident impacting Victoria's courts.

In it, we advised that audio-visual recordings of some hearings in courts between 1 November and 21 December 2023 may have been accessed and that it was possible that some hearings before 1 November could also have been accessed.

In many courts the system typically holds recordings for around 28 days, so the primary investigation period initially was 1 November to 21 December, which is when CSV identified the problem and isolated and disabled the affected network.

The incident impacted a single network that manages only audio-visual recordings for all courts and was contained to only that network.

Not all courts held hearings that were recorded on the impacted audio-visual network during that time frame.

We remain sincerely apologetic for the distress that this may cause people who have been part of hearings during the identified timeframe, and we are committed to providing support to impacted people requiring assistance.

Update

The investigation remains ongoing, but CSV can confirm the recordings of some hearings in the Supreme Court, County Court and Coroners Court on the audio-visual system were prior to 1 November 2023. At this stage, there is no change to the date ranges for the Magistrates' Court and Children's Court and VCAT remains unaffected. The date range of matters that may have been accessed is now as follows:

Jurisdiction	Date range	Hearings where recordings may have been accessed
Supreme Court	Previously 1 December to 21 December 2023 and some individual matters in November 2023 Updated date range: For matters heard in Supreme Court courtrooms in Melbourne dates remain 1-21 December 2023 For regional hearings and hearings in the County Court building the affected dates are now: Ballarat- April 2016 Bendigo- August 2023 Shepparton-January, February, July and August 2023 Wodonga- October, November, December 2023 County Court- May, June, July, October, November, December 2023	Court of Appeal, Criminal Division, Practice Court and regional hearings.
County Court	Previously 1 November to 21 December 2023. Updated date ranges: 4-6 April 2016; 28 May 2019 to 21 December 2023.	The majority of hearings recorded on the network from 1 January 2023 to 21 December 2023. Some hearings recorded on the network from 28 May 2019 to 1 January 2023 and 4-6 April 2016.
Magistrates' Court	1 November to 21 December 2023	Some committals that were heard during this period.
Children's Court	1 November to 21 December 2023	No hearings in the date range. A recording of one hearing in October which may have remained on the network.
Coroners Court	Previously 1 November to 21 December 2023. Updated date range: 5 August 2019 to 21 December 2023.	Some hearings from 5 August 2019 to 1 November 2023. All hearings from 1 November to 21 December 2023.
VCAT	N/A	None.

The updated date ranges became apparent from Friday 5 January 2024 when CSV was able to analyse devices it had disabled on the affected audio-visual network. It took time to collect, analyse and verify this detailed and coded information from devices located in courtrooms in Melbourne and around Victoria. The date ranges vary based on a number of factors including storage capacity.

The Supreme Court, Magistrates' Court, Children's Court and Coroners Court will continue their efforts to identify and notify impacted parties. Due to the volume of impacted matters at the County Court the Court will focus their efforts on notifying parties in particularly sensitive matters. Please be assured that CSV and the Courts continue to work on this process as a matter of priority.

We sincerely thank Victoria Police, Victoria Legal Aid, the Office of Public Prosecutions, Corrections Victoria, the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions and other justice entities for their assistance with this process.

Support

CSV is not currently aware of any unauthorised publication of the recordings. Monitoring of this will continue.

If material is published, CSV will work together with relevant agencies to assist impacted people and provide support specific to their situation.

We are very mindful of the distress any unauthorised publication may cause and we are committed to supporting those impacted if that occurs.

For those seeking further information or assistance, support is available by emailing CSVData@courts.vic.gov.au

This includes support from IDCARE, Australia's national identity and cyber support community service.

Recovery

Maintaining security for court users is our highest priority and we continue to work closely with cyber security experts to ensure our systems are safe and secure.

As CSV rebuilds and re-establishes the affected network, the technology underpinning it is being updated to strengthen security.

CSV can confirm that after vigorous testing, video conferencing was re-established in most courts on 16 January 2024, enabling the return of hybrid hearings from Monday 22 January 2024. Transcription services are operational, however some delays are expected in the production of transcripts until systems are fully re-established.

All courts continue to safely and securely hear matters and information about the mode of hearings can be obtained from the relevant court.

For security reasons, CSV cannot comment on the specific details of some elements of our response to this cyber incident. However, we are committed to promptly sharing as much information as possible and encourage people to visit our Frequently Asked Questions web page, which is being updated regularly.

Previous media releases:

Tuesday, 2 January 2024: CEO statement on cyber incident

Wyndham Law Courts tops-out as building designs are released

marcel.ianno — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 07:42:10 +0000

The Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes and Local Member Tim Pallas visited the Wyndham Law Courts to unveil the building's design and officially mark the Topping-Out, a construction milestone that sees the final floor of a building completed.

The Ministers were joined by Chief Magistrate Judge Lisa Hannan, President of the Children's Court Judge Jack Vandersteen, and State Coroner Judge John Cain.

Attorney-General Symes said, "This project has been designed with the needs of the community at the heart."

Watch our design release video below to see more renders of the future law courts:

The future Wyndham Law Courts designs release

Video of The future Wyndham Law Courts designs release

Built by Lendlease, Wyndham's future court designs by Lyons are informed by extensive consultation with the people who will use it, prioritising user experience, sustainability, and technological capability.

news_wyndham-law-courts_exterior-aerial-view.jpg

Exterior aerial view

The project is working to a Green Star 6-star as-built energy rating, with solar panels on the roof, low-carbon and high thermal performance pre-cast concrete panels on the exterior, and native plantings that can tolerate dry periods.

Inside, the building enables remote hearings, display of digital evidence and video conferencing alongside conveniences like wi-fi, charging stations and bookable meeting rooms.

news_wyndham-law-courts_waiting-area-2.jpg

Waiting area

Natural light, access to fresh air and greenery, a neutral interior palette and organic lines reflect the setting and create a calm environment, reflecting a more therapeutic approach to justice services.

Chief Magistrate Lisa Hannan said, "A modern court does not sit above or apart from its community, it sits within it, because a court at its essence has a single role, and that is to serve."

news_wyndham-law-courts_wintergarden.jpg

Wintergarden

news_wyndham-law-courts_waiting-area-1.jpg

Waiting area

Construction of the Wyndham Law Courts will be completed in late 2024.

Court Services Victoria Annual Report 2022–23 Released

marcel.ianno — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 01:20:33 +0000

The Court Services Victoria Annual Report 2022-23 was released on Wednesday 1 November 2023.

Set against a backdrop of progress and change, the 2022-23 Court Services Victoria Annual Report outlines the work undertaken to support Victorian courts and tribunals.

In the opening message of the report, The Honourable Anne Ferguson, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria, and Chair of the Courts Council said:

"Court Services Victoria continues to evolve, in part because of what we have learned in recent years about responding to changing circumstance and also because of our commitment to making positive changes for the future."

Highlights of 2022-23 include:

Opening of the new multi-jurisdictional Bendigo Law Courts and specialist Children's Court in Dandenong; expansion works at the Sunshine Law Courts; and the development of Wyndham Law Courts; which all prioritise community focus and cultural safety
Release of our Koori Engagement and Consultation Framework, which will guide engagement with Koori stakeholders on programs and initiatives that impact Community
Implementation of key initiatives from our Gender Equality Action Plan, demonstrating our commitment to creating psychologically safe and inclusive workplaces
Delivery of future focused, people-centric technology and solutions, including digital wayfinding at Bendigo Law Courts, an online caseload dashboard and the first stage of the Case Management System Portal, which improve community access to justice.

Tabled in Parliament on Wednesday 1 November 2023, the Court Services Victoria Annual Report 2022-23 is available to download from this website.

Response to the Worksafe Sentence

marcel.ianno — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 04:02:36 +0000

19 October 2023

Court Services Victoria (CSV) has been properly held to account for its breach of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 between 2015 and 2018.

CSV pleaded guilty to the breach and has today been sentenced for its failure to properly identify and assess risks in relation to the psychological wellbeing of employees.

CSV has made significant changes since 2018. It has invested in its capacity and capability in identifying and assessing risk, including the appointment of a health, safety and wellbeing director and program manager; injury management advisers; and a vicarious trauma project lead.

CSV has new systems in place, including at the Coroners Court, with the aid of technology that helps identify issues of workload and exposure to difficult material.

It has developed a Peer Support Program and Mental Health First Aid Training and provides clinical wellbeing services to CSV employees.

CSV also has an organisation-wide approach to risk management and has invested in measures to enable a 'speak up' culture that helps staff at all levels feel comfortable in raising issues.

Anne Ferguson, Chief Justice of Victoria and Chair of the Courts Council, the governing body of CSV, said: "Every person who works in Victoria's courts has a right to feel safe and to be able to trust those in their workplaces."

"CSV's purpose is to support the courts and VCAT in upholding the law. We should be exemplars in adhering to our legal obligations," Chief Justice Ferguson said.

"As acknowledged at the hearing, CSV has the deepest sympathy for Jessica Wilby's partner, family, loved ones, and her colleagues and friends at the Coroners Court, and expresses how deeply sorry we are as an organisation.

"Jessica Wilby's loss, and the ongoing pain experienced by those who knew her, continues to drive CSV to build a culture where employees feel free to speak up and where CSV has a clear accountability for providing a safe workplace.

"CSV has a responsibility to continue to act and to put measures in place to ensure that our workplaces are safe. We have and will continue to work to ensure that our actions live up to the high standard we set ourselves."

Judge John Cain, the State Coroner of Victoria, said: "Jessica Wilby's death in 2018 was devastating for her family, her friends, and her colleagues, including many who worked with her at the Coroners Court. Her loss continues to be felt acutely at our Court."

"The health and wellbeing of our people is of the utmost importance," Judge Cain said. "That is why we have worked together as a Court over the past five years aiming to build a stronger culture of support and respect and to make staff health and wellbeing a key focus.

"We thank all those who have helped us to bring about positive changes and to create an environment where people feel safer to tell us what is going on.

"We will continue to work closely with Coroners and staff to strengthen health and wellbeing supports, and to make the Court a better place to work."

CSV Communications Contact:

Sarah Dolan - 0429 815 763 or sarah.dolan@courts.vic.gov.au

Yoorrook for Justice Statement

marcel.ianno — Mon, 04 Sep 2023 00:53:44 +0000

The following statement is from the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria and Chair of Courts Council, Anne Ferguson, on behalf of the Victorian courts and the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).

We acknowledge all First Peoples who shared their stories and experiences of the criminal justice and child protection system as part of the Yoorrook Justice Commission process. They have undertaken the difficult and important process of truth telling.

It is our obligation as judicial officers and court administrators to take this opportunity to listen and learn as we absorb those powerful accounts and the findings and recommendations of the Commission.

From this truth telling must come a far deeper understanding of First Peoples' experience of the justice system. From this will come better outcomes in the future.

We will absorb the Commission's interim report and look at what is within our power to change. But we also take this opportunity to acknowledge the ongoing and intergenerational trauma inflicted upon First Peoples because of colonisation and dispossession.

We acknowledge that harm has occurred for First Peoples in our courts. They have not been experienced as trusted institutions offering justice.

When I launched Court Services Victoria's Self-determination Plan in July 2021, I said Koori people carried unique shared and lived experiences that can bring enormous value to our justice system and restore agency to people who come into contact with it. The Plan was developed in consultation with Elders and Respected Persons and community and commits to ongoing engagement.

That Self-determination Plan is called Yaanadhan Manamith Yirramboi: Striving for a Better Tomorrow - that is what we will continue to keep front and centre.