Submission to Courts (Remote Participation) Amendment Bill

Summary:

Overall, we support the Courts (Remote Participation) Amendment Bill. We believe that extending remote participation offers additional tools for the courts to manage their increasing caseloads. We view the provision in the bill allowing victims and their supporters to observe proceedings (9A) as a positive step towards ensuring victims can engage with the judicial system without experiencing re-traumatisation, in line with the bill's intentions. However, while we support the bill overall, we have highlighted concerns regarding audio links (8A) and the potential for misuse and impacts on privacy and confidentiality. We recommend that implementing robust authentication and verification measures can mitigate these challenges from arising. We support the bill; however, we acknowledge that the proposed benefits are dependent on adequately resourcing the courts to achieve the objectives outlined in the bill.