Toowoomba Courthouse is set to under a $16.1 million upgrade as part of the Queensland Government’s Domestic and Family Violence Courthouse Improvement Program.
The upgrades will include construction of two new courtrooms – one dedicated to DFV matters and a shell courtroom for future capacity requirements.
Safety will also be bolstered with a new secure DFV safe room, giving vulnerable witnesses private and secure areas to prepare for and access court.
“The Toowoomba Courthouse upgrade and extension is one of the largest projects being delivered under the DFV Courthouse Improvement Program and will ensure better court facilities that support victim-survivors of DFV through the justice process,” said Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister for Integrity, Deb Frecklington.
“It is all about delivering faster and safer access to justice for victims and ensuring offenders are held to account.
The court registry and other areas of the courthouse will also be refurbished to accommodate extra staff for the delivery of the new court services.
The Government says the project supports enhanced delivery of DFV justice services at Toowoomba Magistrates Court, which dealt with 760 applications for domestic violence orders and more than 1,600 charges of contravening a domestic violence order last financial year.
The project expected to be completed in coming months.
Upgrades to Ipswich and Caboolture courthouses are already complete, and projects at Brisbane, Cairns, Maroochydore, Rockhampton, and Mackay courthouses continue to be delivered under the DFV Courthouse Improvements Program.
