An Illawarra group has called on the NSW Attorney-General to establish a drug court in the region, citing the state’s rising prison population as proof the punishment-based system isn’t working.
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The group notes the renovation work at Wollongong Court House and argues this presents a ‘‘prime time’’ opportunity to incorporate a specialised court into the city’s justice infrastructure.
However Kiama MP Gareth Ward – who supports the group’s submission and has taken it to Attorney-General Brad Hazzard – has cited Nowra as his ‘‘preferred’’ location for the facility, because it is closer to his electorate.
The submission is the product of a two-year campaign by the Illawarra Drug Court Steering Committee to see the specialist court established in the Illawarra, defined in this case as inclusive of the Shoalhaven.
Drug courts have been operating at Parramatta since 1999; Toronto, in the Hunter region, since 2011 and out of Sydney’s Downing Centre since 2013.
They aim to address an offender’s underlying dependency by focusing on supervision and rehabilitation rather than punishment alone, and have been credited with saving the justice system more than $1.7 million a year.
Illawarra solicitor Renata Matyear, a member of the Illawarra Drug Court Steering Committee, said the strict catchment zones attached to existing drug courts had kept them out of reach of Illawarra offenders.
She said it did not matter if the facility was built in Nowra or Wollongong, because both would serve the same catchment zone, with Nowra possibly extending further south.
‘‘The significant issue is the catchment zone,’’ she said.
‘‘The whole area between the Illawarra and Shoalhaven have had an issue with increased methamphetamine use so the need is across the board.’’
Ms Matyear cited Nowra Court House’s track record in running a specialist ‘‘Circle Sentencing Court’’ for Aboriginal offenders, as being in its favour.
Wollongong, meanwhile, had proximity to a university and potential research links.
Mr Ward said he supported the submission and had made the case to Mr Hazzard, adding Nowra was his preferred location.
‘‘I’m the local MP in this area, I’m going to advocate for a service closer to my community. I’ll be putting the interests of local residents first.’’
