Justice closer home

THE Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal will set up a new office in Berwick as part of a three-year plan to increase access to justice for all Victorians, says Deputy Premier and Attorney-General Rob Hulls.
Mr Hulls said the Transforming VCAT strategic plan, prepared by VCAT President Justice Iain Ross, would promote quicker decision-making and greater accountability among tribunal members.
“VCAT plays an important role in our justice system, and its decisions have the potential to impact greatly on the lives of all Victorians,” he said.
“VCAT was set up just over 11 years ago as a way of centralising Victoria’s many separate tribunals. Transforming VCAT ensures it stays true to that mission, as an innovative, flexible and accessible organisation that delivers a fair and efficient dispute resolution service.”
Mr Hulls said the plan set aperformance benchmark formembers to ensure 90 percent of all reserved decisions were delivered within six weeks of the final day of hearing.
Members would also be provided with a monthly report setting out their reserved decisions.
“Delays were often raised during consultations on the performance of VCAT. These benchmarks will ensure Victorians receive decisions faster to get on with their lives,” he said.
Mr Hulls said increasing VCAT’s presence outside the CBD would benefit Victorians living in outer metropolitan and regional areas.
“VCAT will set up a metropolitan hub in Berwick to service the growth region of Casey in the southeast,” he said.