Shadow Attorney General and Shadow Minister for Justice Greg Smith SC today said the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2009 report on Prisoners in Australia shows New South Wales has the highest number of prisoners in remand of any State or Territory in Australia, including the disgraceful statistic of 371 people on remand for longer than a year, far exceeding the national average.

“This is a terrible indictment on our justice system,” Mr Smith said.

“This figure only highlights the inefficiencies of our under resourced justice system in dispensing justice to people accused of crimes in NSW,” he said.

“Some of these accused may ultimately be found not guilty. Some of them may have served longer in remand than the appropriate sentence.

“Also it is not only the accused who is unfairly treated. This intolerable delay is totally unfair to the victims of crime who have to wait weeks, months and in 371 occasions - more than a year before justice is done.

“The people of NSW deserve a better system of justice than this.

“Maybe if the incompetent State Labor Government spent less time fighting with itself and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and more time coming up with strategies to improve the efficiencies within the system we wouldn't see these high rates of people stuck in remand.

“After 14 years the broke State Labor Government can’t fix the problems it has created through failure and incompetence.

“The NSW Liberals & Nationals will ensure that our justice system receives all the support required to ensure the Courts and the Prosecution are able to deal promptly, adequately and swiftly with criminal trials in this State.

“I firmly believe that justice delayed is justice denied.

“Under a NSW Liberals & National Government accused people will not be required to languish in limbo in gaols in New South Wales,” said Mr Smith.