Attorney General Hatzistergos has been bowled out by his own spin in his latest comments on the Parramatta Justice Complex, Shadow Attorney General Greg Smith SC said today.

“I have been a consistent supporter of the retention of Courts in centres in Sydney’s West and have visited and consulted with Penrith based stakeholders on a number of occasions including this morning, since it became clear that Kristina Keneally’s wasteful State Labor Government intended to strip Penrith of two of its three District Courts,” Mr Smith said.

“The Attorney has shown no interest in seeking to justify this disruption, apart from throwing responsibility back onto the Judges.

“Now about a dozen Court transcription staff have been given notice without proper consultation that their jobs are being re-located at Parramatta, despite the inconvenience particularly to those who live in the Blue Mountains.

“The Keneally Labor Government in its continued neglect of the Penrith and Campbelltown areas has downgraded those important Sydney West centres by removing two thirds of their District Courts, so as to fill up the Parramatta Complex, which was supposed to house Supreme Courts as well, and has failed to recognise the importance of Sydney’s West and the large amount of Court business which is generated in the Western Suburbs.

“The decision contradicts promises passed on to Penrith stakeholders by the previous Attorney General Bob Debus

“The somersault took place in the face of vocal opposition of the Police, Penrith City Council, the local legal profession, local media and small businesses, which were patronised by persons using the Courts and has caused great inconvenience to victims and witnesses who live in the Penrith region.

“These stakeholders were largely ignored by their local Labor MP’s, apparently content to toe the line with the Government as this rip-off occurred. Stuart Ayres, Liberal candidate in the Penrith by-election is fighting for the return of the transcription employees and the Courts.

“Victims of crime and witnesses now travel on the same train service as the accused and their families, increasing their anxiety and inconvenience, not to mention risks to their safety and the long walk to the Court Complex.

“The Attorney has tried to hide the fact that the Labor Government’s $330 million Court Complex at Parramatta does not have one single court room dedicated to Supreme Court trials, despite the fact that many of the criminal cases prosecuted in the Supreme Court originated in Sydney West and it was previously intended that the Supreme Court would have Courts based at the Parramatta Complex[1], Mr Smith concluded.