- $900,000 makeover for Family Court
- By Michael Pelly
- The Australian
- 24/03/2009 Make a Comment (6)
- Contributed by: Batman ( 2 articles in 2009 )
THEY are the most stylish offices of any court in the country -- and they would want to be after a $900,000-plus renovation bill.
Family Court Chief Justice Diana Bryant has turned her chambers and the adjoining conference area in Melbourne into something out of the pages of an interior design magazine.
The white leather lounges, modern art and tiled floors installed last year are not features normally associated with those who dispense justice.
The wooden panelling, timber bookshelves and dark furnishings that the High Court chose for its recent Sydney refurbishment are more the usual fare.
After The Australian this month revealed the Federal Magistrates Court had spent $60,000 on fine bone china in 2007-08, it was suggested we take a peek at the 14th floor of the federal courts complex in William Street, Melbourne.
The Family Court was up-front from the first call. Yes, the Chief Justice's new offices are very smart, thank you, and we don't mind telling you the total bill was $916,352. The court even sent through photos to counter suggestions the refit was "salubrious", "palatial" or even "over the top", as rumoured.
A spokeswoman for the court said Chief Justice Bryant hosted "many conferences, frequently involving international delegations".
The spokeswoman suggested the Chief Justice took a keen interest in the renovations.
"The foyer looks smart because of the combination of tiles, white furniture and a departure from all-white walls," she said.
"There is some nice artwork, most of which is lent by the Chief Justice from her personal collection.
"We decided to add a bit of colour to some of the walls rather than have everything white."
What about the rumours about a "fully equipped, chef-quality" kitchen?
"The kitchen is smaller than the one it replaced and very similar in size and amenity to the Federal Court's kitchen," the spokeswoman said.
"We were not permitted to install a commercial oven and, as we sometimes cater for groups of 50 people, a second oven was necessary."
Everything else was relocated from the original kitchen, including the crockery and cutlery.
"We have an embarrassing lack of matching and appropriate crockery -- including what is left of the 1987 Wedgwood bought at a half-price sale -- and usually hire crockery for functions," the spokeswoman said.
Family Court Chief Justice Diana Bryant has turned her chambers and the adjoining conference area in Melbourne into something out of the pages of an interior design magazine.
The white leather lounges, modern art and tiled floors installed last year are not features normally associated with those who dispense justice.
The wooden panelling, timber bookshelves and dark furnishings that the High Court chose for its recent Sydney refurbishment are more the usual fare.
After The Australian this month revealed the Federal Magistrates Court had spent $60,000 on fine bone china in 2007-08, it was suggested we take a peek at the 14th floor of the federal courts complex in William Street, Melbourne.
The Family Court was up-front from the first call. Yes, the Chief Justice's new offices are very smart, thank you, and we don't mind telling you the total bill was $916,352. The court even sent through photos to counter suggestions the refit was "salubrious", "palatial" or even "over the top", as rumoured.
A spokeswoman for the court said Chief Justice Bryant hosted "many conferences, frequently involving international delegations".
The spokeswoman suggested the Chief Justice took a keen interest in the renovations.
"The foyer looks smart because of the combination of tiles, white furniture and a departure from all-white walls," she said.
"There is some nice artwork, most of which is lent by the Chief Justice from her personal collection.
"We decided to add a bit of colour to some of the walls rather than have everything white."
What about the rumours about a "fully equipped, chef-quality" kitchen?
"The kitchen is smaller than the one it replaced and very similar in size and amenity to the Federal Court's kitchen," the spokeswoman said.
"We were not permitted to install a commercial oven and, as we sometimes cater for groups of 50 people, a second oven was necessary."
Everything else was relocated from the original kitchen, including the crockery and cutlery.
"We have an embarrassing lack of matching and appropriate crockery -- including what is left of the 1987 Wedgwood bought at a half-price sale -- and usually hire crockery for functions," the spokeswoman said.
Source: https://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,28124,25232695-17044,00.html
Interesting that they admit to hosting large conferences, how much is all that costing the taxpayer?
These people need to be locked up for life and their assets confiscated and distributed to the needy.
Here are two interesting questions for the chief judge.
(Notice I don't lower myself by using the term justice).
Is it true you were raised by your mother and without a father?
Is it also true that your mother was convicted of a criminal offence associated with embezzlement or the theft of money?
Us fathers are interested to know the calibre and background of the persons running this court.
We know that Nicholson’s parents dumped him in a boarding school in Melbourne while they run their business in New Guinea. That explains his obnoxious personality.
May we have some background on your childhood and family?
Its just that we poor bastards find it confusing when you piss $900,000 down the wall on needless renovations to impress useless academics and wankers like yourselves, whilst we struggle to obtain legal representation and any resemblance of justice in your dyslexic court.
Personally I would like to see you sitting your arse on bare floorboards drinking water out of a paper cup and eating dry biscuits. A lot of dads who are still forced to live this way would surely wish you the same,
One day all corrupt academics will be brought to trial for their abuse of innocent citizens. The wasted spending of public money will be included in these trials.
Power is temporary but justice is final.
President Torney
ScumAustralia.info
("The place to expose all corruption")
This is corruption at the highest level. The Government runs a review of the Federal Family Courts and governance and we find this splattered over the front pages of the daily newpapers. Where is the transparency and accountability to this rogue Court and officials. This is an abuse of Public money and I demand a Parliamentary Enquiry or a Royal Commission into this lavish spending. What about the poor mums and dads that get processed by these bastards in black robes and the whole of the family law fraternity. THIS MUST STOP.
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