Taking Justice to Regional Victoria
Regional Victorians will benefit from greater access to dispute resolution services, with the expansion of the Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria (DSCV).
Dispute Assessment Officers will operate from Geelong and Warrnambool centres providing face-to-face advice and mediation services to local communities.
Deputy Premier and Attorney-General Rob Hulls said placing DSCV staff on the doorstep of regional communities would mount to more people being able to access dispute resolution services, particularly those from low income areas.
DSCV has a particular focus on its mediation service as part of the Government’s move towards Appropriate Dispute Resolution (ADR).
“ADR provides an alternative to costly and lengthy court proceedings by getting to the core of the problem prior to litigation, and finding a way forward that everyone agrees on,” Mr Hulls said.
Mediation services are already available in Morwell and Wangaratta, and more regional branches will open across the state over the next eight months.
The DSCV will be located under the same roof as other Justice agencies, including Consumer Affairs Victoria, Corrections and the Sheriff’s Office in eight new regional Justice Centres.
“The Justice Service Centres will provide greater community ownership of justice outcomes, as well as improve people’s engagement with Justice agencies,” Mr Hulls said.