THE Balranald community is still battling to keep its courthouse as problems surrounding the move emerge.
The town’s 159-year-old court sat for the last time this week, and the registry will close its doors next week.
The NSW Department of Justice axed the service due to a lack of work for the court, which sat monthly, and the registrar, who came from Deniliquin two days a week.
The small community will now have to make the 130km journey to Hay for court matters, but logistical challenges of the move became obvious on the final sitting day on Wednesday.
One defendant had his matters adjourned to Hay next year but was required to be at Wentworth Local Court for a different hearing the very next day.
In the same matter, the only two Balranald police officers were expected to be in Hay to bear witness meaning the Balranald police station would be unattended for that time.
Magistrate Geoffrey Dunlevy said he was under instruction to adjourn matters to Hay Local Court, particularly if Balranald police are involved.
“It makes it administratively easier… Balranald, Euston and Hay are all in the same local area command,” Mr Dunlevy said.
Balranald Shire Council is still campaigning hard to keep the service and is hopeful of a last minute reprieve.
Mayor Leigh Byron and general manager Aaron Drenovski met with the parliamentary secretary for Western NSW Sarah Mitchell in Sydney this week to outline their concerns, particularly the absence of a public transport system between Balranald and Hay.
For more on this story, grab a copy of Friday’s Guardian (December 11).
