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County Court
Project Summary
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| Project Information |
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Details |
| Project name | | County Court |
| Value | | $195m (Net Present Value Oct 2000) |
| Status | | Service Delivery Commenced |
| Department or agency | | Department of Justice |
| Private sector partner | | The Liberty Group Pty Ltd consisting of ABN AMRO, NM Rothschild & Sons (Aust) Ltd (financiers), Multiplex Construction Ltd (construction), and Honeywell Limited (facility services). Equity interest has since been sold and the Liberty Group is a wholly owned subsidiary of Challenger Financial Services Group, an Australian property and funds management company. |
| Description | | The new County Court building is an integrated complex in the heart of Melbourne’s legal precinct at the corner of Lonsdale and William Streets. It is a landmark building combining modern court design principles with state-of-the art technology. For example, it has video-conferencing and remote witness facilities to enhance the management and efficient conduct of cases.
It is Australia’s largest court complex and was the first major social infrastructure project under the Partnerships Victoria policy. The new facility opened on 31 May 2002, on-time and on-budget.
The County Court is the State's busiest trial court, handling most criminal trials and a very significant workload of civil cases. It has 54 courtrooms, (including an additional 8 courtrooms comissioned in 2008) a jury pool area which can accommodate up to 400 people, and attractive public spaces. The new County Court will reduce waiting times for court appearances, provide better security, reduce court costs and improve facilities for jurors, victims, the public and the legal community.
All court services integral to the administration of justice will remain in government control in accordance with Partnerships Victoria policy that core services should be provided directly by Government. The Liberty Group services are delivered in partnership with government agencies including the Department of Justice, County Court, Juries Commissioner's Office, Victoria Police, Victorian Government Reporting Service, and Corrections Victoria.
The contract with the Liberty Group is to design, build, finance and provide building management services, security and information technology systems. The Liberty Group has a 99-year lease over the crown land on which the court is situated, for a peppercorn rent.
The term of the contract is 20 years (with shorter time frames for other services). Unlike other Partnerships Victoria accommodation contracts, the court building remains the property of the Liberty Group at the end of the contract period.
The project commenced under the previous government and the Infrastructure Investment Evaluation Policy for Victoria. The final stages of the project were completed under the Partnerships Victoria policy.
In 2007 the County Court elected to take up the option for additional courtrooms to be built. Levels 8 & 9 were originally constructed as vacant "shell" floors for future expansion. The Liberty Group executed the Fit out Works Contract with Multiplex (the original builder) in May 2007. Practical completion and the fit out of 8 additional courtrooms on Level 8 & 9 was achieved on 31 January 2008, four weeks ahead of the program. |
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| Contact information | |
Glenn Gunther, Contract Monitor - County Court Project
Phone: (613) 8684 0562
Email: Glenn Gunther
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| Related information | | Download the contract (Court Services Agreement) (search ref CSA1)
To find out more visit the : County Court. A virtual tour of the building is also available.
View photos and make room bookings at the website of the private consortium at: The Liberty Group |
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