Australia is supporting work between Australian and Indonesian courts to help improve court systems and people's access to justice in Indonesia.
On 23 September, the Supreme Court of Indonesia, the Federal Court of Australia and the Family Court of Australia signed a Memorandum of Understanding to continue their judicial reform partnership.
Through their partnership, the courts meet regularly to share their experiences on how they are working to improve services for court-users, in particular for the poor and vulnerable women.
Chief Justice Pat Keane of the Federal Court of Australia said: 'This represents a world first and a model for future collaboration between courts operating in different countries.'
Chief Justice Harifin Tumpa of the Supreme Court of Indonesia said that the partnership made Australian and Indonesian courts 'thinking partners'.
This collaborative work has contributed to real changes for Indonesia's justice–seekers. The Supreme Court of Indonesia, for example, recently did a study which provided evidence to secure $42 million from the Indonesian Government's budget to improve access to Indonesian family law courts. Indonesian courts are using this money to cover court fees for the poor and to bring courts to people in isolated villages for the first time. This is significantly improving access to justice for Indonesia's vulnerable communities.
Similarly, the Federal Court of Australia has encouraged Indonesian courts to act more transparently. In 2007, the Supreme Court of Indonesia published almost none of its decisions; today, more than 18,000 are available online. This will assist the community to obtain predictable and consistent court decisions.
The partnership with Australian courts is particularly important for Indonesia because it has only had a fully independent legal system since 2004.
Chief Justice Bryant of the Family Court of Australia said Australian courts also had a lot to learn from their Indonesian counterparts.
'Many of the judicial reform issues faced by our Indonesian colleagues are the same as those faced in Australia,' she said.
AusAID will continue to support the partnership between the courts to address a number of challenges over the next twelve months. This support will include establishing legal aid posts in courts and producing clear information on how to navigate the legal system.
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