I refer to the exciting news that construction of the proposed Armidale Courthouse will commence within six months (Independent 29/06/2011).
However, the Attorney-General has short-changed Armidale and the New England by refusing to include either a Supreme Court Registry or Office of Public Prosecutions facility.
The closest location for both of these legal services is Lismore or Bathurst, a distance or at least 350km.
Perhaps our Duty MLC from Guyra can extract these services from the NSW Liberal Government after our Independent Member for Northern Tablelands, Mr Richard Torbay, was unsuccessful.
Or is decentralisation of government jobs and services just lip service for this Sydney-focussed Liberal Party in government?
Jack Arnold,
Armidale
