South Australia’s Attorney-General, Michael Atkinson, has denied that there are problems with the Port Augusta Court getting access to Aboriginal interpreters.
Court sources say the lack of interpreters is contributing to continuing delays to the justice system and keeping Aboriginal defendants in custody for longer than required.
In 2007, the State Government invested almost $500,000 over four years to help train and recruit Aboriginal interpreters.
Since then, seven public servants in Adelaide have been employed casually to also work as interpreters but the program has not managed to engage anyone in the state’s north, where the demand is greatest.
A spokesman for the Attorney-General says in the past six months, 17 of 19 requests for interpreters at Port Augusta have been fulfilled, although he could not say if there were any delays to court proceedings.
He says there have not been any formal complaints about the issue but the situation will be monitored.