The South Australian Government is being asked to increase the wages of Aboriginal court interpreters to combat continuing delays to the justice system.
Court sources say interpreters at the Port Augusta Court are regularly arriving late, or not turning up at all, delaying trials by days or sometimes weeks.
As a result they say defendants are being held in custody for longer than required.
Jonathan Nicholls from Uniting Care Wesley says wages for interpreters are inadequate and there are substantial periods of unpaid travelling time.
“One of the problems that has plagued interpreting for years is that no-one is prepared to put up the money that is necessary for it to really work,” he said.
He says the Government’s failure to address the problems and engage reliable and competent interpreters is undermining Aboriginal people’s confidence in the justice system.
Attorney-General Michael Atkinson has been unavailable to comment.