Wide Bay dispute resolution centre celebrates 10 years of service

Attorney-General and Justice Minister Kerry Shine today attended the 10^th anniversary of the Department of Justice and Attorney-General’s Wide Bay Dispute Resolution Centre and congratulated staff on the decade of achievements.

“The Wide Bay Dispute Resolution Centre has been servicing the region for ten years, with a focus on delivering mediation services to the whole wide bay region,” he said.

“This high standard of service delivery occurred from the beginning, with the hiring and training of mediators from Bundaberg, Maryborough and Hervey Bay.”

“The centre’s mediations have grown in recent years to further service areas such as Gympie, South Burnett and North Burnett.”

The centre was opened in September 1997 and was originally based in the Hervey Bay Courthouse. In 2004, the centre was re-located to the Brendan Hansen Building in Main Street due to expansion.

“The centre is one of the biggest in Queensland, conducting in excess of 2000 mediations in the region since it opened,” Mr Shine said.

“Some of the long term staff at the centre has held record numbers of mediations, in particular three mediators who have totalled more than 800 mediations between them.

“The centre has an agreement rate of nearly 90% for all mediations. This figure is for all mediations in all areas of the region, including those referred from court.

“Issues mediated range from small claims and family law matters to neighbourly disputes.”

Today’s celebrations coincide with Good Neighbours Day, which is tomorrow, Saturday 22 September.

“Staff often mediate neighbourhood disputes, which in most cases involve noise and issues regarding fences,” Mr Shine said.

“The role staff play in settling those grassroots disputes goes a long way towards maintaining neighbourhood harmony, which is so important to quality of life in any community.

21 September 2007
Media contact: Kirby Anderson 3239 6400 or 0418 197 350 kirby.anderson@ministerial.qld.gov.au