The City of Armadale has refused to give out any more freebies to Justices of the Peace (JP) so as not to set a troublesome precedent.
The Armadale and South East Districts Branch of the Royal Association of Justices asked the city to waive hire fees and bond for use of community facilities for four meetings per year, totalling $652.
The branch uses the city’s meeting rooms for professional development, networking, opportunities to raise and discuss issues of concerns, to mentor new JPs, discussion and information distribution.
In 2021, the City of Armadale chose to waive the $202 room hire and $500 bond requirement for the branch to use the Rossiter Pavilion and Armadale District Hall for their bi-monthly meetings between September 2021 and December 2022.
The same deal was struck again the following year, however, according to the city “the CEO endorsed the request with a view that it was the last time, and that in fairness to all other groups who pay hire fees that the group will need to start paying for the hire from 2024”.
But when the branch asked for the fees to again be waived over the 2025/26 financial year, this time council had the final say.
Daniel Newman, on behalf of the Royal Association of Justices, pleaded the case that all Justices of the Peace are volunteers, they’re appointed by the Governor and provide an essential service, and that JPs are legally prohibited from charging a fee for their service – they cannot fundraise.
He also pointed out that junior sporting clubs, and long-standing residents’ associations currently receive one freebie per month.
The Royal Association of Justices’ submission also highlighted the significant services that its volunteers had provided residents in the City of Armadale for free in 2023/24, which totalled 1,169 hours of work assisting 4,085 clients, and signing/witnessing 13,034 documents.
Cr Scott Mosey was sympathetic to their plea, and introduced an alternative motion to waive their fees.
“I don’t think it’s a big ask for us to support them,” he said.
“Given the budget we’re just been recently considering, and the multimillions of dollars we’ve been talking about, I think $160 a year [in hire fees but excluding bond] is not a huge amount for the amazing work that they do, and us sending a strong message to them and our community that we support it and value it.”
Cr John Keogh agreed, saying: “On reflection, considering it isn’t a massive financial burden, I don’t think it’s too onerous for us to perhaps reconsider this”.
But Cr Kerry Busby was opposed.
“I appreciate all that JPs do, but I’m also unfortunately aware of many community groups that do serve the City of Armadale and help us, whether it’s counsel, whether it’s mental health stuff, or at the Champion Centre, and they still pay fees,” he said.
“We have so many worthwhile community groups that we would love to give free leases to all over the place, if we could. But we can’t and we don’t.
“So that’s why I’m not supporting it, and I think they can pay for it, sorry.”
In the end, Cr Mosey’s pitch for benevolence lost 3:8 with the two sitting councillors who are also serving JPs abstaining from voting.
The Royal Association of Justices’ Daniel Newman said he was “very disappointed in the situation” and thanked Cr Mosey “for his courage and common sense”.
