Indonesian and Australian Judiciaries Sign Annex MoU on Judicial Transparency and Access to Justice
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Indonesia, the Honorable Harifin A. Tumpa, shaking hand with Chief Justice of the Family Court of Australia, the Honorable Diana Bryant, and Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Australia, the Honorable Michael Black, after signing the Annex MoU.
Jakarta | badilag.net/english
In collaboration with Indonesia-Australia Legal Development Facility (IA-LDF) and supported by Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Indonesia, Harifin A. Tumpa, signed an MoU with Chief Justice of the Family Court of Australia, Diana Bryant, and Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Australia, Michael Black, on Thursday 30 July 2009 in the Supreme Court building, Jakarta.
The MoU is an annex Memorandum of Understanding that was previously signed on 30 July 2008 between the Supreme Court of Indonesia, the Family Court of Australia and AsianLII.
.Judicial transparency and access to justice are two important points signed in the MoU.
Chief Justice Harifin A. Tumpa said that the Supreme Court of Indonesia pays serious attention to the access to justice particularly for the poor and marginalized. “The Supreme Court has made significant efforts to ensure access to justice, such providing prodeo facility and holding circuit courts,” he said.
Chief Justice Diana Bryant said, “The Family Court has enjoyed working with the Supreme and Religious Courts of Indonesia, to share what we have learned and experienced in making our judgments more broadly available to the public. Balancing the parties’ right to privacy with open and accountable decision making has been a particular challenge.”
“Improving access to justice and ensuring courts remain responsive to the community’s needs is an ongoing process, for all of us. Access to justice is critical to a functioning democratic system and the rule of law,” she added.
Meanwhile, Chief Justice Michael Black said that the MoU was another important step in the history of friendship and cooperation between Indonesian and Australian Courts.
“In the course of our relationship, we have been able to support, in some small way, the great reforms of the Indonesian judicial system in which the Supreme Court has been closely involved,” Chief Justice Black said. (c)