Improving Tasmania’s justice system with additional Magistrate

Elise Archer,Attorney-General and Minister for Justice

The Tasmanian Government is committed to ensuring that Tasmanians have access to an effective and efficient justice system.

As Attorney-General it gives me great pleasure to announce the appointment of Hobart barrister, Ms Jackie Hartnett SC, as a new magistrate for Tasmania.

This permanent full-time appointment is the first additional magistrate in Tasmania since 2009 and is part of our Government’s $35 million investment over four years in to the Tasmanian justice system.

Ms Hartnett will be based in Hobart but will also travel state-wide to assist other regions at the direction of the Chief Magistrate.

This appointment follows an extensive recruitment process.

Ms Hartnett is a highly experienced lawyer, currently serving as Assistant Director (Summary Prosecutions) with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Ms Hartnett has been a member and chair of the Law Society of Tasmania’s Criminal Law Committee since 2010, a member of the Mental Health Tribunal since 2013 and also works as a lecturer at the Faculty of Law at the University of Tasmania.

Most recently Ms Hartnett was appointed Senior Counsel by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Tasmania, which is a reflection of the high esteem in which Ms Hartnett is held by the legal profession.

I sincerely congratulate Ms Hartnett on her appointment which will officially commence from 29 June.

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