Victoria Faces Shortage of Justice of the Peace Volunteers

Justice of the peace volunteer numbers have dropped to concerning levels in Victoria while the demand for their services continues to grow. JPs are vital for verifying important legal documents like statutory declarations, affidavits, and true copies of documents.

New Locations

To reach more people, some volunteers are now operating out of retail spaces instead of traditional locations like police stations, libraries, or council offices. Loretta Cormack, a JP for the past 51 years, now offers her services at the Altona Bunnings hardware store in Melbourne's west. Ms Cormack said police stations were often undermanned and closing doors, making alternative accessible locations with good parking necessary. A Bunnings spokesperson stated that letting JPs use areas like cafes is part of their community service program.

Funding Push

Victoria currently has 3,699 registered JPs, but Royal Victorian Association of Honorary Justices president Rodney Lavin estimates active numbers are closer to 2,000 because about 1,500 volunteers are in nursing homes, sick, very old, or have passed away. These figures are drastically lower than other states, trailing behind Queensland and South Australia. Mr Lavin noted that Victoria has not received government funding for JP training since the 2021-2022 budget. In August, more than 70 members gathered to campaign for more money. The association wants whichever party forms government after the November 28 state election to fund training for 5,000 new recruits and commit to 500 more each year. Staff for Liberal leader Jess Wilson said the party has not committed to funding, while the Labor Party did not respond to requests for comment. Meanwhile, the Department of Justice and Community Safety pointed to a multi-year recruitment campaign between 2022 and 2025 that appointed 800 new JPs.

Context

Justice of the peace volunteers provide an accessible way for everyday citizens to get essential paperwork officially witnessed and certified without relying solely on busy professionals like doctors or pharmacists. Community groups often turn to public retail spaces when traditional government-backed service points face capacity strains or staffing shortages.