22nd April, 2025
The NSW Government has confirmed plans to close all Community Justice Centres (CJCs) by 30 June 2025 and repeal the Community Justice Centres Act 1983. These centres have served communities across the state for over 40 years, offering free mediation services for neighbourhood and civil disputes—without the need to go to court.
What’s Changing—and Why It Matters
CJCs have provided a vital public service, helping individuals resolve common issues like fence disputes, overhanging trees, noise complaints, and property access. In 2022–23, nearly 80% of neighbourhood disputes handled by CJCs were resolved successfully. This high success rate demonstrates just how effective informal mediation can be in preventing matters from escalating into costly and time-consuming litigation.
With their closure, many individuals—especially those already experiencing financial hardship—may find themselves with no affordable path to resolve everyday legal disputes. Formal legal proceedings may now become the only option, increasing strain on the court system and placing additional stress on those involved.
The Impact on the Community
The removal of CJCs will likely hit vulnerable and low-income residents the hardest. Without access to free mediation, disputes that could have been resolved in a matter of weeks may now stretch into months, costing significantly more and damaging relationships along the way.
Mediation not only provides faster outcomes—it often helps preserve neighbourly and business relationships. This is especially important in small communities and strata environments where parties must continue living or working in close proximity.
Need Help Navigating a Dispute?
While the closure of CJCs presents new challenges, it also reinforces the importance of having skilled, approachable legal support. At our firm, we focus on the most practical strategies to deliver the results our clients need.
We maintain close communication with clients throughout every stage of the process so they remain informed and empowered to make confident decisions.
Are you facing a dispute with a neighbour, tenant, builder, or business partner? We’re here to provide timely, cost-effective solutions tailored to your situation.
Our experience includes:
- Retail and commercial leasing disputes
- Building and construction disputes
- Competition and trade practices litigation
- Shareholder and partnership disputes
- Arbitration and mediation
- Company director/officer disputes
- Commercial and contract disputes
- Debt recovery
Even as CJCs close, your options for resolving disputes haven’t disappeared. Our team is ready to assist with early advice, negotiation, mediation, and—if necessary—litigation. Contact us today on 02 6687 1167 to explore your options and find the right solution for your legal matter.
To read more on this topic, click here. However, if you found this guide helpful, we invite you to check out our other blog posts.