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From the Attorney General
Tuesday, 17 August 2010
Victoria’s newest court building will be named after a pioneering advocate for the rights of indigenous Australians, Deputy Premier and Attorney-General Rob Hulls announced today.
Mr Hulls said the William Cooper Justice Centre commemorated a great indigenous Victorian who showed an unyielding commitment to justice for Aborigines and other marginalised groups.
Mr Hulls dedicated the former County Court building at 223 William Street to Mr Cooper at a ceremony today.
“It is an honour to dedicate this courthouse to his memory and achievements,” Mr Hulls said. “Mr Cooper spent his life advocating for the rights of Aboriginal people and helped set the stage for a generation of modern-day advocates campaigning for indigenous rights.”
Mr Cooper, a Yorta Yorta man, was born in the 1860s and grew up in a large family on the Cummeragunja Mission before moving to Melbourne.
He founded the Australian Aborigines League, which was the first political organisation for Aborigines.
He also helped establish the Day of Mourning, which helped foster modern events recognising the contributions of Aboriginal Australians, such as NAIDOC Week.
Mr Hulls said Mr Cooper’s social justice advocacy was not limited to the Koori community.
“In 1938, he led a protest of Aboriginal people who walked to the German consulate in Melbourne to denounce the treatment of European Jews by the Nazis,” he said.
Mr Hulls said the William Cooper Justice Centre, which had undergone a $33 million refurbishment, would be a landmark multi-jurisdictional courthouse for the Melbourne legal precinct.
“It represents how all Victorian courts will operate in the future,” Mr Hulls said. “The six courtrooms will be allocated to the Children’s Court and Supreme Court, and other courts as required.
“The William Cooper Justice Centre also features a multi-use courtroom, suitable for large trials and royal commissions.”
The refurbishment includes an upgrade to the ground floor entry with a new reception area and security facilities, as well as meeting and mediation rooms to service appropriate dispute resolution.
Mr Hulls said the William Cooper Justice Centre would also be a leader in green courts in Australia.
“The building incorporates a number of environmentally friendly measures, giving it a 5-green-star fit out, a 4-star energy rating, a 4½-star emissions rating and will provide water savings through efficient fittings and rainwater harvesting,” he said.
http://www.v-arc.com.au/projects/institutional