Minister of Legal Affairs and Criminal Justice Michael Lashley has sought to allay concerns raised by some attorneys over the government’s plan to establish two gun courts, insisting that staffing and operational solutions have already been identified.

Speaking in the Senate on Wednesday as he presented the Supreme Court of Judicature Amendment Bill, Lashley said the specialised courts would be adequately resourced from the outset, with personnel drawn from outside the existing criminal justice system.

He said: “I have heard some practitioners speaking out. I am saying that we should not worry about how we will get these cases fast tracked because it is a specialised court. Already we have permission that these will be staffed by two judges. Judges outside the existing criminal justice system. Judges that will have time to deal with matters. Further, two legal assistants outside of the criminal justice system, four marshals, [and] four probation officers.”