History of Wollongong JPs

By Ray Vaughan, president of the NSW Justices Association Wollongong Branch

Justices of the Peace have been around for many years, over a century in Australia. The first gathering of JPs was in Sydney in 1910 and it was decided that an association should be formed in NSW. In 1911,  a committee was chosen and the association rules and regulations were drawn up.

There were 444 association members in March 1911 and by June 1911 660 JPs had joined. In those days, JPs were sworn in and remained a JP for life but that’s changed and now you are only accredited for five years. The life part was abolished in 2003 by the 2002 Justice of the Peace Act.

After five years you have to sit an exam and pass to remain a JP. All the questions are taken from the Justice of the Peace Handbook, which lays out rules for JPs to follow.

In 1992, all JPs were given a registration number which must be on every document that they sign, witness and certify. There are many branches of the Association all over NSW and Sydney.

The Wollongong Branch has been going since 1955. We have Community Desks at Thirroul Library (1st Thursday of the month, 11am-12.30pm); Corrimal Library (2nd Wednesday of the month, 10am-1pm); Wollongong Library (1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month, 10am-1pm); Dapto Library (2nd and 4th Fridays of the month and 3rd Saturday of the month, 10am-1pm).

Wollongong Branch holds a meeting for our members on the second Tuesday of each month (except January and December) at the Church of Life Hall, 129 Jardine Street, Fairy Meadow.

All JPs are welcome to attend and after three meetings we do ask that they join us in the association. Any person who is thinking of becoming a JP and wants assistance and help with the application, exam and knowledge of what we can and cannot do, is welcome as well.

There are some documents and forms that a JP does not have any jurisdiction over, but we are able to assist you in finding the correct person or department/office to go to.

All services given by JPs are free of charge and we are not allowed to accept any form of payment or gift for the duties we have performed.

The association holds training programmes in Sydney throughout the year and Wollongong branch does the same. This is done to ensure any changes of the duties and manner of dealing with documents presented to us is kept up to date.

Members working on Community Desks wear a uniform of the association with its insignia upon it.

For further information, please contact the current president on 0419 293 524.