10 Minutes with… Amanda O’Brien, Principal Registrar QSC, QDC and QLC

Thank you for speaking with Hearsay.

It’s an honour, but I’m conscious I follow some very eminent interviewees.

Congratulations on your recent appointment to your role. You succeeded the highly regarded and long serving Julie Steel PSM on her retirement. Did she serve as a role model for you?

Thank you. When I started in the Southport Courthouse over 35 years ago, I’d never have imagined becoming the Principal Registrar. Julie was a brave and innovative leader and is a hard act to follow. Even though she has left the workplace, we remain great friends. We worked together for many years, so no doubt some aspects of my leadership style will reflect Julie’s, but I can see the influence of several past leaders and mentors. My Dad is probably my greatest role model. He recently passed away and as I sit here, I reflect on what a great humanitarian he was. He taught me to work hard, be fair, be compassionate and strive for the greater good.

Are there different issues to be addressed across the three courts you administer?

Many issues are similar across any court but yes, each Court has nuances that need to be considered, both day to day and in the long term. I’m fortunate to have very supportive Heads of Jurisdiction and a very talented team around me.

Are challenges spawned for court administration by dint of Queensland’s decentralised character?

Most definitely. My core role is to deliver high quality Supreme, District and Land Courts’ registry services across the State. What works well in QEII in Brisbane may not necessarily work as well in Cairns or Roma. There’s a great challenge in ensuring the same level of service is delivered, regardless of location, and every change to registry process is always approached from ‘how would this work in a regional location’. But over the last several years, we’ve worked hard to develop ways to meet these challenges. For example, with our jury services, we have a dedicated team in Brisbane that supports our regional colleagues. Each regional location maintains their own discretion, but Brisbane is there to assist. It promotes consistency and supports our regional colleagues, some in small and remote registries. This type of model is made easier as we roll out more contemporary case management systems.

You were at “ground zero” during court restrictions caused by the Covid epidemic. Did that experience ultimately enhance efficient and effective registry practice?

As your members would be aware, running courts each day is a major logistical exercise with many, many critical parts and people. When it all stops, it does make you look at existing processes. We needed to quickly deconstruct and redesign processes we’d been following for years. Technology certainly generates a lot of innovation. It’s an excuse to think outside of the box. We worked with the Judges to develop a COVID safe jury trial and the registry implemented very simple innovations, such as the ‘drop box’ way of filing documents. We also developed an electronic way of filing Applications for Probate. It was a little clunky, but the uptake was amazing. Learnings from these days are still being applied and again, our Heads of Jurisdiction are always part of these discussions. I am very grateful to registry staff who each remained so committed through that difficult time. They came to the registry each day to perform the work they knew was so important to the people of Queensland. It was the great unknown for all of us, but looking back, I can say I am proud that our services kept being delivered, despite the challenges we faced.

What are the principal issues on the agenda in transformative change in registry operation and performance?

I think for my tenure as Principal Registrar, the main area of transformation is going from paper to digital. The transition has well and truly started, but there’s still a lot of work to do. It’s not as simple as an IT person building a system. There is so much work in ensuring the registry is ready – that’s our processes, our staff’s capability, meeting the needs of courts users, both the profession and self-represented people, and ensuring ‘digitisation’ doesn’t inadvertently leave some members of our community unable to access our services.

I note that electronic filing has been introduced in the conduct of succession causes. What timeframe is envisaged for electronic filing in other litigious spaces?

Between now and mid-2026, we will be developing an electronic civil case management system. Early systems, such as the Wills and Estates System, allow us to validate and refine our business process. Going from an entirely paper based way of doing business to electronic, is a fundamental change to how we operate and interact with our judiciary and court users.

You lead close to 300 full-time equivalent staff. Do you encounter difficulty in retaining staff to deploy in service provision?

We’re probably not alone in the ongoing challenge to retain staff. When I first started in courts, it was a job for life, but the world has changed. We know that people are now more inclined to have multiple careers due to a variety of factors including the desire to explore different industries and to improve work-life balance. It’s the reality of our modern workforce. A few years ago, we developed a model of professionalism which is premised on the fact that, by working in courts, you develop a wealth of knowledge or expertise in registry operations. It was stating the obvious, but often we need that stated to better appreciate the importance of the work we do. I see registry staff demonstrate their commitment to professionalism each day. They know their work is important in delivering justice services to the people of Queensland.

You are a long qualified solicitor, as are a number of your registry staff. Which registry service roles are assisted or informed by legal qualification and experience, and why is that so?

Certainly, in the Principal Registrar role, having a legal qualification is a huge assistance to me, as is my court experience. The registry landscape was always highly regulated, but over the last several years, the services delivered by registry have evolved and require additional skills and experience. One of the more recent evolutions in service delivery was the introduction of Resolution Registrars. Currently there is one in Supreme Court civil and one in Supreme Court criminal. Both roles involve regular dealings with parties, legal representatives, and judiciary. I think to be effective, the services must be delivered by someone with the relevant professional background. This gives the role the standing and gravitas to work with the parties and achieve results. There are many legally qualified registry staff who continue to make registry and courts administration their career. It’s hoped that most of these very talented individuals will stay with us and be the leaders of the future.

Are there any registry service attributes adopted interstate, or overseas, which are worthy of consideration for introduction in Queensland?

Over the years, we’ve visited the courts of other Australian jurisdictions to share learnings and identify opportunities. Most if not all jurisdictions have embraced electronic management of court documents and fortunately, we’re on that journey. Digitisation remains the key to unlocking so many benefits for our court users, staff and judiciary. Certainly for the next few years, the transition to digitisation will remain my focus.

The Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts Complex in Brisbane is only 13 years old, but other principal registries in regional Queensland were built 30 to 40 years ago. Do their “as built” attributes present any challenges to future registry performance or transformation?

Many of these buildings are simply beautiful, rich in history and built in a style of a bygone era. But there is no doubt that many regional courthouses present challenges with delivering contemporary court services. The obvious challenge is installing technology. You can’t just lift up a floor panel to lay cabling for technology and you can’t just knock a wall down to make a courtroom larger. We are fortunate that over the years our very clever Courts IT and Department of Justice infrastructure teams have developed and delivered some impressive outcomes which have contributed to delivering contemporary practices in areas including supporting remote appearances and taking evidence of vulnerable witness.

How do you envisage the Supreme, District and Land Court registries operating in 2050?

So much has happened over the last 25 years, both in courts and generally. I’d fully expect that paper will go the way of the cassette tape or Beta video. I’d see our systems and processes being far more integrated and our staff having entirely different capabilities. But I don’t see advances in technology removing the importance of having registry staff as a critical part of the business. Every matter coming before the court impacts people. We will always need dedicated, impartial, trauma informed registry professionals delivering services to court users.

How can the practising profession – in particular barristers – better assist the registries in discharging their role?

I’m pleased to say that our registry staff consistently receive strong support from your members. We all operate in a fast-paced and sometimes hectic environment. As we transition to digital processes, we kindly ask for your members’ patience and collaboration as we adapt to these new ways of working. This journey requires some understanding as we navigate the challenges that come with such significant changes. However, based on my many years of experience, I can confidently say that your members have always been supportive of the registry. The partnership we share is truly unique and I’m sure our good relationships will continue.

What are your recreational interests outside your busy work schedule?

My family and friends are my world outside of work and I love to feed them. Some find it stressful, but I really enjoy the ritual of preparation. Mirepoix* is my meditation. I am also quite good at growing orchids but I am not sure whether that is luck or talent.

Thank you for speaking with Hearsay.

It’s been a pleasure. Thank you.