The Outback Court Reporter

By Jamelle Wells

One of Australia’s most experienced court reporters goes on a judicial road trip.

Outback Court Reporter is a sometimes funny, sometimes tragic look at the comings and goings on inside the country courtrooms dotted across Australia.

From the case of the stolen cat flap, to missing lollipops and exploding chocolate milk in a country supermarket, to a custody dispute over a camel – Jamelle has seen the lighter and quirky side of outback courts, but has also witnessed the harsh, dark, and petty side of outback life – including the high rates of Indigenous incarceration, and alcohol-related and domestic violence.

After spending almost twenty years in city courtrooms reporting for the ABC on some of the country’s highest profile cases, in Outback Court Reporter, Jamelle Wells takes you into our country courtrooms, from the grand sandstone edifices of Cobar and Grafton to the repurposed community halls and police stations in outback Queensland and the Northern Territory, introducing you to the court staff – the solicitors, prosecutors, magistrates, witnesses and the accused – in cases that shock, captivate and divide communities.

Outback Court Reporter is also a timely reminder of the need for reform as country magistrates struggle with massive caseloads and limited resources, the fall-out of failing regional health system and limited bail and sentencing options in a justice system that is under pressure and communities still disadvantaged by the vastness of our continent.