The challenge
For the Courts Administration Authority, planning the future of court infrastructure required more than maintaining existing assets – it called for a clear, data driven understanding of how demand for court services would evolve over time.
Managing a diverse network of metropolitan and regional Magistrates Courts, the Authority faced increasing pressure to respond to population growth, shifting demographics and changing service demands. However, planning remained largely reactive, with limited ability to forecast demand, optimise court locations or align infrastructure investment to long term needs.
Existing approaches did not integrate service demand, population trends and asset data in a way that supported strategic decision making. This made it difficult to anticipate emerging pressures, assess investment priorities, or ensure equitable access to justice across the state.
To plan with confidence, the Authority needed a robust forecasting and modelling capability – one that could connect data, test scenarios and support informed decisions over the short, medium and long term.
How we helped
An integrated demand forecasting and asset modelling framework was developed to support long term infrastructure planning across South Australia’s court network.
A blended forecasting model combined historical case data with population and socio‑demographic trends to project future hearing demand over 5‑, 10‑ and 20‑year horizons. This provided clear visibility of how demand is expected to shift across regions and court sites.
Spatial modelling was introduced to map how cases flow through the network, reflecting proximity, jurisdiction and operational rules. This enabled a deeper understanding of interdependencies between sites and highlighted emerging capacity pressures.
These insights were combined with a targeted review of the asset portfolio to identify opportunities for optimisation, consolidation and future investment. Scenario modelling capability allows the Authority to test real‑world decisions – such as changing site capacity or introducing new locations – and understand their impact across the network.
The result is a practical, evidence‑based tool that connects demand, infrastructure and planning – enabling more informed, forward‑looking decision‑making.
Results that matter
The Authority now has a clear, integrated view of demand, infrastructure and service delivery across its court network.
With the ability to forecast demand over a 20 year horizon, planning has shifted from reactive to proactive. Infrastructure decisions – including investment, consolidation and new developments – are now supported by evidence, enabling more confident prioritisation and resource allocation.
The framework also improves visibility of how changes in one part of the network affect the broader system, strengthening decision making at both local and portfolio levels.
Most importantly, the Authority is better positioned to ensure its court network remains fit for purpose – supporting equitable, efficient and sustainable access to justice across South Australia.
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