Vulnerable witnesses, including affected child witnesses and special witnesses, give testimony through videoconferencing facilities to reduce distress and trauma. This avoids them needing to provide testimony multiple times during a court matter.
This testimony may be:
- pre‑recorded during a preliminary hearing before a judge, or
- recorded during a trial and then played back in court.
Vulnerable Witness Evidence Project
The Vulnerable Witness Evidence (VWE) Project is currently modernising and streamlining how vulnerable witness evidence is requested, scheduled, recorded, edited, and accessed.
The technology used in courtrooms in the QEII Courts of Law has been upgraded to improve video quality, whether vulnerable witnesses give evidence in the courtroom or by video link.
During 2026 the new VWE Management System will centrally manage requests, judicial orders, scheduling, recording, storage, and access for all jurisdictions in all court locations.
A new, secure Evidence Player for viewing, downloading, and playing back vulnerable witness evidence recordings digitally will replace the current process of burning DVDs for evidence viewing and playback in court.
Online Services Portal integration
Later in 2026, integration with the Online Services Portal (OSP) will enable the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) and legal practitioners to digitally access selected pre-recorded evidence. This will replace the use of DVDs for viewing recordings, however the evidence editing and approval process will remain unchanged.
Intermediaries, the ODPP and defence lawyers will access recorded evidence through the Online Services Portal, which will connect directly to the secure VWE Management System and will require identity verification.
More information
For more information about the Vulnerable Witness Evidence Project, email DSPTransition@justice.qld.gov.au.
