House of Assembly Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2) 52 2 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time O'connell, Mr M. O'CONNELL, MR M. Dr CLOSE House of Assembly Port Adelaide O'CONNELL, MR M. Dr CLOSE (Port Adelaide) (14:19): My question is to the Attorney-General. Can the Attorney-General inform the house about the new position awarded to the Commissioner for Victims' Rights, Mr Michael O'Connell? The Hon. J.R. RAU House of Assembly Enfield Deputy Premier Attorney-General Minister for Planning Minister for Business Services and Consumers O'CONNELL, MR M. The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Planning, Minister for Business Services and Consumers) (14:19): I thank the honourable member for her question. I am actually pleased to tell the house that South Australia's Commissioner for Victims' Rights, Mr Michael O'Connell, has been appointed as Secretary-General to the World Society of Victimology. The Hon. M.J. Atkinson House of Assembly The Hon. M.J. Atkinson: Hear, hear! The Hon. J.R. RAU House of Assembly The Hon. J.R. RAU: It is a great achievement for a South Australian. The World Society of Victimology is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation with Special Category consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations and the Council of Europe. Brought together by a mutual concern for victims, the society's worldwide membership includes victim assist practitioners, university academics, social scientists, social workers, physicians, lawyers, civil servants, volunteers and university students. Mr O'Connell was appointed Australia's first victims of crime commissioner in March 2001, and has held the position since that time. The position of Commissioner of Victims' Rights is a unique one, and the work of Mr O'Connell has been invaluable to the government. Thanks to the work of Mr O'Connell, victims are no longer the forgotten people in our criminal justice system. As commissioner, he has provided victims with a voice and assisted victims through lengthy and complex criminal trials. He has also provided timely and succinct advise to government, and has been a strong and consistent advocate for victims since 2001. This is the first time since the World Society of Victimology was formed in 1979 that an Australian has held this position. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Mr O'Connell, and wish him every success with this exciting new opportunity.