Victims of Crime Fund

Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (15:23): Supplementary, Mr Speaker: with respect to the Victim Support Service, Attorney, what support is available for someone applying for compensation payments—for instance, where they have been rendered unconscious by a coward punch but have to prove it was the punch that caused their injury?

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Planning and Local Government) (15:23): The member might not be aware but the Victim Support Service doesn't provide legal advice. It did under the previous government but we found there was a project that they were providing but in fact that is now being provided by the Legal Services Commission because it's not actually able to be provided under a social work contract. It has to be under a legal aid contract. In any event, we have remedied some of those matters.

But the Victim Support Service provides for significant other services to victims and we applaud the work they do. The victims who need legal advice who aren't in a position to be able to afford to have access to advice in relation to a claim can approach the Legal Services Commission, the Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement or the community legal centres, all of which are under a $149 million new legal agreement with the commonwealth for the provision of their funding. If they seek to have advice in relation to support during court assistance, then they can seek that through a program with the Legal Services Commission.

If they are seeking funding to assist in relation to the need to do a victim impact statement, that advice is available through the Commissioner for Victims' Rights, Bronwyn Killmier's office, and of course that is part of the Attorney-General's Department. If there is another other specific service that you are seeking to advise for that imaginary example that you have provided, I am happy to get that further information for you.