Victim Support Service

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (15:37): I would like to share with members today the experiences of a woman who, to protect her identity, I shall refer to as Vanessa. Vanessa was an adult survivor of childhood sexual abuse. She had been through great trauma and was then going through the difficult and intimidating process of a trial. The trial was followed by two appeals, both on technicalities relating to how the original trial had been conducted. It was difficult, confusing and traumatic. Fortunately, there was support for Vanessa. The Victim Support Service was able to support her not just leading up to the trial not just during the trial but also through both appeals.

Altogether, that support lasted for almost six years and made a major difference to her ability to cope with what she had to go through, but the Marshall Liberal government has slashed the funding to the service that provided that support to Vanessa. The Victim Support Service has provided counselling and advocacy for 40 years. The organisation was started by victims of the Truro and 'Family' murders in 1979, and it was the first victim support service in Australia. It is a well-respected and highly valued service in this state, but this state government has decided to slash funding by two-thirds under cover of granting a new tender.

From 1 July, the $2.3 million provided annually to the Victim Support Service to provide therapeutic counselling and victim support across South Australia will reduce to $2.3 million over three years under a new provider. So that is from $2.3 million per year to $2.3 million over three years. This two-thirds cut is outrageous and it is a cruel blow to regional areas. The Victim Support Service currently has seven regional offices at Mount Gambier, Murray Bridge, Port Augusta, Port Lincoln, Whyalla, Berri and Port Pirie. All of these will close.

The new provider has only one regional office at Berri. We have been told that the new provider is expected to open offices in Mount Gambier and Port Augusta by the end of the year, but note that it is 'expected'. It is not required or mandated but merely 'expected'. This leaves a six-month gap for those areas, a six-month gap in services, and a total loss of a local office in Murray Bridge, Port Lincoln, Port Pirie and Whyalla. Seventeen specialist counsellors and staff will lose their jobs. The victim support services include the highly successful Court Companions service and one-on-one help to seek victim compensation payments or complete victim impact statements, all of which will stop. Training for police cadets, police prosecutors and DPP lawyers will also end. These services will not be provided by the replacement service.

However, yesterday we saw the Attorney-General scrambling to try to patch up the mess that she has made by these deep statewide cuts. Despite claiming that changes to the VSS were because of duplications in services, she offered $250,000 to the Commissioner for Victims' Rights to 'act as a central point of contact for victims'. So this government defunds the Victim Support Service, which has provided extensive support services for 40 years; they reduce funding by two-thirds and then they say, 'Oops, this will mean a huge gap in services. We will throw a few dollars to the victims' rights commissioner to try to patch it over.'

It is an appalling way to run government and it is an appalling way to treat victims of crimes: $250,000 does not even come close to replacing seven regional offices, the Court Companions program or the expert advice provided to victims for over 40 years. Victims in regional areas are particularly hard hit and may now have to travel hundreds of kilometres for face-to-face counselling and advice, and some will miss out altogether. The Court Companions program sees volunteers, who themselves have experienced crime, accompany victims through long and traumatic court hearings. Unfortunately, the commissioner and her staff will not be able to replicate that service.

In regional areas, we have added complexities. A victim is more likely to know the perpetrator. Often many people in the local area know what crime was perpetrated against them, so it is even more important then to have someone with you, helping you, giving you advice and being there. This government should reinstate the full funding to support victims of crime so that victims can access the services they need wherever they live in South Australia.