Victim Support Service

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (14:46): My question is to the Attorney-General. Will the minister inform the council about the recent AGM of Victim Support Service SA?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (14:46): I thank the honourable member for his question. I would be most pleased to inform the council of the recent AGM of Victim Support Service SA, particularly in relation to areas of government policy that have been enacted to support victims in South Australia.

Having been in operation for in excess of 40 years, Victim Support Service South Australia are experts in assisting victim survivors in navigating South Australia's justice system and providing support to survivors of institutional childhood abuse by offering trauma-informed therapeutic and practical services.

Amongst much of the work that the service has undertaken this past year, highlights have included the newly implemented student placement program; establishing a Victim Support Service consultative committee within the existing Volunteers program; a thriving Court Companions program; a newly founded Safer Spaces program, providing a confidential telephone support service to victims; and diversification across the service, achieved largely through the introduction of a self-sustaining model, including fee-for-service corporate training.

It was a privilege to hear at the AGM how the Victim Support Service and, in turn, South Australia's victims of crime, have benefited from recent support that the government has been able to provide to the Victim Support Service through not only reinstating the critical funding of $150,000 per year that was cut under the former Liberal government but on top of that providing additional funding for the Victim Support Service's Court Companions program.

The Court Companions program offers trained volunteers to accompany victims of crime during their time in court, which can otherwise be an extraordinarily stressful and often overwhelming time for victims. This essential program to help victims of crime navigate the criminal justice system received a $70,000 boost in funding by the Labor government to help bolster the service's volunteer workforce by up to 10 new volunteers, ensuring greater capacity to provide support to victims during the court trial and processes.

I would like to thank and acknowledge the General Manager of Victim Support Service SA, Ms Sarah Scammell; Victim Support Service Chair, Ms Cecilia White; and all of the staff and dozens of volunteers who work tirelessly to ensure that victims of crime in South Australia feel supported when navigating the criminal justice system.