Jenkins, Mrs A.

The Hon. F. PANGALLO (14:52): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Attorney-General a question about victims of crime compensation.

Leave granted.

The Hon. F. PANGALLO: The tenacious family of murdered Adelaide grandmother Anna Jenkins had a significant win in the Penang High Court this week, giving them hope that justice might one day be served on those responsible for her tragic death in Penang in 2017. Anna's son Greg has told me that while Judge Rofiah Mohamad upheld the open verdicts finding by the original Coroner's Court she also ruled that there was no proper police investigation into his mother's death. She further ruled the coroner responsible for conducting an inquest into Anna's death had 'a premeditated decision that lacked any basis of evidence'.

Critically for Anna's family, who has single-handedly been fighting for justice since she disappeared without a trace due to a total lack of support from an apathetic federal and state government, the High Court judge stated she could not rule out a homicide. She also said the deputy public prosecutor has the discretion under the Criminal Procedure Code to issue further instructions on how the investigation should proceed, particularly in the area where some of Anna's remains were found, ironically by Mr Jenkins due to the appalling Keystone Cops-esque police investigation into the disappearance, and to determine where the origin of the crime scene existed.

Anna's family has written to the deputy public prosecutor requesting those instructions be given in the hope that a fresh search will provide them with answers they have been seeking for more than seven years: who killed Anna and why? Since that time, Greg and his sister, Jen, have initiated their own investigation, with Greg travelling to the country more than 30 times, spending more than $900,000 of their own money, with another $250,000 in outstanding legal bills to be paid. My questions to the Attorney are:

1. Why will this government not give any financial assistance to the Jenkins family given Anna was a South Australian citizen murdered in a neighbouring country?

2. Why has your office sat on a victims of crime compensation claim lodged by Greg and Jen since January last year when we know of other families that have received compensation for loved ones murdered overseas?

3. Given this week's stinging criticism in the Penang High Court of the initial police investigation into Anna's death, will you now request the South Australian Coroner conduct his own inquiry into Anna's death, which he is able to do under existing legislation?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector, Special Minister of State) (14:55): I thank the honourable member for his question and his advocacy in this area, and I know that this is a matter that is very close to the honourable member. The Hon. Frank Pangallo, I think, has in fact travelled overseas in support of the Jenkins' pursuit of justice in this matter. I have had the privilege of meeting Greg and Jen Jenkins in relation to this matter and their fight for justice for Anna Jenkins.

I just want to correct something the honourable member asked in his question. He said that a Victims of Crime Fund application has been sitting with my office. That is not the case. An application is made to the Crown. The Crown assesses it and then in due course recommendations are made to my office. I will double-check, but I am pretty sure my office has not received that as of yet. I understand that an application has been made. It does not fall strictly within the bounds of a regular victims of crime application and, as I remember, it would require an ex gratia payment to be made. As I said, I do not believe that has come to my office yet, but I am happy to follow that up. It is certainly an important matter, and it is very, very hard not to have a great deal of sympathy for the Jenkins family.