Victims of Crime Fund

The Hon. C. BONAROS (14:52): Supplementary: the minister does acknowledge though, that regardless of whether it is paid back or deducted from in effect what we are doing is saying that somebody does not have an entitlement to that because they have already had that taken into account.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector, Special Minister of State) (14:52): I thank the honourable member for the supplementary. I think it is a very important distinction, though. I don't want to leave any impression that victims of crime are asked to actually refund money that has already been paid. Any money for further settlement of a civil action is paid on top of the money that has already been paid, but it certainly does, because it is intended as a scheme of last resort, take into account if money has already been paid out of the Victims of Crime Fund.