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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2008-09-23 Daily Xml
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VICTIMS OF CRIME

Mr KENYON (Newland) (14:33): My question is to the Premier. How has assistance to victims of crime progressed under the Labor government?

The Hon. M.D. RANN (Ramsay—Premier, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change) (14:34): This morning I opened the National Victims of Crime Conference—in fact, it was very much an international victims of crime conference—being held at the University of South Australia today and tomorrow. I told the conference of our achievements in promoting victims' rights and reforming the law to make certain that the focus is kept on tilting the balance in the criminal justice system in favour of victims, not criminals. That is why the government has intervened in cases where there was legitimate public concern that injustice had occurred.

That is why, in the public interest, the government has refused to release notorious killers whose release has been recommended, sometimes repeatedly, by the Parole Board. No previous government has ever knocked back recommendations for release by the Parole Board. Some of those prisoners—some of those murderers, because they are all murderers—have been in gaol as a result for years longer than they would have been under previous arrangements. The state government continues to introduce new laws to this parliament that aim to strengthen victims' rights.

Over the next two days, conference delegates will hear presentations from keynote speakers, including Professor of Psychiatry Judith Herman of Harvard Medical School, Professor Irvin Waller and Professor of Criminology Jo-Anne Wemmers, to share their experience on improving the lot for victims of crime.

Some, including those opposite, have criticised this government for taking a tough stand on law and order. I say—and I make this very clear today—that this government will continue to increase penalties for cowardly crimes by violent offenders, child sex offenders and serious repeat offenders. Victims' rights are an important cornerstone of the government's ongoing improvement of the justice system. I think our critics may sometimes forget the victims in the criminal justice system. Victims are not bystanders to crime, so they should not be bystanders to the criminal justice system. So, regardless of the knockers, this government has made real progress in providing support to the victims of crime. Importantly, we guided into operation enshrining victims' rights in law and reforming the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme. We also established a Victims of Crime Advisory Committee under the act which reports to the Attorney-General and which is currently chaired by former police commissioner Mr David Hunt.

The government has acted with new laws that give victims the right to be consulted about some decisions by prosecuting authorities and the right to request the consideration of an appeal. Other reforms address the right to have victims' perceived need for protection taken into account in bail proceedings and their right to information about offenders who are not prisoners but who are subject to other orders, such as detention at a mental health facility.

Much of the work we do as a government impacts on victims of crime—increasing prison beds, improving criminal laws, tightening loopholes—and in this work specific recognition of victims of crime and their needs has not slipped from our agenda. The government has also continued to fund support for victims. Since taking office in 2002, increased funding has been allocated each year to Victim Support Services. This includes support to that service in opening new offices and new services in Whyalla and Murray Bridge. There is now a total of seven regional Victim Support Services. Specific funding is also provided to a homicide worker through Victim Support Services for improved services to the families of murder victims.

One of the major reforms to ensure victims are supported and heard is through the creation of the independent office of the Commissioner for Victims' Rights. Enshrined in legislation last year, this is the first such office in Australia and I understand only the second in the world. In July, Mr Michael O'Connell, who has been the interim commissioner, was appointed to the position for a term of five years. This Attorney-General has also assisted dozens upon dozens more victims of crime through ex gratia payments than have any of his predecessors. That means more direct assistance from the government to suffering victims.

In June 2007, the government provided funding to the Homicide Victims' Support Group, a peer support group to assist the co-victims of homicide, a group ignored by the previous Liberal government. Payments to victims through grief payments had not been changed for nearly two decades, and this government acted to more than double some to $10,000.

In this parliament we have continued to introduce legislation specifically supporting victims of crime. Unfortunately, some important reforms were scuttled in the last session in the other place by the opposition and some Independent members, but I am confident that reforms will not fall by the wayside. This government has also pursued sweeping reforms relating to rape, sexual assault and evidence laws, as well as domestic violence laws expected later in the year. The changes will make it crystal clear that this behaviour is totally unacceptable and that there will be serious consequences for offenders.

The new laws, which will commence soon, will assist the women and children who are victims and vulnerable witnesses of such callous crimes. An education campaign and procedural changes will offer the right support and information to address the way alleged sexual assault victims are treated during the court process. Our state's record for victim assistance is strong, and we have opportunities before us to promote our achievements to other states and jurisdictions to encourage them to follow suit.

In March, the Standing Committee of Attorneys-General determined to establish a working group to focus on a national victims agenda. This followed our Attorney-General seeking inclusion of victims' matters into the SCAG agenda. That group met in Adelaide this week and, through this, South Australia has been able to demonstrate its support and encouragement for the project.

I was pleased to be invited to open the national conference today. Holding a conference like this in South Australia continues to keep victims in focus and ensures we can be at the centre of national reforms in this area.

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