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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-11-16 Daily Xml
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Jenkins, Mrs A.

The Hon. F. PANGALLO (14:57): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Attorney-General a question about support to the family of Adelaide grandmother Annapuranee 'Anna' Jenkins, abducted and likely murdered in Penang, Malaysia, in December 2017.

Leave granted.

The Hon. F. PANGALLO: In May, I asked the Attorney questions on this most tragic case, namely, whether the South Australian Coroner would be open to holding his own inquiry here, given the grossly incompetent inquest in Malaysia, and whether extraterritorial victims of crime funding was available to Anna's traumatised family as they continue their pursuit for justice. I am still awaiting responses, which in itself is disappointing.

Six months on, the Jenkins family's fight for justice continues and after spending at least $500,000 of their own money fighting Malaysian authorities, their finances are seriously drained. One of the family's current legal fights is to have a full review into the Malaysian coronial inquest and its 'undetermined' verdict of their mother's death and for the court to rule she was murdered. It is now before the High Court of Malaysia; however, time is running out. As part of their appeal, the family wants the crucial findings of a South Australian forensic centre examination of some of Anna's bone fragments—which states that she died of blunt force trauma—included.

The appeal will cost the family about $18,000, which the family is struggling to find, and is exacerbated by the lack of financial support from the federal and state governments, despite them being victims of crime. My question to the Attorney-General is: apart from potential victims of crime compensation, would the government consider an ex gratia payment to the family as an act of goodwill to help the family continue its fight for justice and, if not, what other options are available to the government to provide some financial assistance to the Jenkins family, and when can I expect answers to the two outstanding questions asked in May?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (15:00): I thank the honourable member for his question. I will check to see if I did take questions on notice earlier this year. I will check to see where the answers are up to. I am not sure how I answered the questions earlier this year, but if I said that I would pass the concerns on to the Coroner, I will also see if there is any news from the Coroner in relation to the consideration of an inquest being held.

In relation to the question about any possibility of financial support, I don't have the dates in front of me but I met with Anna Jenkins's two children, Greg and Jennifer, earlier this year. Of course, it is a terrible loss that they have suffered and the thoughts and sympathies of everyone are extended to them. I know the honourable member has travelled overseas in support of Greg and Jennifer's plight to bring what has happened to their mother to light.

From memory, the last correspondence I had earlier this year with the family invited them to make an application for an ex gratia payment under the Victims of Crime Fund. I will check if there has been a response to that for the honourable member.

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