Dr LIM - 1997-04-22
I draw his attention to the section on support for victims of crime in the recently-released opposition policy on law and order. Having sat in this Chamber for some time now, I am under the impression that the government has done already what Labor says that it would do. What has the government done for victims of crime?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, it has been said that emulation is the sincerest form of flattery. I thank the opposition for flattering the government on the initiatives that it has taken over many years, as enunciated in what the opposition calls its law and order policy but which I would refer to as a piece of plagiarism. I could spend some time on this document but I shall comment only on the matter of support for the victims of crime.
There are 6 points in this section. The first is a charter of victims' rights. Our charter of victims' rights has been in operation since 1994. In fact, it has a photograph of one of my predecessors on the front. I table this as one example of where the opposition, in its law and order policy, has simply pinched current government policy.
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The second heading in the section relates to support for victim impact statements. Every member of this Assembly would be aware that legislation on that issue came into force on 1 March this year. The opposition wholeheartedly supported that legislation, and claimed that it was part of Labor's election policy at the time of the previous election, forgetting to state that it was also government policy at that time.
The third heading in Labor's policy relates to funding of non-government organisations to support victims. Today, I will be handing a cheque for $30 000 to the Victims of Crime Assistance League, an organisation co-founded by a former opposition shadow minister and a current CLP ministerial staff member. Both of these people have family members who have been tragic victims of crime. This is a very worthy organisation - one that I imagine would cease to be funded if Labor policy prevailed. We have also increased funding for the Top End Women's Legal Service, the Central Australian Women's Legal Service and the Darwin Community Legal Service, among others.
The fourth heading in Labor's policy relates to the support and expansion of community justice panels. At various times in the past few years, a community justice panel has operated in Katherine and that experience is considered in determining the effectiveness of current government policy in that area.
The fifth heading relates to the expansion of the concept of diversionary conferencing. Schemes of this nature have been trialled already in Alice Springs and at Yuendumu, and a final report is being prepared for the government.
The sixth heading of this piece of policy plagiarism relates to the simplification of the process of compensation. Since 1992-93, the CLP government has paid out more than $8.5m in crimes compensation. I think that figure alone says enough about what has been done already in that area, and how simple and streamlined the process is.
With regard to victim impact statements, I shall give the opposition the benefit of this document, A Guide for Victim Impact Statements, which is currently being distributed. Labor may wish to incorporate that in its policy as well. I thank the opposition for its flattery in imitating present government policy.
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, it has been said that emulation is the sincerest form of flattery. I thank the opposition for flattering the government on the initiatives that it has taken over many years, as enunciated in what the opposition calls its law and order policy but which I would refer to as a piece of plagiarism. I could spend some time on this document but I shall comment only on the matter of support for the victims of crime.
There are 6 points in this section. The first is a charter of victims' rights. Our charter of victims' rights has been in operation since 1994. In fact, it has a photograph of one of my predecessors on the front. I table this as one example of where the opposition, in its law and order policy, has simply pinched current government policy.
Page 2018
The second heading in the section relates to support for victim impact statements. Every member of this Assembly would be aware that legislation on that issue came into force on 1 March this year. The opposition wholeheartedly supported that legislation, and claimed that it was part of Labor's election policy at the time of the previous election, forgetting to state that it was also government policy at that time.
The third heading in Labor's policy relates to funding of non-government organisations to support victims. Today, I will be handing a cheque for $30 000 to the Victims of Crime Assistance League, an organisation co-founded by a former opposition shadow minister and a current CLP ministerial staff member. Both of these people have family members who have been tragic victims of crime. This is a very worthy organisation - one that I imagine would cease to be funded if Labor policy prevailed. We have also increased funding for the Top End Women's Legal Service, the Central Australian Women's Legal Service and the Darwin Community Legal Service, among others.
The fourth heading in Labor's policy relates to the support and expansion of community justice panels. At various times in the past few years, a community justice panel has operated in Katherine and that experience is considered in determining the effectiveness of current government policy in that area.
The fifth heading relates to the expansion of the concept of diversionary conferencing. Schemes of this nature have been trialled already in Alice Springs and at Yuendumu, and a final report is being prepared for the government.
The sixth heading of this piece of policy plagiarism relates to the simplification of the process of compensation. Since 1992-93, the CLP government has paid out more than $8.5m in crimes compensation. I think that figure alone says enough about what has been done already in that area, and how simple and streamlined the process is.
With regard to victim impact statements, I shall give the opposition the benefit of this document, A Guide for Victim Impact Statements, which is currently being distributed. Labor may wish to incorporate that in its policy as well. I thank the opposition for its flattery in imitating present government policy.
Page 2019
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016