The Liberal Party in South Australia has promised a twelve million dollar boost to victims’ of crime services if elected.
These services include:
- Increasing the maximum payments under the Victims of Crime Compensation scheme to $100,000.00.
- Increasing the maximum payable for grief to $20,000.00 and funeral expenses to $14,000.00.
- Increasing the amount paid to lawyers working with victims of crime by 40%.
- Granting grief payments to children.
Morry Bailes, President of the Law Society of South Australia, said that the society had lobbied strongly for increased compensation for victims and that “victims of crime have been given the raw end of the deal for far too long.”
Earlier this month John Rau, Attorney-General, said that a re-elected Labour government would double the maximum compensation to victims of crime to $100,000.00, index payments annually and make grief payments available.
Michael O’Connell, Victim’s Rights Commissioner, said whichever party won government in the upcoming election that they must deliver on its promises to victims. Mr O’Connell also said that raising the amount granted to victims of crime could encourage more people to apply.
In South Australia victims of crime payments are funded by a $60.00 levy on each fine imposed and conviction recorded and is managed by the Crown Solicitor’s Office. In the 2011-12 financial year the VOC fund received $48 million and paid out $23 million to victims and is believed to be in surplus.
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