A $4.2 million investment underpins legislation to streamline and expedite processes for victims of crime to claim financial assistance.
The Victims of Crime Assistance Legislation Bill 2023 will be debated in Parliament tomorrow.
Proposed amendments to the Act, which prioritise victims and their families, include:
removal of the two-year time limit for victims to apply for financial assistance;administrative changes in the Crimes Victims Services Unit to expedite processing; andallowing applications for funeral expenses following the death of a person by a violent act from the person who incurs the funeral costs; and increasing the amount of financial assistance available.
The changes form part of a broader justice response to improving outcomes for victims of crime and holding offenders to account.
Amendments to the legislation will be supported by an investment package over two years which includes:
$2 million for Victims of Crime NT to run a specialist support service for victims of crime;$1 million to CatholicCare NT to expand counselling services for victims; and$1.2 million to the Crime Victims Services Unit to accelerate applications for financial assistance.
Funds will assist with the delivery of a new specialist support program for victims and extend counselling services to improve coordination of services and engagement.
Quotes attributable to Attorney General and Minister for Justice Chansey Paech:
"The Territory Labor Government is focused on delivering better outcomes for Territorians who are victims of crime.
"A specialist support program and extended counselling services will complement existing services and that's why we have invested in Victims of Crime NT and CatholicCare NT, which already provide a range of support services to victims across the Territory.
"Boosting funding to the NT Government's Crime Victims Services Unit will enable applications for financial assistance to be processed expeditiously."
Quotes attributable to Victims of Crime NT CEO Melinda Fleming:
"Victims of Crime NT welcomes this funding which will strengthen and improve the range of services we provide so victims of crime can heal and recover."
