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This is a Bill, not an Act. For current law, see the Acts databases.


VICTIMS OF CRIME (FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE) AMENDMENT BILL 2024

2024

THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

FOR THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

(As presented)

(Minister for Human Rights)

Victims of Crime (Financial Assistance) Amendment Bill 2024



Contents

Page























2024

THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

FOR THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

(As presented)

(Minister for Human Rights)

Victims of Crime (Financial Assistance) Amendment Bill 2024

A Bill for

An Act to amend the Victims of Crime (Financial Assistance) Act 2016









The Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory enacts as follows:

1 Name of Act

This Act is the Victims of Crime (Financial Assistance) Amendment Act 2024

.

2 Commencement

(1) This Act (other than the provisions mentioned in subsection (2)) commences on the day after its notification day.

Note The naming and commencement provisions automatically commence on the notification day (see Legislation Act

, s 75 (1)).

(2) The following provisions commence on 1 July 2025:

• sections 4 and 5

• sections 8 to 10

• section 12

• section 15

• section 17.

3 Legislation amended

This Act amends the Victims of Crime (Financial Assistance) Act 2016

.

4 Meaning of act of violence

Section 7 (1), new note

insert

Note For criminal injuries before the commencement of this Act, see s 98 (Applications for financial assistance in relation to criminal injuries before commencement of this Act).

5 Meaning of circumstance of aggravation for an offence

Section 8

omit

6 Meaning of class B related victim

Section 14, definition of class B related victim, paragraph (b), except note

substitute

(b) is 1 of the following:

(i) a close family member of the primary victim;

(ii) an intimate partner of the primary victim.

7 Meaning of class C related victim

Section 15 (2), definition of family member

substitute

family member, of a primary victim, means a person who is—

(a) a brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, half-brother or half-sister of the primary victim; or

(b) if the primary victim was an Aboriginal or a Torres Strait Islander person—regarded, in accordance with the traditions and customs of the primary victim’s Aboriginal community or Torres Strait Islander community, as a person mentioned in paragraph (a).

8 Recognition payment for primary victim

Section 28 (2) (b)

substitute

(b) the amount of the recognition payment in relation to the offence.

9 Deciding matters relevant to application for financial assistance generally

Section 43, example 2

omit

10 Deciding whether applications involve related acts of violence

Section 44 (7)

omit

11 Circumstances in which financial assistance must not be given

Section 45 (3) (b)

substitute

(b) tell the applicant, by written notice, the commissioner’s decision if—

(i) the commissioner decided that no disqualifying circumstances apply in relation to the applicant; or

(ii) the applicant gave reasons and the commissioner decided that a disqualifying circumstance applies in relation to the applicant.

12 Deciding amount of financial assistance

Section 46 (2) (c) (ii)

omit

13 Secrecy

Section 89 (4), new note

insert

Note See also s 95A (Application material not admissible in certain court proceedings).

14 New section 95A

in part 10, insert

95A Application material not admissible in certain court proceedings

(1) Application material, or information about its contents, is not admissible in evidence in a court proceeding.

(2) No-one may be compelled, in or in relation to a court proceeding—

(a) to produce a document that is application material; or

(b) to disclose application material or information about its contents.

(3) However, this section does not apply to a court proceeding—

(a) under or in relation to this Act; or

(b) for an offence that involves dishonesty in which the application material is a fact in issue; or

(c) related to a proceeding mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b).

(4) In this section:

application material means—

(a) an application—

(i) for financial assistance; or

(ii) under section 49 to vary an amount of financial assistance; or

(iii) under section 52 for a funeral expense payment; or

(b) a document accompanying the application; or

(c) any other document given to an official about the application (whether or not given by the applicant); or

(d) an oral communication made to an official about the application (whether or not made by the applicant); or

(e) a document prepared by an official in relation to the application.

official—see section 85.

15 New section 98

insert

98 Applications for financial assistance in relation to criminal injuries before commencement of this Act

(1) This section applies if, immediately before 1 July 2016, a person was entitled to make an application in relation to a criminal injury under the Victims of Crime (Financial Assistance) Act 1983

(repealed), section 27 (Application for financial assistance).

Note The Victims of Crime (Financial Assistance) Act 1983

was repealed, and this Act commenced, on 1 July 2016.

(2) The person may apply for financial assistance under this Act as if the conduct that resulted in the criminal injury had occurred on or after 1 July 2016.

Note Time limits apply for making an application for financial assistance (see s 32).

(3) However, subsection (2) does not apply if the person has received financial assistance in relation to the criminal injury under—

(a) the Victims of Crime (Financial Assistance) Act 1983

(repealed); or

(b) this Act, in accordance with expired section 203.

(4) Any right of the person to make an application, on or after the commencement day, for financial assistance in accordance with expired section 203 is extinguished.

Note Expired section 203 was a transitional provision that allowed applications that could have been made under the Victims of Crime (Financial Assistance) Act 1983

to be made under this Act despite the former Act’s repeal.

(5) Subsection (4) does not affect the person’s right to receive financial assistance under expired section 203 for an application made under that section, but not decided by the commissioner, before the commencement day.

(6) In this section:

commencement day means the day the Victims of Crime (Financial Assistance) Amendment Act 2024, section 15 commences.

expired section 203 means section 203, as in force immediately before 1 July 2021.

16 General offences

Schedule 1, division 1.2.1, new item 2A

insert

2A
Crimes Act

an offence against pt 3A

intimate image abuse

17 Dictionary, definitions of circumstance of aggravation and very serious injury

omit

Endnotes

1 Presentation speech

Presentation speech made in the Legislative Assembly on 11 April 2024.

2 Notification

Notified under the Legislation Act

on 2024.

3 Republications of amended laws

For the latest republication of amended laws, see www.legislation.act.gov.au

.











































© Australian Capital Territory 2024

 


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