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VICTIMS OF CRIME ASSISTANCE (MISCELLANEOUS AMENDMENTS) BILL 2002

   Victims of Crime Assistance (Miscellaneous
               Amendments) Bill

                        Circulation Print

              EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM


Clause 1   sets out the purpose of the proposed Act, which is to amend the
           Victims of Crime Assistance Act 1996 to--
             ·      remove restrictions on making interim awards and
                    providing that some may be made at registrar level;
             ·      widen the circumstances in which childhood victims of
                    sexual assault may be awarded special financial
                    assistance;
             ·      enable the Tribunal to determine a matter without a
                    hearing in certain circumstances;
             ·      empower the Chief Magistrate to make guidelines in
                    relation to non-procedural matters;
             ·      provide, in certain circumstances, that primary and
                    secondary victims can be treated as suffering an injury
                    on psychological evidence; and
             ·      make possible the assignment to the State by a person of
                    their right to sue for damages or compensation after an
                    award of assistance is made to them.

Clause 2   provides that the proposed Act will commence on a day or days
           to be proclaimed. If a provision of the proposed Act has not
           come into operation before 1 July 2003 it will come into
           operation on that day.

Clause 3   provides that the Principal Act being amended is the Victims of
           Crime Assistance Act 1996.

Clause 4   amends the definition of people suffering a "deemed injury" in
           section 3(2) of the Principal Act to include people who need
           treatment or counselling as demonstrated by psychological
           evidence.


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541335                                      BILL LA CIRCULATION 11/10/2002

 


 

Enabling the Tribunal to receive psychological evidence reflects the current practice of the Tribunal in which nearly all reports are obtained from psychologists as opposed to psychiatrists. Clause 5 implements certain recommendations of the Review of Services to Victims of Crime Report, released by the Department of Justice in February 2000, by amending the procedures in the Principal Act for making interim awards. This clause amends section 24 of the Principal Act to allow the Chief Magistrate to delegate to registrars the power to make an interim award not exceeding a prescribed amount which will be detailed in Regulations. This will enable the Tribunal to deal with urgent interim applications more quickly. Clause 5 repeals section 56(2) and (2A) of the Principal Act. Section 56(2) includes the requirement that the Tribunal not make an interim award unless it is satisfied that the applicant will be, or is likely to be, entitled to receive assistance when the application is finally determined. To date, a number of Magistrates have been reluctant to make interim awards because if an applicant does not receive a final award, section 56(3) of the Principal Act provides that the amount of the interim award becomes a debt due to the State. Section 56(3) provides that if an interim award is made but the application for assistance is subsequently dismissed, the amount of the interim award becomes a debt due to the State by the applicant. The amendments made by this clause will enable the Tribunal to be more accessible and responsive to victims, particularly those with urgent needs. They will also make it easier for Magistrates and other delegated staff of the Tribunal to make interim awards. Clause 6 amends section 33 of the Principal Act. It details the circumstances in which the Tribunal may determine an application, or make a decision in relation to an application, without conducting a hearing. New section 33(1)(b) provides that where the Tribunal considers it appropriate, and has obtained the consent in writing of the applicant, a determination can be made without a hearing. 2

 


 

Clause 7 amends section 45 of the Principal Act to provide that the Chief Magistrate may issue guidelines for the Tribunal as to-- · the matters that may be taken into account in determining whether expenses of a specified kind are reasonable; and · any other matter related to the determination of an application. Guidelines which set out what is reasonable will help to promote consistency of practice within the Tribunal and assist in managing the expectations of victims. They may also be used as a means of disseminating information to applicants and potential applicants. It is not intended that guidelines made under this clause will fetter the discretion of Magistrates who constitute the Tribunal. Clause 8 amends section 51 of the Principal Act. Section 51 allows a person to assign to the State his or her right to recover from any other person, by civil proceedings, damages or compensation in respect of the injury or death to which the award relates. This clause clarifies that the assignment can only be made after the Tribunal has made an award. Clause 9 amends section 77 of the Principal Act. Section 77 currently provides that childhood victims of sexual assault may apply for an award of special financial assistance in circumstances where-- · the act of violence occurred on or after 1 July 1997; or · the act of violence occurred at any time before 1 July 2000 but the offender is committed or directly presented for trial on or after 1 July 1997 (the date on which compensation for pain and suffering was abolished). This section has unintentionally excluded certain childhood victims who were intended to come within the scheme. Clause 9(2) expands the range of circumstances in which childhood victims of sexual assault may make an application for special financial assistance. This clause provides that childhood victims of sexual assault will be able to apply for special financial assistance where the act of violence occurred at any time prior to 1 July 2000 (the date from which applicants were entitled to apply for special financial 3

 


 

assistance) if a person has, on or after 1 July 1997, been charged with a relevant offence and-- · the charges are heard summarily (including the Children's Court); or · the person charged dies without the charge having been determined. Victims of people charged in these circumstances are currently excluded from obtaining compensation. Clause 9(4) provides that an application may be made at any time within two years after the commencement of this provision, the date on which the charge is heard and determined summarily or the date of death of the person charged - whichever is the later. This clause ensures that victims who apply for special financial assistance as a result of these amendments will not be excluded from applying if they have not complied with section 29 of the Principal Act. Section 29 states that an application must be made within two years of the occurrence of the act of violence. Clause 9(6) provides that applicants who have made an application with the Tribunal which has been finally determined prior to the commencement of these amendments, are entitled to make an application to vary the award to include an award of special financial assistance. Clause 9(8) provides an exception to section 52(c) of the Principal Act to enable applicants who come within the criteria in these amendments to make an application for special financial assistance. Section 52(c) provides that the Tribunal must refuse to make an award of assistance if an earlier application for assistance has been made arising from the same act of violence, whether or not the earlier application has been determined. Clause 9(8) provides that where an applicant has made an application to the Tribunal which has not been finally determined, they are entitled to amend the application to include a claim for special financial assistance in accordance with section 8A of the Principal Act. These amendments will ensure that applicants who come within the criteria in these amendments but have made their applications prior to commencement of these amendments will not be excluded from receiving an award of special financial assistance under section 8A of the Principal Act. 4

 


 

Clause 10 makes it clear that, subject to section 77, any amendments made by this Bill apply to proceedings in the Tribunal that occur on or after the commencement of the amending provision. This clause applies irrespective of when the application was made to the Tribunal. 5

 


 

 


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