Page 1327 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 16 April 1991
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unable to pay that compensation. That is, of course, where the state has to step in and look after the interests of the victim, and it is only just and appropriate that that indeed happen.
Ms Maher indicated that this is just one of a number of initiatives that this Government is taking in relation to the question of victims. As I have said before, I have been heartened by Mr Connolly's interest in this matter and by the Attorney-General's committee which is looking at the whole question of the rights of victims. Certainly I would like to see victim impact statements introduced in the life of this Assembly as a further step towards looking after the legitimate rights of victims.
Victims, of course, have been the forgotten people in the criminal justice system over a number of years. That situation now is being remedied. Compensation, of course, is not the be-all and end-all. Money cannot bring back the situation before an offence was committed against a victim. For someone who loses a loved one, especially, and who quite often would be awarded the maximum amount of compensation, no amount of money is ever going to bring back that loved one.
In respect of damage to property or very serious injury to victims, people are often never the same after they lose perhaps some very valued and sentimental possessions or are seriously injured by a violent crime. No amount of money can really compensate for those things, but, certainly from my experience - both as a prosecutor in dealing with victims who were witnesses in court cases I did and also as a private defence solicitor who would take out applications for criminal injuries compensation - it does show that the system cares, and that they will get something back as a result of the wrong perpetrated on them by an offender. It is of some comfort to victims. Other steps are needed. This Government is looking at that, and I am glad we have bipartisan support on such questions as the rights of victims. Hopefully the Attorney-General's committee will make a number of other recommendations to make the lot of the victim easier in the criminal justice system.
At this point in time, I would like to again commend Mr Connolly and commend to the Assembly, and indeed the Government, the victims levy which the South Australians have had for a number of years. As Mr Connolly indicated, that State's levy is $5 on any fine. This is a specific victims levy. It is, firstly, certainly a very good way of bringing home to anyone who is involved in the court system, especially as an offender, that there are victims, and indeed part of their fine goes to a general fund to assist those victims; and, secondly, such a levy would well and truly more than pay, I think, for the amount of money which will be paid out to victims of crime, and therefore it is basically self-funding.
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