Page 4186 - Week 15 - Thursday, 17 December 1992
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ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY QUESTION
QUESTION NUMBER 439
Criminal Injuries Compensation
MR HUMPHRIES - Asked the Attorney General upon notice on 25 November 1992:
(I) Why was expenditure, based on the 1992-93 Budget, on awards for
damages and dams under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Act
$0.55m greater than provided for in the 1991-92 Budget (Program 11,
Legal Services to Government).
(2) Does it reflect a higher incidence, or a higher than expected incidence
of crime in the ACT; if not, what does it reflect
MR CONNOLLY - The answer to the members question is as follows:
(1) & (2) Neither the Budget for 1991-92 nor that for 1992-93 included any
specific provision for payment of awards under the Criminal Injuries
Compensation Act. These are paid out of the Legal Expenses Item
within Program 11. Other items covered under this category include
civil damages and settlements, weapons compensation and legal
expenses. The accurate forecasting of expenditure for items included
under this heading is very difficult because actual expenditure may
vary significantly from year to year and is affected by contingencies
over which the Government has no control. The Legal Expenses
Item budget forecast is a figure agreed with Treasury as a suitable
base for inclusion in the Budget, but in recognition of the fact that
expenditure undue the Item is non-discretionary, expenditure over
this amount is met on an emerging basis.
Actual awards made under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Act in 1991-92 amounted to $1,205,444. for 103 matters. A total of $704,770. was paid in 1990-91 for 74 matters. More details shout the operation of the scheme is available from the Annual Report on the Criminal Injuries Compensation Act tabled on 18 November 1992. I believe the amount of money paid under the Act each year is of limited worth as a measurement of crime rates as adjusts would need to be made for the recent increase in the maximum award from $20,000 to $50,000, the changing money values over time and the varying dates on which the original offence occurred.
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