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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 12 Hansard (21 November) . . Page.. 4246 ..
THE PURPOSE OF THE LEVY IS TO RECOVER FROM THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE CONVICTED OF CRIMINAL OFFENCES A PART OF THE COST TO THE TERRITORY OF COMPENSATING VICTIMS OF CRIME.
AS MEMBERS WILL BE AWARE, THE TOTAL AMOUNT AWARDED IN CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION HAS INCREASED ENORMOUSLY IN RECENT YEARS. THE TOTAL AMOUNT AWARDED IN 1995-1996 WAS $4.5 MILLION, AN INCREASE OF $1 MILLION ON THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
THE BILL PROVIDES FOR A LEVY OF $30 ON EACH PERSON CONVICTED OF A CRIMINAL OFFENCE. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THE LEVY WILL RETURN AROUND $332,000 IN A FULL YEAR.
BY COMPARISON WITH THE OVERALL COSTS OF THE SCHEME, THIS IS A RELATIVELY SMALL AMOUNT. NEVERTHELESS, THE GOVERNMENT BELIEVES IT IS AN IMPORTANT MATTER OF PRINCIPLE THAT PEOPLE WHO ENGAGE IN CRIMINAL ACTIVITY SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS THE COST OF THE CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION SCHEME.
THE LEVY WILL APPLY TO ALL CONVICTIONS IN THE MAGISTRATES COURT, SUPREME COURT AND CHILDREN'S COURT, INCLUDING WHERE A COURT FINDS THAT A CHARGE IS PROVED BUT DEALS WITH THE OFFENDER WITHOUT PROCEEDING TO CONVICTION. IT WILL ALSO APPLY TO OFFENCES FOR WHICH A PERSON ADMITS
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