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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 13 Hansard (9 December) . . Page.. 4265 ..

MR HUMPHRIES: If you would not mind letting me say what I am going to say, Mr Quinlan, you will learn something perhaps. People are being left on the wayside as the Government steams ahead to make these reforms to the system. We have got this terrible system being put in place which deprives so many people of their access to just deserts with respect to criminal injuries compensation in the ACT. Mr Speaker, there are something like 34,000 people each year in the ACT who are victims of crime in various ways. Of those 34,000, something like 600 or 700 make criminal injuries compensation claims. It follows, Mr Speaker, that a system which is geared at the moment - - -

Ms Tucker: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: We are debating an amendment now about adding another group to a list which exists. We would like to hear an argument from Mr Humphries about why that list is appropriate; why it is not appropriate to add what I put there. We do not need an explanation of the whole system.

MR SPEAKER: I have listened very carefully to a number of people who have been all over the world on this issue and I am sure Mr Humphries is coming to the point that you are looking for. He is explaining it to begin with. In fact, I could go so far as to say we have listened, with tedious repetition on occasions, to some members.

MR HUMPHRIES: Indeed, Mr Speaker. The point I am making is that people say, "We need to define access to redress victims of crime in terms of cash payments". Ms Tucker wants to enlarge the number of people who are entitled to these cash payments.

Ms Tucker: Why do you need sexual assault there then?

MR HUMPHRIES: It is an absorption, it is complete obsession - - -

Ms Tucker: Why do you need sexual assault there then?

MR HUMPHRIES: It is complete obsession then - - -

Ms Tucker: Why do you want sexual assault there?

MR HUMPHRIES: Let me finish, Ms Tucker.

Ms Tucker: Do not support his amendment.

MR HUMPHRIES: It is a complete obsession with this idea that cash payments solve all the problems. If you get cash, you are fine. If you get cash, you are okay. Mr Stanhope talked about the 99 per cent who are left out. At the moment, under the present system, 98 per cent of victims in the ACT get no access to the criminal injuries compensation system, because it is a cash based system which is not about rehabilitation; not about counselling and services designed to restore the victim to the position in the community they were at before the crime was committed. It is about getting access to cash payments.

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