Page 3132 - Week 08 - Thursday, 16 August 2018
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The budget responds to a growing city and more complex criminal trials by providing the DPP with $7.3 million over four years for more staff and resources. The staffing increase will be incremental, with an additional six full-time equivalents in 2018-19, growing to a total of 12 additional FTE by 2021-22. This resourcing will enhance quality prosecution services for the Canberra community and will support a timely, transparent, and accessible justice system.
The DPP received $970,000 over 18 months in the 2017-18 second appropriation to address organised crime, with additional prosecutors specialising in seizing criminal assets, depriving criminal organisations of the financial proceeds of their crime. The government recognises that it is essential that the DPP and ACT Policing have the necessary tools to effectively deal with serious organised crime. We will continue to provide effective ways to deal with this situation.
The budget includes one-off funding of $6.1 million in 2018-19 for the retrial of Mr David Eastman for the alleged murder of Mr Colin Winchester. With the delay of the retrial to June 2018, most of this funding is rolled over from 2017-18. It includes $2.1 million for judicial resources and database management costs, subsequent proceedings, jury costs and other related expenses in relation to the Eastman matter; $2.2 million for the DPP; $695,000 for ACT Policing; and $1.025 million for ongoing Legal Aid representation for Mr Eastman in his retrial.
This budget also responds to significant issues in our community, including supporting victims of crime. Survivors of child sexual abuse will be supported with $14.2 million over four years to implement the national redress scheme and to deliver redress payments, counselling and psychological care, and direct personal responses to survivors. The funding also includes extra resources to ensure that ACT government agencies fulfil all obligations under the scheme. The ACT government is working closely with the commonwealth and with other jurisdictions to implement a redress scheme that meets the needs of all survivors. This funding builds on the $293,000 in the 2017-18 second appropriation for the implementation of the national redress scheme. The scheme commenced on 1 July this year. The 2017-18 second appropriation also includes $547,000 over 18 months to implement criminal law reform recommendations arising from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. The government is committed to criminal justice system reform to support survivors of institutional child sexual abuse.
There will be $187,000 made available in 2018-19 from the confiscated assets trust to develop Canberra as a restorative city. This initiative aims to develop awareness and the application of restorative approaches to social and community challenges across the ACT through events and workshops.
There will be $1.7 million over four years to expand CBR NightCrew and allow it to continue to assist people affected by alcohol and/or drugs in the Civic nightlife precinct. This is partially offset by $954,000 over four years jointly funded by JACS, Access Canberra, ACT Health, ACT Policing and the City Renewal Authority. Canberra NightCrew’s successful trial and pilot has assisted over 9,000 people since commencing in December 2016. Over 1,900 of its cases involved higher levels of
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