Combined Community Legal Centres' Group (CCLCG) (NSW) wrote to the Attorney General of NSW. CCLCG previously had written raising concerns about the streamlining of the process for victims' compensation in NSW. In the 2007/08 Annual Report of the Chairperson of the Victims compensation Tribunal recommendations were made to amend the Victims Support and Rehabilitation Act 1996 ("the Act").
These recommendations were:
- To amend s 26(2) to exclude family victims.
- Delete s 29(1B).
- Sections 15 and 16 should be amended to add a subsection similar to s 14(2) providing that claims do not survive the death of secondary or family victims.
- The Victims Assistance Scheme should be easier to apply for and category of expenses expanded.
- The time limit for lodging claims for sexual assaults should be limited.
- Subsection 5(3) should be amended to provide that an act is related to another act if the acts were committed against the same person by the same perpetrator or perpetrators.
- That the range of compensation for chronic psychological or psychiatric disorders be broadened from $20,000.00 to $50,000.00.
- Applicants must nominate at the earliest opportunity whether they wish to proceed with an offence-based compensable injury (see s 11) and once this election is made, it cannot be altered.
- Section 35 should be amended to mandate that professional costs be only awarded in successful claims.
CCLCG expressed concerns about these recommendations to the Attorney General.
Download the full document: