Sunday 8 March 2015

Labor to reverse Liberals' retrospective cuts to victims of crime compensation

Today I welcome Labor’s plan to will reverse the Liberals’ retrospective cuts to compensation payments for victims of crime – and review the legislation altogether. 

In Government, Labor implemented laws to give victims of violent crime up to $50,000 in compensation. But in 2013, the Liberals introduced new rules to cut the maximum compensation payment to only $15,000.

The new rules were also retrospective, meaning all claims lodged before 2013 were only eligible for a maximum of $15,000 in compensation. 

As a result of these cruel new rules, more than 20,000 victims have had their compensation retrospectively cut – many of whom are survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. 

Labor will remove the retrospective nature of the Liberals’ legislation and review the law altogether – and will handle all claims arising up until the introduction of the 2013 legislation under the pre-2013 scheme. 

The Liberals’ cuts to compensation exposed their true priorities – a fixation on the budget bottom line with no compassion for victims of violent crime.

This retrospective rule has added a financial burden to the immense physical, emotional and psychological burden victims of violent crime already bear. 

I’m proud to part of a team that will right a wrong and reverse the Liberals’ cruel retrospective cuts to victims of violent crime.

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