Tuesday, 5 March 2024

Ministers statements: victims legal service

Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Corrections, Minister for Youth Justice, Minister for Victim Support) (12:35): I rise today to update the house on our victims legal service. Last March the government launched Victoria’s first dedicated victims legal service, a free legal service to people who have suffered injury or a loss as the result of crime. The service assists victims to make applications to the Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal and assists victims in restitution and compensation order matters. The legal support is not only victim centred and trauma informed but also culturally safe.

As the one-year anniversary of this victims legal service approaches, we are on track to achieve its service delivery target for the first year. Since its commencement in March 2023 and up until the end of January 2024 the service assisted in over 2000 inquiries. This month does not just mark the first anniversary of the victims legal service; I am pleased to inform the house that we are also expanding the service. From the first of this month the victims legal service, in partnership with the Commonwealth government, has increased its service offering to victims. In partnership with the Commonwealth government, a three-year pilot program will help victims of sexual offences protect their confidential health and counselling records. It will also provide legal support to help Aboriginal women report sexual violence to police. The success of the victims legal service in its first year of operation provides a strong platform for this expansion. Victoria was one of three locations identified and selected to partner with the Commonwealth in this important pilot program. That is in no small part due to Victoria’s sector-leading victim support initiatives and the Victorian government’s longstanding commitment to supporting victims. The Allan Labor government will continue to lead the way in building a victim-centred, trauma-informed and culturally safe support system across our state.