Mental Health Act 2016

The principles mentioned in subsection (2) apply to the administration of this Act in relation to each of the following (each a victim)—

a victim of an unlawful act;

a close relative of a victim of an unlawful act;

another individual who has suffered harm because of an unlawful act committed against a person mentioned in paragraph (a).

The principles are the following—

the physical, psychological and emotional harm caused to the victim by the unlawful act must be recognised with compassion;

the benefits of counselling, advice on the nature of proceedings under this Act and other support services to the recovery of the victim from the harm caused by the unlawful act must be recognised;

the benefits to the victim of being advised in a timely way of proceedings under this Act against a person in relation to the unlawful act must be recognised;

the benefits to the victim of the timely completion of proceedings against a person in relation to the unlawful act must be recognised;

the benefits to the victim of being advised in a timely way of a decision to allow a person to be treated in the community must be recognised;

the benefits to the victim of being given the opportunity to express the victim’s views on the impact of the unlawful act to decision-making entities under this Act must be recognised.