Victims of Crime Assistance Act 2009

The purpose of this Act is to provide a scheme to give financial assistance to certain victims of acts of violence.

The objectives of the scheme are—

to help victims of acts of violence to recover from the acts by giving them financial assistance; and

for primary victims, to give the victims amounts representing a symbolic expression by the State of the community’s recognition of the injuries suffered by them; and

for related victims who have suffered distress, to give the victims amounts representing a symbolic expression by the State of the community’s recognition of the distress suffered by them; and

to add to other services provided by or for government to victims of acts of violence.

However, grants of financial assistance (including special assistance and assistance as mentioned in section 49(f)) to victims of acts of violence under the scheme are not intended to reflect the level of compensation to which victims of acts of violence may be entitled at common law or otherwise.