Thursday, 15 August 2024

Ministers statements: victims of crime commissioner

Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Corrections, Minister for Youth Justice, Minister for Victim Support) (12:19): I rise to update the chamber on the recent appointment of the new victims of crime commissioner Ms Elizabeth Langdon. Experiencing crime can have a devastating impact on a person’s life, and too many victims of crime tell us that they feel silenced by the justice system. That is why the commissioner is so important, to advocate for victims’ rights and provide advice to government on issues affecting them. Ms Langdon has been appointed for five years, and I am confident she will use her extensive experience to provide an effective voice for victims. The commissioner also has a range of regulatory duties. The new commissioner will have a major new project starting later this year: a review of the victims charter. The victims charter establishes the basic rights and entitlements of victims of crime and has been supporting victims of crime for almost 20 years, after it was introduced by the Bracks Labor government in 2006. Ms Langdon will play a vital role in making sure it remains contemporary and fit for purpose. I look forward to receiving the outcome of that statutory review late next year.

By the end of this year the commissioner will also have a new part of her job: overseeing the financial assistance scheme. This follows the Allan Labor government’s overhaul of the support we provide to victims of crime to help them recover. With her extensive experience, Ms Langdon is well suited to the tasks and duties ahead. I look forward to working closely with her. And of course I would like to thank the outgoing victims of crime commissioner Fiona McCormack for her tireless advocacy on behalf of victims. No government has done more to support victims of crime than this Labor government. But there is always more to do, and with the support of experts like Ms Langdon the Allan Labor government is getting on with the job.