Australian Capital Territory Current Acts

VICTIMS OF CRIME ACT 1994 - SECT 15A

A justice agency must, unless the court directs otherwise, ensure a victim of an offence is provided with, or is able to access—

        (a)     any special requirement the victim is entitled to in relation to a proceeding for the offence under the Evidence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1991

, part 4.2; and

        (b)     any aid or adjustment that is reasonably necessary to enable the victim to fully participate in the administration of justice for the offence.

Examples—aid or adjustment

1     assistance animal

2     intermediary or support person

3     interpreter or translator

Note 1     The Evidence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1991

sets out—

        (a)     when a court may appoint an intermediary in a criminal proceeding for a witness with a communication difficulty (see that Act

, ch 1B); and

        (b)     when a court may order that a witness have a support person in court while giving evidence (see that Act

, s 49 and s 101).

Note 2     The Evidence Act 2011

, s 30 sets out when a witness in a proceeding may give evidence through an interpreter.

Note 3     This section applies to a court or tribunal, a referring entity or a member of the sentence administration board only when acting in an administrative capacity, but does not apply to a judge, a magistrate, or a court or tribunal when exercising its jurisdiction in relation to any proceeding before it (see  s 8 (1), definition of justice agency , par (a) (v), (vii) and (ix) and s (2)).