Australian Capital Territory Numbered Acts

VICTIMS OF CRIME (FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE) (AMENDMENT) ACT 1999 (NO. 91 OF 1999) - SECT 10

    After section 18 of the Principal Act the following Part is inserted:

“ PART IV—VICTIMS SERVICES SCHEME

“19.     Victims services scheme—establishment

“(1)     A victims services scheme shall be established in accordance with the regulations.

“(2)     Regulations made for the purposes of this section may provide for the following matters:

        (a)     the nomination of a service agency to be responsible for the management of the scheme;

        (b)     the establishment of a Victims Assistance Board with the following functions:

              (i)     the preparation of guidelines for the management of the scheme;

              (ii)     the management of funding arrangements for the responsible service agency;

              (iii)     such other functions relating to the scheme as are prescribed by the regulations;

        (c)     conditions for eligibility for the scheme;

        (d)     different levels of services for different categories of victim, or for victims in different circumstances;

        (e)     the performance of functions in relation to the scheme by the Coordinator (other than functions inconsistent with the Coordinator's other functions under this Act);

        (f)     the nomination of a person or body as the annual reporting authority for the scheme;

        (g)     any other matters necessary or convenient for the establishment or operation of the scheme.

“20.     Victims services scheme—eligibility

    All victims are eligible for assistance under the victims services scheme, subject to regulations made for the purposes of section 19.

“21.     Victims services scheme—annual report

    The Annual Reports (Government Agencies) Act 1995 applies in relation to the victims services scheme as if—

        (a)     the annual reporting authority nominated pursuant to the regulations were a public authority within the meaning of that Act;

        (b)     that Act required the annual reporting authority to prepare an annual report relating to the operations of the scheme within the relevant reporting period; and

        (c)     the appropriate administrative unit for the purposes of that Act were the administrative unit responsible for the administration of this Act.

“22.     Victims services scheme—access to information and protection of privacy

    For the avoidance of doubt—

        (a)     the victims services scheme is declared to be a health service provider for the purposes of the Health Records (Privacy and Access) Act 1997 ; and

        (b)     that Act accordingly applies in relation to any health record (within the meaning of that Act) held by the victims services scheme in relation to a victim.”.