Crims would be fined $50 in Nats' scheme

Key says victim levy would not become just another unpaid fine

A scheme which will see all convicted offenders levied $50 if National becomes the Government, is aimed at giving rights back to victims of crime, National Party leader John Key says.

Mr Key and National's justice spokesman Simon Power today in Auckland outlined details of law and order policy aimed at victims' rights.

Among the policy announcements was a Victim Compensation Scheme (VCS) funded by a levy of $50 on all offenders at sentencing.

Mr Key told media while the levy would not stop violent crime it would increase the support victims received and restore the balance between victims and offenders.

"Clearly the imbalance at the moment is heavily skewed the other way."

Mr Key said the amount of the levy would not change regardless of whether it was a serious crime or a traffic offence and would be a one-off payment for the conviction at sentencing.

The money would help victims with one-off expenses not covered by ACC or other state help, such as travel to court and additional counselling.

The latest figures provided by Treasury estimated crime in New Zealand cost $9 billion a year, a figure Mr Key says he wants to come down.

With about 100,000 people estimated to be convicted next year, the fund would receive about $5 million, he said.

"If some people don't commit crimes because they're going to end up paying a $50 levy towards the victims compensation scheme, then this is a good thing."

Mr Key denied the levy would become just another unpaid fine, which officials were powerless to collect.

The sum of $50 had been intentionally set at a modest amount so it could be more readily paid, he said.

"The payment of the levy is prioritised ahead of the payment of the fines.

"There are a lot of other people who go to court charged with an offence and we believe they will pay."

Mr Key said if people refused to pay the levy, it would be "worked over time" to ensure they did.

"We see it as an appropriate cost, the reality is we're not going to have a sliding scale relative to your offence.

"It is much more logical to say what is the kind of sum which is reasonable to bear but is likely to be paid by the vast bulk of the people and we settled on $50."

Mr Power said the compensation scheme was based on models used in Britain and Canada.

"What we are looking to do is make it clear that victims get the first bite at any fines or monies that are paid by offenders, alongside reparations."

Mr Power said National believed $50 was a reasonably modest amount and was in line with what had been done overseas, where the money had been collected reasonably readily.

The money would be in addition to court costs, he said.

National also announced the establishment of a Victims Services Centre coordinating agencies and administering the VCS, which would be set up within the Justice Ministry.

Mr Key also announced an overhaul of the Victim Notification Register, which would be maintained by the new centre, so victims could choose to be notified of any developments if they wanted.

A review of the Victims Rights Act 2002 to ensure victims' rights were recognised across the justice system including ensuring access to support services and improving the victim impact statement system, would also be undertaken if National became government, he said.

United Future leader Peter Dunne said the party also believed victims should be compensated.

But he said National needed to do more to address one of the major causes of crime - repeat offending.

Green Party justice spokesman Nandor Tanczos said National's policy capitalised on the recommendations of the Greens-initiated select committee inquiry into victims rights.

"The response to the inquiry's recommendations has been positive from both the Government and advocates for victims' rights and its great to see the National Party get on board as well."

Victim Support said it was disappointed state-funded reparation was not specifically addressed in National's policy but would continue to work with all parties to bring it about.

But acting chief executive Heather Verry said that the idea of placing a surcharge on offenders might be novel to New Zealand, but the system operated in many countries around the world.

"In New South Wales everyone convicted of an offence punishable by imprisonment is required to pay a compensation levy that goes into the Victims Compensation Fund. A similar system operates in California."

Victim Support also supported the establishment of a Victims Services Centre if it improved services and information to victims.

Justice Minister Annette King said the policy was "a bizarre piece of gimmickry" that appeared to be "written in haste on the back of an envelope."

She said The Report of the Justice and Electoral Committee's Inquiry into Victims' Rights showed key concerns were the lack of information and services for victims.

The Government had asked the Law Commission to look at policy implications in the  report; developing a State-funded compensation regime for victims, investigating the benefits of an inquisitorial approach, and developing a coordinating and monitoring (victims') agency.

Ms King said it was questionable whether a government state run central agency would be better than Victim Support.

There were, she said, extensive Government initiatives aimed at strengthening victims' rights and increasing the level of support provided to victims including:

* work on a Victims' Charter to build awareness of the standard of service that victims can expect from government agencies;

* and setting up a central contact point for victims, including a national 0800 victim's helpline and website to provide information and to assist victims with advice about support agencies and services.

Other work under way included establishing Victim Advocates in Family Violence Courts and a Review of Services for Victims of Crime being undertaken by the Justice Ministry.

Ms King said National's levy would not raise much more than $6 million a year, would be expensive to administer and add to bureaucracy.

"This is not a Victim Compensation Scheme. The ACC scheme in New Zealand, which  spends about $1.4 billion a year on compensation, treatment and rehabilitation, is a proper scheme. This is just a laughable hoax," she said.

- NZPA