On 7 May 2013, the New South Wales Government introduced the Victims Rights and Support Bill 2013 ("The Victims Support Scheme") into Parliament. The Victims Support Scheme will abolish the Victims Compensation Tribunal. Any Application that is already lodged with the Tribunal but has not yet been determined will be dealt with under the new Victims Support Scheme.
The maximum compensation now payable to a victim of an act of violence has been reduced from $50,000 to $15,000. A claim for compensation is now lodged as a claim for a Recognition Payment. The proposed changes will apply retrospectively to claims currently being processed.
This claim must be lodged within two (2) years of the incident, or two years of a child victim turning 18, with the exception of claims in relation to domestic violence, child abuse and sexual assault. The Christian Democrats appear to have successfully negotiated an extension of the time limit so far as it relates to child sexual abuse.
Victims Services have stopped processing new and current applications while the Bill is being debated, however, there are significant objections to the Bill including Paul Lynch MP who led the opposition of the Bill by describing it as "the triumph of unfeeling Treasury bureaucrats over the real and all too human needs of victims of crime."
A coalition of community organisations has also written to the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women claiming that the Bill discriminates against women and is counter to the UN's recommendations.
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