{"id":"police-assistance-compensation-act-1968","name":"Police Assistance Compensation Act 1968","slug":"police-assistance-compensation-act-1968","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"vic","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":174464,"registerId":"vic-police-assistance-compensation-act-1968-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-05","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Police Assistance Compensation Act 1968","content":"Version No. 024\n\n**Police Assistance Compensation Act 1968**\n\n**No. 7722 of 1968**\n\nVersion incorporating amendments as at  \n1 July 2021\n\n**table of provisions**\n\n*Section Page*\n\n1 Short title and commencement 1\n\n1A Definitions 1\n\n2 Compensation for personal injuries while assisting police 2\n\n3 Jurisdiction 7\n\n4 Minister may recover compensation paid 7\n\n5 Expenses for carrying out this Act to be paid from Consolidated Fund 8\n\n6 Penalty for offence under this Act 8\n\nEndnotes 9\n\n1 General information 9\n\n2 Table of Amendments 11\n\n3 Amendments Not in Operation 14\n\n4 Explanatory details 15\n\n**Version No.** **024**\n\n**Police Assistance Compensation Act 1968**\n\n**No. 7722 of 1968**\n\nVersion incorporating amendments as at  \n1 July 2021\n\nAn Act to provide for the Payment of Compensation to Persons injured while assisting Police Officers in the Execution of their Duty, and to Dependants of those Persons and for incidental and other purposes.\n\n**BE IT ENACTED by the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly of Victoria in this present Parliament assembled and by the authority of the same as follows (that is to say):**\n\n\t1 Short title and commencement\n\n(1) This Act may be cited as the **Police Assistance Compensation Act 1968**.\n\n(2) This Act shall come into operation on a day to be fixed by proclamation of the Governor in Council published in the Government Gazette.\n\nS. 1A  \ninserted by No. 10191 s. 276(Sch. 2), repealed by No. 50/1994 s. 128(a), new s. 1A inserted by No. 37/2014 s. 10(Sch. item 126.1).\n\n\t1A Definitions\n\nIn this Act—\n\nS. 1A def. of *police officer* amended by No. 5/2021 s. 51(a).\n\n***police officer*** has the same meaning as in the **Victoria Police Act 2013**;\n\nS. 1A def. of *provisional payments* inserted by No. 5/2021 s. 51(b).\n\n***provisional payments*** means payments provided for under—\n\n(a) Division 10 of Part 5 of the **Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2013**; and\n\n(b) Division 2BA of Part IV of the **Accident Compensation Act 1985**.\n\n\t2 Compensation for personal injuries while assisting police\n\nS. 2(1) amended by Nos 46/1987  \ns. 6(Sch.), 27/2001 s. 4(Sch. 2 item 3.1), 37/2014 s. 10(Sch. item 126.2(a)(i)).\n\n(1) A person other than a police officer who suffers personal injury arising out of or in the course of assisting or attempting to assist—\n\nS. 2(1)(a) amended by No. 37/2014 s. 10(Sch. item 126.2(a)(i)).\n\n(a) a police officer in arresting another person;\n\nS. 2(1)(b) amended by No. 37/2014 s. 10(Sch. item 126.2(a)(i)).\n\n(b) a police officer in preserving the peace; or\n\nS. 2(1)(c) amended by Nos 46/1987 s. 6(Sch.), 37/2014 s. 10(Sch. item 126.2(a)).\n\n(c) a police officer who is otherwise acting or apparently acting in the execution of that police officer's duty as a police officer—\n\nafter being requested to do so by the police officer or in circumstances from which the person reasonably inferred that that person had been so requested, or in circumstances from which that person could have reasonably inferred that that person would have been so requested if the police officer had been aware of those circumstances and had been able to request that person to so assist shall be entitled to be paid compensation or in case of that person's death, that person's partner, children or dependants shall be entitled to be paid compensation as provided in this section.\n\nS. 2(1AA) inserted by No. 5/2021 s. 52(1).\n\n(1AA) If a person who is entitled to make a claim for compensation under this Act does so in respect of a personal injury that is a mental injury, the person is entitled to be paid provisional payments in relation to that mental injury.\n\nS. 2(1AB) inserted by No. 5/2021 s. 52(1).\n\n(1AB) Subsection (1AA) does not apply—\n\n(a) if the claim for compensation was made before the commencement of section 11 of the **Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Amendment (Provisional Payments) Act 2021**; or\n\n(b) if a claim for compensation relating to the same mental injury and circumstances has previously been determined.\n\nS. 2(1A) inserted by No. 27/2001 s. 4(Sch. 2 item 3.2), amended by No. 12/2008 s. 73(1)(Sch. 1 item 47.1).\n\n(1A) In this section—\n\n***child*** of a deceased person means a child of the person or of the person's partner who—\n\n(a) is under the age of 16 years; or\n\n(b) is 16 years or more but under the age of 21 years and is a full-time student;\n\n***dependant*** of a deceased person means a person who was at the date of the person's death wholly, mainly or partially dependent on the person for financial support;\n\nS. 2(1A) def. of *domestic partner* substituted by No. 12/2008 s. 73(1)(Sch. 1 item 47.2).\n\n***domestic partner*** of a person  means—\n\n(a) a person who is in a registered relationship with the person; or\n\n(b) a person to whom the person is not married but with whom the person is living as a couple on a genuine domestic basis (irrespective of gender);\n\n***partner*** of a person  means—\n\n(a) in relation to a person who died before the commencement of section 4 of the **Statute Law Amendment (Relationships) Act 2001**—the person's spouse at the time of death;\n\n(b) in relation to a person who dies on or after that commencement—the person's spouse or domestic partner at the time of death;\n\n***spouse*** of a person means a person to whom the person is married.\n\nS. 2(1B) inserted by No. 27/2001 s. 4(Sch. 2 item 3.2), substituted by No. 12/2008 s. 73(1)(Sch. 1 item 47.3).\n\n(1B) For the  purposes of the definition of ***domestic partner*** in subsection  (1A)—\n\n(a) ***registered relationship*** has the same meaning as in the **Relationships Act 2008**; and\n\n(b) in determining whether persons who are not in a registered relationship are domestic partners of each other, all the circumstances of their relationship are to be taken into account, including any one or more of the matters referred to in section 35(2) of the **Relationships Act 2008** as may be relevant in a particular case.\n\nS. 2(2) amended by No. 10191 s. 276(Sch. 2).\n\n(2) The compensation referred to in subsection (1) of this section shall, in respect of personal injury suffered before the appointed day within the meaning of the **Accident Compensation Act 1985**, be paid in accordance with and subject to the provisions of the **Workers Compensation Act 1958** as if within the meaning of that Act at the time the person so suffered the personal injury—\n\nS. 2(2)(a) amended by G.G. 20.3.74  \np. 681, substituted by No. 10191 s. 276(Sch. 2).\n\n(a) the person was a worker over the age of 21 years employed by the Crown at an average weekly wage the amount of which is determined under subsection (2B);\n\n(b) he suffered a personal injury arising out of or in the course of employment with the Crown.\n\nS. 2(2A) inserted by No. 10191 s. 276(Sch. 2), amended by No. 67/2013 s. 649(Sch. 9 item 28(1)).\n\n(2A) The compensation referred to in subsection (1) shall, in respect of personal injury suffered on or after the appointed day within the meaning of the **Accident Compensation Act 1985** but before 1 July 2014, be paid in accordance with and subject to that Act as if within the meaning of that Act at the time the person so suffered the personal injury—\n\n(a) the person was a worker over the age of 21 years employed by the Crown at an average weekly wage the amount of which is determined under subsection (2B); and\n\n(b) the person suffered a personal injury arising out of or in the course of employment with the Crown.\n\nS. 2(2AB) inserted by No. 67/2013 s. 649(Sch. 9 item 28(2)).\n\n(2AB) The compensation referred to in subsection (1), in respect of personal injury suffered on or after 1 July 2014 is to be paid in accordance with and subject to the **Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2013** as if within the meaning of that Act at the time the person so suffered the personal injury—\n\n(a) the person was a worker over the age of 21 years employed by the Crown at an average weekly wage the amount of which is determined under subsection (2B); and\n\n(b) the person suffered a personal injury out of or in the course of employment with the Crown.\n\nS. 2(2AC) inserted by No. 5/2021 s. 52(2).\n\n(2AC) The provisional payments referred to in subsection (1AA) are to be paid in accordance with and subject to the **Accident Compensation Act 1985 or the Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2013**, as the case requires to, or for the benefit of, those persons to whom or for whose benefit, provisional payments would be payable under that Act if—\n\n(a) the person had been, at the time the personal injury was suffered, a worker employed by the Crown; and\n\n(b) the personal injury has arisen out of or in the course of that employment—\n\nwithin the meaning of that Act.\n\nS. 2(2B) inserted by No. 10191 s. 276(Sch. 2), substituted by No. 44/2014 s. 33(Sch. item 19).\n\n(2B) The amount of the average weekly wage in respect of each financial year is the amount of the average weekly total earnings of all employees in Victoria in original terms  last published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics as at 15 June last preceding that financial year in respect of the most recent reference period in the calendar year last preceding that 15 June.\n\nS. 2(3) amended by Nos 9902 s. 2(1)(Sch. item 200), 37/2014 s. 10(Sch. item 126.2(b)).\n\n(3) Subject to subsection (4) when a person who assists or attempts to assist a police officer as provided in subsection (1) suffers damage to or destruction of any property that belongs to him or that is in his possession or under his control and the damage or destruction arises out of, or in the course of his so assisting or attempting to so assist the police officer, the Minister may authorize the payment to the owner of the property of such compensation for the damage or destruction as the Minister thinks reasonable in the circumstances.\n\nS. 2(4) amended by No. 9902 s. 2(1)(Sch. item 200).\n\n(4) A person shall not be entitled to recover both damages in respect of damage or destruction to any property referred to in subsection (3) and compensation under this section in respect thereof and if a person so recovers both damages and compensation the amount of the compensation may be recovered from the person by the Minister by proceedings in a court of competent jurisdiction as a debt due by that person to the Crown.\n\nS. 3 substituted by Nos 10191 s. 276(Sch. 2), 50/1994 s. 128(b), amended by Nos 74/2000 s. 3(Sch. 1 item 99.1), 29/2006 s. 3(Sch. 1 item 29), 67/2013 s. 649(Sch. 9 item 28(3)).\n\n\t3 Jurisdiction\n\nWhere any question or matter arises under this Act (other than section 2(3) and 2(4)), including any question as to the amount of any compensation payable or the existence and extent of dependency, the County Court, the Magistrates' Court and the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal shall have under this Act the same jurisdiction to hear and determine the question or matter as though it were a question or matter that arose under the **Workers Compensation Act 1958** or the **Accident Compensation Act 1985** or the **Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2013** (as the case requires), and where the County Court, the Magistrates' Court or the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal exercises that jurisdiction such of the provisions of those Acts as are applicable shall with the necessary adaptations and modifications apply.\n\nS. 4  \namended by Nos 9902 s. 2(1)(Sch. item 200), 37/2014 s. 10(Sch. item 126.3).\n\n\t4 Minister may recover compensation paid\n\nWhere compensation has been paid pursuant to section 2 and the personal injury damage or destruction in respect of which compensation has been paid was caused under circumstances creating a liability in some person other than a police officer to pay damages in respect thereof, the Minister may take proceedings against that person in a court of competent jurisdiction to recover from him the amount of the compensation paid under this Act.\n\nS. 5  \namended by Nos 9902 s. 2(1)(Sch. item 201), 5/2021 s. 53.\n\n\t5 Expenses for carrying out this Act to be paid from Consolidated Fund\n\nThe amount of any compensation or provisional payments paid pursuant to section 2 and any expenses incurred in the administration of this Act shall be paid out of the Consolidated Fund which is hereby to the necessary extent appropriated accordingly.\n\nS. 6  \namended by Nos 9902 s. 2(1)(Sch. item 202), 10191 s. 276(Sch. 2), 50/1994  \ns. 128(c), 74/2000 s. 3(Sch. 1 item 99.2), 10/2004 s. 15(Sch. 1 item 20), 37/2014 s. 10(Sch. item 126.3).\n\n\t6 Penalty for offence under this Act\n\nA person who, in or in connexion with any claim for compensation under this Act, wilfully makes any false statement to or otherwise wilfully misleads or attempts to mislead the Minister the County Court, the Magistrates' Court, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, a police officer or any other person shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable to a fine of 5 penalty units or imprisonment for three months or to both such fine and imprisonment.\n\n\n\nEndnotes\n\n1 General information\n\nSee [www.legislation.vic.gov.au](http://www.legislation.vic.gov.au) for Victorian Bills, Acts and current Versions of legislation and up-to-date legislative information.\n\nThe **Police Assistance Compensation Act 1968** was assented to on 26 November 1968 and came into operation on 1 January 1969: Government Gazette 24 December 1968 page 4153.\n\nINTERPRETATION OF LEGISLATION ACT 1984 (ILA)\n\nStyle changes\n\nSection 54A of the ILA authorises the making of the style changes set out in Schedule 1 to that Act.\n\nReferences to ILA s. 39B\n\nSidenotes which cite ILA s. 39B refer to section 39B of the ILA which provides that where an undivided section or clause of a Schedule is amended by the insertion of one or more subsections or subclauses, the original section or clause becomes subsection or subclause (1) and is amended by the insertion of the expression \"(1)\" at the beginning of the original section or clause.\n\nInterpretation\n\nAs from 1 January 2001, amendments to section 36 of the ILA have the following effects:\n\n• Headings\n\nAll headings included in an Act which is passed on or after 1 January 2001 form part of that Act. Any heading inserted in an Act which was passed before 1 January 2001, by an Act passed on or after 1 January 2001, forms part of that Act. This includes headings to Parts, Divisions or Subdivisions in a Schedule; sections; clauses; items; tables; columns; examples; diagrams; notes or forms. See section 36(1A)(2A).\n\n• Examples, diagrams or notes\n\nAll examples, diagrams or notes included in an Act which is passed on or after 1 January 2001 form part of that Act. Any examples, diagrams or notes inserted in an Act which was passed before 1 January 2001, by an Act passed on or after 1 January 2001, form part of that Act. See section 36(3A).\n\n• Punctuation\n\nAll punctuation included in an Act which is passed on or after 1 January 2001 forms part of that Act. Any punctuation inserted in an Act which was passed before 1 January 2001, by an Act passed on or after 1 January 2001, forms part of that Act. See section 36(3B).\n\n• Provision numbers\n\nAll provision numbers included in an Act form part of that Act, whether inserted in the Act before, on or after 1 January 2001. Provision numbers include section numbers, subsection numbers, paragraphs and subparagraphs. See section 36(3C).\n\n• Location of \"legislative items\"\n\nA \"legislative item\" is a penalty, an example or a note. As from 13 October 2004, a legislative item relating to a provision of an Act is taken to be at the foot of that provision even if it is preceded or followed by another legislative item that relates to that provision. For example, if a penalty at the foot of a provision is followed by a note, both of these legislative items will be regarded as being at the foot of that provision. See section 36B.\n\n• Other material\n\nAny explanatory memorandum, table of provisions, endnotes, index and other material printed after the Endnotes does not form part of an Act.  \nSee section 36(3)(3D)(3E).\n\n2 Table of Amendments\n\nThis publication incorporates amendments made to the **Police Assistance Compensation Act 1968** by Acts and subordinate instruments.\n\n–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––\n\n**Statute Law Revision Act 1983, No. 9902/1983**\n\n| Assent Date: | 15.6.83 |\n| --- | --- |\n| Commencement Date: | 15.6.83: subject to s. 2(2) |\n| Current State: | All of Act in operation |\n\n\n**Accident Compensation Act 1985, No. 10191/1985**\n\n| Assent Date: | 30.7.85 |\n| --- | --- |\n| Commencement Date: | S. 276 on 31.8.85 (at 4 p.m.): Government Gazette 30.8.85 p. 3401 |\n| Current State: | This information relates only to the provision/s amending the **Police Assistance Compensation Act 1968** |\n\n\n**Equal Opportunity (Amendment) Act 1987, No. 46/1987**\n\n| Assent Date: | 25.8.87 |\n| --- | --- |\n| Commencement Date: | 1.12.87: Government Gazette 21.10.87 p. 2777 |\n| Current State: | All of Act in operation |\n\n\n**Accident Compensation (Amendment) Act 1994, No. 50/1994**\n\n| Assent Date: | 15.6.94 |\n| --- | --- |\n| Commencement Date: | S. 128 on 24.6.94: Special Gazette (No. 37) 24.6.94 p. 2—see **Interpretation of Legislation Act 1984** |\n| Current State: | This information relates only to the provision/s amending the **Police Assistance Compensation Act 1968** |\n\n\n**Statute Law Revision Act 2000, No. 74/2000**\n\n| Assent Date: | 21.11.00 |\n| --- | --- |\n| Commencement Date: | S. 3(Sch. 1 item 99) on 22.11.00: s. 2(1) |\n| Current State: | This information relates only to the provision/s amending the **Police Assistance Compensation Act 1968** |\n\n\n**Statute Law Amendment (Relationships) Act 2001, No. 27/2001**\n\n| Assent Date: | 12.6.01 |\n| --- | --- |\n| Commencement Date: | S. 4(Sch. 2 item 3) on 23.8.01: Government Gazette 23.8.01 p. 1927 |\n| Current State: | This information relates only to the provision/s amending the **Police Assistance Compensation Act 1968** |\n\n\n**Monetary Units Act 2004, No. 10/2004**\n\n| Assent Date: | 11.5.04 |\n| --- | --- |\n| Commencement Date: | S. 15(Sch. 1 item 20) on 1.7.04: s. 2(2) |\n| Current State: | This information relates only to the provision/s amending the **Police Assistance Compensation Act 1968** |\n\n\n**Statute Law (Further Revision) Act 2006, No. 29/2006**\n\n| Assent Date: | 6.6.06 |\n| --- | --- |\n| Commencement Date: | S. 3(Sch. 1 item 29) on 7.6.06: s. 2(1) |\n| Current State: | This information relates only to the provision/s amending the **Police Assistance Compensation Act 1968** |\n\n\n**Relationships Act 2008, No. 12/2008**\n\n| Assent Date: | 15.4.08 |\n| --- | --- |\n| Commencement Date: | S. 73(1)(Sch. 1 item 47) on 1.12.08: s. 2(2) |\n| Current State: | This information relates only to the provision/s amending the **Police Assistance Compensation Act 1968** |\n\n\n**Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2013, No. 67/2013**\n\n| Assent Date: | 12.11.13 |\n| --- | --- |\n| Commencement Date: | S. 649(Sch. 9 item 28) on 1.7.14: s. 2(1) |\n| Current State: | This information relates only to the provision/s amending the **Police Assistance Compensation Act 1968** |\n\n\n**Victoria Police Amendment (Consequential and Other Matters) Act 2014, No. 37/2014**\n\n| Assent Date: | 3.6.14 |\n| --- | --- |\n| Commencement Date: | S. 10(Sch. item 126) on 1.7.14: Special Gazette (No. 200) 24.6.14 p. 2 |\n| Current State: | This information relates only to the provision/s amending the **Police Assistance Compensation Act 1968** |\n\n\n**Treasury Legislation and Other Acts Amendment Act 2014, No. 44/2014**\n\n| Assent Date: | 27.6.14 |\n| --- | --- |\n| Commencement Date: | S. 33(Sch. item 19) on 30.6.14: s. 2(5) |\n| Current State: | This information relates only to the provision/s amending the **Police Assistance Compensation Act 1968** |\n\n\n**Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Amendment (Provisional Payments) Act 2021, No. 5/2021**\n\n| *Assent Date:* | 23.2.21 |\n| --- | --- |\n| *Commencement Date:* | Ss 51–53 on 1.7.21: Special Gazette (No. 293) 16.6.21 p. 1 |\n| *Current State:* | This information relates only to the provision/s amending the **Police Assistance Compensation Act 1968** |\n\n\n–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––\n\nGovernment Gazette 20 March 1974 page 681\n\n–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––\n\n3 Amendments Not in Operation\n\nThis version does not contain amendments that are not yet in operation.\n\n4 Explanatory details\n\nNo entries at date of publication.","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Based on the available metadata, the Act appears to retain its original narrow focus on compensating civilians who assist police and suffer injury or loss as a result. No significant scope expansion or contraction is evident from the version history provided, though the limited text available means this assessment is provisional."},"complexity_factors":["Limited legislative text was provided — only metadata and version history were available, preventing deep analysis of specific provisions, eligibility criteria, or compensation calculation methods","The Act dates from 1968, meaning it may use older legal drafting styles that can be harder to interpret","Determining what qualifies as 'assisting police' versus bystander action may require case-by-case legal judgment","Interaction with other compensation schemes (such as WorkCover or the Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal) adds a layer of complexity for claimants trying to determine the right avenue","As a consolidated version, there may be amendments layered over the original text that alter eligibility or process in non-obvious ways"],"plain_english_summary":"The Police Assistance Compensation Act 1968 (Victoria) gives ordinary members of the public — and their families if someone dies — a government-funded avenue for compensation when they are injured or suffer loss while voluntarily assisting police in the performance of their duties. It matters because it protects good Samaritans from medical bills, lost earnings and other losses that arise specifically from helping police, rather than leaving them personally out of pocket."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":5,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"Since enactment the Act’s scope has been expanded and modernised: it now expressly covers provisional payments for mental injury (s.2(1AA),2(2AC)), is operationally tied to successive workers/accident compensation regimes depending on the injury date (s.2, ss.2(2),2A,2AB), broadens partner/domestic partner definitions to include registered relationships and factual domestic partnerships (s.2(1A),2(1B)), updates jurisdictional pathways to include VCAT and adapted application of other Acts (s.3), and clarifies Crown funding and third‑party recovery mechanics (ss.5,4)."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple cross‑references and temporal interactions with other compensation statutes (Workers Compensation Act 1958, Accident Compensation Act 1985, Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2013) create conditional application depending on when the injury occurred (s.2, ss.2(2),2A,2AB).","Provisional payments regime for mental injury introduced and subject to exceptions and its own linking rules to other Acts (s.2(1AA),2(1AB),2(2AC)).","Definitions and relationship law integration broadened partner/domestic partner concepts and tie in the Relationships Act 2008 for factual tests (s.1A; s.2(1A),2(1B)).","Ministerial discretion to authorise property compensation and to institute recovery proceedings against liable third parties creates administrative decision points (s.2(3)–(4), s.4).","Jurisdiction and procedure are adapted to mirror workers/accident compensation processes across multiple tribunals and courts, requiring application of external Acts with necessary adaptations (s.3).","Calculation rule for ‘average weekly wage’ links to ABS statistics introducing an external data dependency and annual variation (s.2(2B)).","Overlap between entitlement to damages and statutory compensation requires coordination and potential recovery actions, adding legal complexity for claimants (s.2(4), s.4).","Criminal penalty for false or misleading claims imposes compliance risk and evidentiary thresholds for claim processing (s.6)."],"plain_english_summary":"Mechanically, the Act entitles non‑police persons (and their dependants on death) to compensation for personal injuries suffered while assisting police, links payments to Victoria’s workers/accident compensation frameworks and provides for provisional payments for mental injury (s.2, ss.2AB–2AC,1A). The Crown funds payments from the Consolidated Fund; the Minister may authorise property compensation and recover amounts from third parties; courts and VCAT determine disputes; false claims attract a penalty (ss.5,2(3)–(4),4,3,6)."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":6,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"Originally a straightforward compensation scheme for physical injuries to police assistants, the Act has expanded significantly. It now covers mental injuries (2021), includes provisional payments for immediate treatment, recognises modern relationship structures (domestic partners, registered relationships from 2008), and has adapted to three major overhauls of Victoria's workers compensation system. The property damage provisions (s.2(3)-(4)) and subrogation rights (s.4) also extend beyond the original personal injury focus."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple overlapping compensation regimes based on date of injury (pre-1985, 1985-2014, post-2014) requiring readers to determine which Act applies","Extensive cross-referencing to external statutes (Workers Compensation Act 1958, Accident Compensation Act 1985, Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2013, Victoria Police Act 2013, Relationships Act 2008)","Nested definitions with temporal cutoffs (partner/spouse definitions change based on whether death occurred before or after 2001)","Conditional logic for provisional payments (mental injury claims only, with exclusions for pre-2021 claims or previously determined claims)","Deeming provisions that treat claimants as Crown employees for calculation purposes","Jurisdictional complexity specifying three different courts/tribunals (County Court, Magistrates' Court, VCAT) with adaptive application of provisions from other Acts","21 amendment entries in the Table of Amendments spanning 1983-2021, indicating significant legislative churn"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this law does:**\n\nThis Act creates a safety net for ordinary people who get hurt while helping police officers do their job. If you jump in to assist a cop who's making an arrest, keeping the peace, or performing their duties — and you get injured in the process — this law ensures you can claim compensation (basically, financial support for medical bills, lost wages, etc.). If you die helping police, your partner, children, or dependants can claim instead.\n\n**Who it covers:**\n\n* **Good Samaritans assisting police:** Anyone who isn't already a police officer who helps or tries to help a police officer, either after being asked or in circumstances where it was reasonable to assume they were needed.\n* **Family members:** Partners (including spouses and domestic partners), children under 21 (if studying full-time), and financial dependants of someone who dies while assisting.\n\n**Key features:**\n\n* **How compensation works:** The law pretends you were a government employee earning the average Victorian wage when calculating your payout. It plugs you into Victoria's workers compensation system — currently the *Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2013* for injuries from 1 July 2014 onwards, or earlier Acts for older injuries.\n* **Mental injury coverage:** Since 2021, if you suffer psychological trauma (a \"mental injury\") while helping police, you can get immediate \"provisional payments\" for treatment while your full claim is processed.\n* **Property damage:** If your stuff gets broken or destroyed while you're helping police, the Minister can authorise reasonable compensation (but you can't double-dip by suing for damages AND claiming here).\n* **No-fault recovery:** If someone else was actually responsible for your injury (not the police), the government can chase them to get the money back.\n\n**Why it matters:**\n\nThis law removes the financial disincentive to help police in dangerous situations. Without it, a bystander who tackles a fleeing thief or helps subdue a violent offender could be left with massive medical bills and no income — essentially punished for doing the right thing. It recognises that civic duty shouldn't come with personal financial ruin."},"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/police-assistance-compensation-act-1968","history":"/api/acts/police-assistance-compensation-act-1968/history","analysis":"/api/acts/police-assistance-compensation-act-1968/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/police-assistance-compensation-act-1968/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/police-assistance-compensation-act-1968/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/police-assistance-compensation-act-1968/documents"}}