{"id":"victims-of-crime-assistance-act-2006","name":"Victims of Crime Assistance Act 2006","slug":"victims-of-crime-assistance-act-2006","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"nt","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":30705,"registerId":"nt-victims-of-crime-assistance-act-2006-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-01","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Victims of Crime Assistance Act 2006","content":"NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA\nVICTIMS OF CRIME ASSISTANCE ACT 2006\nAs in force at 1 July 2025\nTable of provisions\nPart 1 Preliminary matters\n1 Short title ......................................................................................... 1\n2 Commencement .............................................................................. 1\n3 Objects ............................................................................................ 1\n4 Definitions ........................................................................................ 1\n5 Violent act ........................................................................................ 4\n6 Injury ................................................................................................ 5\n7 Compensable violent acts and injuries and standard amounts ........ 5\n8 Form of applications ........................................................................ 5\nPart 2 Eligibility to apply for assistance\nDivision 1 Categories of victims of violent acts and\neligibility\n9 Primary victim .................................................................................. 6\n10 Primary victim's eligibility to apply for assistance ............................ 6\n11 Secondary victim ............................................................................. 7\n12 Secondary victim's eligibility to apply for assistance ........................ 8\n13 Family victim .................................................................................... 9\n14 Family victim's eligibility to apply for assistance .............................. 9\n15 Related victim ................................................................................ 10\n16 Related victim's eligibility to apply for counselling.......................... 10\nDivision 2 Miscellaneous matters\n17 Eligibility if injury suffered in motor accident .................................. 11\n18 Eligibility if injury suffered in course of employment ...................... 11\n19 Effect of death on applications and entitlement to financial\nassistance...................................................................................... 12\nPart 3 Victims Counselling Scheme\n20 Establishment of Victims Counselling Scheme .............................. 12\n21 Approval of counsellors and organisations .................................... 13\n22 Application for counselling ............................................................. 13\n\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 ii\nPart 4 Victims Financial Assistance Scheme\nDivision 1 Preliminary matters\n23 Establishment of Victims Financial Assistance Scheme ................ 13\n24 Assessors ...................................................................................... 13\n25 Applications generally .................................................................... 14\n25A Withdrawal of application ............................................................... 14\nDivision 2 Interim payments\n25B Meaning of interim payment .......................................................... 14\n26 Application to Director for interim payment .................................... 14\n27 Decision about interim payment .................................................... 15\n28 Effect of decision ........................................................................... 17\n29 Payment ........................................................................................ 17\nDivision 3 Applications for awards\n29A Meaning of award .......................................................................... 17\n30 Application to Director for award.................................................... 17\n31 No time limit for lodging application ............................................... 17\n32 Form of application ........................................................................ 17\n33 Procedure after acceptance of application .................................... 19\nDivision 4 Deciding applications for awards\n34 Deciding application and deferring decision .................................. 19\n35 Examination of and report about applicant .................................... 20\n36 Obtaining information and documents ........................................... 20\n37 Award to eligible victim .................................................................. 21\n38 Award to primary victim ................................................................. 21\n39 Award to secondary victims ........................................................... 21\n40 Award to family victims .................................................................. 22\n41 When award may be reduced ........................................................ 23\n42 When award must be reduced ....................................................... 24\n43 When financial assistance must not be awarded ........................... 24\n44 Notice of decision .......................................................................... 25\nDivision 5 Payments, increases and refunds of awards or\ninterim payments\n45 Payment of award.......................................................................... 26\n46 Increase of award .......................................................................... 27\n47 Refund of award or interim payment.............................................. 28\nDivision 5A Funeral expense assistance\n47A Meaning of funeral expense assistance ........................................ 29\n\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 iii\n47B Eligibility and application for funeral expense assistance .............. 29\n47C Time limit for lodging application ................................................... 29\n47D Amount of funeral expense assistance .......................................... 29\n47E Deciding application ...................................................................... 30\n47F Payment of funeral expense assistance ........................................ 30\n47G Refund of funeral expense assistance........................................... 31\nDivision 5B Closure of financial assistance application if\napplicant uncontactable\n47H Notice of proposed closure of application ...................................... 31\n47J Closure of application .................................................................... 32\n47K Reopening of closed application .................................................... 32\nDivision 6 Review of decisions\n48 Review by NTCAT ......................................................................... 32\nDivision 7 Legal representation and costs\n54 Applications ................................................................................... 33\n55 Review ........................................................................................... 33\nPart 5 Recovery of money from offenders\nDivision 1 Debt recovery notice process\n55A Definitions ...................................................................................... 33\n55B Director may seek to recover amount by giving debt recovery\nnotice ............................................................................................. 34\n55C Content and service of debt recovery notice.................................. 34\n55D Objection ....................................................................................... 35\n55E Decision on objection .................................................................... 36\n55F Liability to pay debt ........................................................................ 36\n55G Recovery of debt ........................................................................... 37\nDivision 2 Court process\n56 Territory may recover from offender .............................................. 37\n57 No appeal to Supreme Court ......................................................... 38\nDivision 3 Miscellaneous matters\n58 Recovery by set-off ........................................................................ 38\n59 Recovered money to be paid into Fund ......................................... 39\nPart 6 Victims Assistance Fund and levy\n60 Victims Assistance Fund................................................................ 39\n\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 iv\n61 Imposition of levy ........................................................................... 39\nPart 7 Miscellaneous matters\n62 Preservation of civil claim for damages ......................................... 41\n63 Obstruction and providing false information................................... 41\n64 Inadmissibility of certain information in proceedings...................... 41\n65 Guidelines...................................................................................... 42\n66 Approved forms ............................................................................. 42\n67 Delegations.................................................................................... 42\n68 Protection from liability .................................................................. 42\n69 Regulations.................................................................................... 43\n70 Review after 3 years ...................................................................... 44\nPart 8 Repeals and transitional matters for\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006\n71 Definitions ...................................................................................... 44\n72 Repeals ......................................................................................... 44\n73 Repealed Act applies to application for assistance certificate ....... 44\n74 Application of Act to violent act ...................................................... 44\n75 Fund .............................................................................................. 44\nPart 9 Transitional matters for amending\nlegislation\nDivision 1 Revenue and Other Legislation Amendment\nAct 2010\n76 Application ..................................................................................... 45\nDivision 2 Victims of Crime Assistance Amendment Act\n2013\n77 Application ..................................................................................... 45\nDivision 3 Northern Territory Civil and Administrative\nTribunal (Conferral of Jurisdiction\nAmendments) Act 2014\n78 Definitions ...................................................................................... 45\n79 Review of decision notified before commencement....................... 46\n80 Review of Director's or assessor's decision made after\ncommencement ............................................................................. 46\n\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 v\nDivision 4 Victims of Crime Assistance Amendment\nAct 2023\n81 Definitions ...................................................................................... 47\n82 References to interim payments .................................................... 47\n83 Application of amendments to Part 4 ............................................. 47\n84 Application of funeral expense assistance provisions.................... 47\n85 Application of debt recovery procedures ....................................... 47\nSchedule 1 Reviewable decisions\nSchedule 2 Repealed Acts\nENDNOTES\n\n\n\nNORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA\n____________________\nAs in force at 1 July 2025\n____________________\nVICTIMS OF CRIME ASSISTANCE ACT 2006\nAn Act to establish schemes to provide victims of violent acts with\ncounselling and with financial assistance, and for related matters\nPart 1 Preliminary matters\n1 Short title\nThis Act may be cited as the Victims of Crime Assistance Act 2006.\n2 Commencement\nThis Act comes into operation on the date fixed by the Administrator\nby notice in the Gazette.\n3 Objects\nThe objects of this Act are:\n(a) to assist the rehabilitation of victims of violent acts by\nimplementing schemes to provide counselling and financial\nassistance for financial loss and compensable violent acts and\ncompensable injuries; and\n(ab) to provide financial assistance for the cost of funerals of\nvictims of violent acts; and\n(b) to enable the Territory to recover money from offenders who\nhave committed violent acts resulting in payments of financial\nassistance to their victims and others; and\n(c) to establish a fund for the schemes implemented by this Act\nand to provide revenue for the fund by imposing a levy on\ncertain people.\n4 Definitions\nIn this Act:\nadult means a person who is 18 or more years of age.\n\nPart 1 Preliminary matters\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 2\napplicant means:\n(a) in relation to an application for an interim payment, award or\nincreased award – the eligible victim by or for whom the\napplication is made; or\n(b) in relation to an application for funeral expense assistance –\nthe individual who makes the application.\napproved form means a form approved under section 66.\nassessor, of an application for an award or increased award,\nmeans the assessor for the financial assistance scheme who is\ndeciding the application.\nassistance means counselling or financial assistance.\naward, see section 29A.\nchild means a person who is less than 18 years of age.\ncompensable injury, see section 7(2).\ncompensable violent act, see section 7(1).\ncounselling means counselling provided under the counselling\nscheme.\ncounselling scheme means the Victims Counselling Scheme\nestablished by section 20.\nCourt means the Local Court.\nCVSU means the Crime Victims Services Unit established under\nthe Victims of Crime Rights and Services Act 2006.\ndebt amount, for Part 5, Division 1, see section 55B(2).\ndebt recovery notice, for Part 5, Division 1, see section 55B(2).\nDirector means the person holding or occupying the office of\nDirector of the CVSU under the Victims of Crime Rights and\nServices Act 2006.\neligible victim, for Part 4, means a primary victim, secondary\nvictim or family victim of a violent act.\nfamily victim has the meaning in section 13.\n\nPart 1 Preliminary matters\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 3\nfinancial assistance means any of the following under the financial\nassistance scheme:\n(a) an interim payment;\n(b) an award, including an award increased under Part 4,\nDivision 5;\n(c) funeral expense assistance.\nfinancial assistance scheme means the Victims Financial\nAssistance Scheme established by section 23.\nFund means the Victims Assistance Fund established by\nsection 60.\nfuneral expense assistance, see section 47A.\nguidelines means guidelines issued under section 65.\ninjury has the meaning in section 6.\ninterim payment, see section 25B.\nmedical expenses includes expenses for any of the following:\n(a) medical, surgical, dental, ophthalmic, psychological or\npsychiatric treatment;\n(b) transportation by ambulance;\n(c) hospitalisation;\n(d) physiotherapy;\n(e) a medical report relating to an injury.\noffender, in relation to a violent act, means a person who\ncommitted the act or is alleged to have committed the act.\nprimary victim has the meaning in section 9.\nrelated victim has the meaning in section 15.\nsecondary victim has the meaning in section 11.\nstandard amount, for a compensable violent act or compensable\ninjury, means the amount prescribed by regulation under\nsection 7(3).\n\nPart 1 Preliminary matters\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 4\nviolent act has the meaning in section 5.\nNote for section 4\nThe Interpretation Act 1978 contains definitions and other provisions that may be\nrelevant to this Act.\n5 Violent act\n(1) A violent act is:\n(a) a criminal act prescribed by regulation, or a series of such\nrelated criminal acts, whether committed by one or more\npersons, that occurs in the Territory; or\n(b) a criminal act, or a series of related criminal acts, whether\ncommitted by one or more persons, that:\n(i) occurs in the Territory; and\n(ii) directly results in the injury or death of one or more\npersons regardless of where the injury or death occurs.\n(2) For this section, a criminal act is an act, omission or event done,\nmade or caused by a person:\n(a) that constitutes a criminal offence; or\n(b) if the person is excused from criminal responsibility due to\nage, mental impairment or other legal incapacity or by some\nother lawful defence – that would otherwise constitute a\ncriminal offence.\n(3) A series of related criminal acts occurs if:\n(a) 2 or more criminal acts are committed against the same\nperson; and\n(b) 2 or more of those acts:\n(i) occur at approximately the same time; or\n(ii) occur over a period of time and are committed by the\nsame person or group of persons; or\n(iii) share another common factor.\n(4) A series of related criminal acts, whether committed by one or more\npersons, constitutes a single violent act.\n\nPart 1 Preliminary matters\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 5\n(5) A criminal act may be related to another criminal act even though\ncharges for offences constituted by those criminal acts are tried or\nheard separately.\n(6) A criminal act for which financial assistance has been awarded is\nnot related to another criminal act that occurs after the date on\nwhich the assessor gives notice of the award to the Director under\nsection 44(1).\n(7) For this Act, a person who attempts to commit a criminal act is\ntaken to have committed the criminal act.\n6 Injury\n(1) An injury is any of the following:\n(a) a physical illness or injury;\n(b) a recognisable psychological or psychiatric disorder;\n(c) pregnancy;\n(d) a combination of any injuries mentioned in paragraphs (a)\nto (c).\n(2) Subsection (1) does not include an injury resulting from the loss of\nor damage to property.\n7 Compensable violent acts and injuries and standard amounts\n(1) A compensable violent act is a violent act under section 5(1)(a).\n(2) A compensable injury is an injury prescribed by regulation.\n(3) The Regulations must prescribe a standard amount of financial\nassistance as the award for a compensable violent act and a\ncompensable injury.\n(4) The standard amount may be a specified amount or an amount\nwithin a specified range.\n8 Form of applications\nAn application made to the Director under this Act must be in the\napproved form.\n\nPart 2 Eligibility to apply for assistance\nDivision 1 Categories of victims of violent acts and eligibility\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 6\nPart 2 Eligibility to apply for assistance\nDivision 1 Categories of victims of violent acts and eligibility\n9 Primary victim\n(1) A primary victim of a violent act is:\n(a) if the violent act is a compensable violent act – a person\nagainst whom the violent act has been committed regardless\nof whether the person suffers an injury or dies as a direct\nresult of the violent act; or\n(b) otherwise – a person against whom the violent act has been\ncommitted and who suffers an injury or dies as a direct result\nof the violent act.\n(2) Also, a primary victim of a violent act is a person who suffers an\ninjury or dies as a direct result of any of the following:\n(a) trying to prevent another person from committing a violent act;\n(b) trying to help or rescue another person against whom a violent\nact is being committed or has just been committed;\n(c) trying to arrest another person who is committing or has just\ncommitted a violent act.\n10 Primary victim's eligibility to apply for assistance\n(1) A primary victim of a violent act is eligible to apply for counselling\nrequired because of the violent act.\n(2) A primary victim in circumstances of financial hardship is eligible to\napply for an interim payment of financial assistance for the primary\nvictim's financial loss.\n(3) A primary victim is eligible to apply for an award of financial\nassistance for the primary victim's financial loss.\n(4) A primary victim of a violent act is eligible to apply for an award for:\n(a) if the violent act is a compensable violent act:\n(i) the mere commission of the violent act; or\n(ii) one or more compensable injuries suffered as a direct\nresult of the violent act; or\n\nPart 2 Eligibility to apply for assistance\nDivision 1 Categories of victims of violent acts and eligibility\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 7\n(b) otherwise – one or more compensable injuries suffered as a\ndirect result of the violent act.\n(5) For this section, a primary victim's financial loss is any of the\nfollowing:\n(a) loss of earnings suffered or reasonably likely to be suffered by\nthe primary victim as a direct result of the violent act;\n(b) expenses incurred by the primary victim due to loss of clothing\nand other personal effects as a direct result of the violent act;\n(c) medical expenses reasonably incurred or reasonably likely to\nbe incurred by the primary victim as a direct result of the\nviolent act;\n(d) in exceptional circumstances – other expenses reasonably\nincurred or reasonably likely to be incurred by the primary\nvictim to assist the victim's recovery from the effects of the\nviolent act.\nExamples for subsection (5)(d)\n1 Relocation expenses.\n2 Costs of securing the primary victim's place of residence or business.\nNotes for section 10\n1 Section 27(5) specifies the maximum interim payment.\n2 Section 38 specifies the following:\n(a) the maximum award;\n(b) the maximum award for all financial loss;\n(c) the minimum standard amount for compensable violent acts and\ninjuries.\n11 Secondary victim\n(1) A secondary victim of a violent act is a person who is present at the\nscene of the violent act and suffers an injury as a direct result of\nwitnessing the violent act.\n(2) Also, a secondary victim of a violent act is one of the following\npersons who suffers an injury as a direct result of subsequently\nbecoming aware of the violent act:\n(a) a child or stepchild of the primary victim, or a child under the\nguardianship of the primary victim, when the violent act\noccurs;\n(b) if the primary victim is a child – a parent, step-parent or\nguardian of the primary victim when the violent act occurs.\n\nPart 2 Eligibility to apply for assistance\nDivision 1 Categories of victims of violent acts and eligibility\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 8\n(3) A person is not a secondary victim if the person committed the\nviolent act.\n12 Secondary victim's eligibility to apply for assistance\n(1) A secondary victim of a violent act is eligible to apply for counselling\nrequired because of the violent act.\n(2) A secondary victim in circumstances of financial hardship is eligible\nto apply for an interim payment of financial assistance for the\nsecondary victim's financial loss.\n(3) A secondary victim is eligible to apply for an award of financial\nassistance for the secondary victim's financial loss.\n(4) A secondary victim is eligible to apply for an award of financial\nassistance for one or more compensable injuries suffered as a\ndirect result of witnessing or becoming aware of the violent act.\n(6) For this section, a secondary victim's financial loss is any of the\nfollowing:\n(a) loss of earnings suffered or likely to be suffered by the\nsecondary victim as a direct result of witnessing or becoming\naware of the violent act;\n(b) medical expenses reasonably incurred or reasonably likely to\nbe incurred by the secondary victim as a direct result of\nwitnessing or becoming aware of the violent act;\n(c) in exceptional circumstances – other expenses reasonably\nincurred or reasonably likely to be incurred by the secondary\nvictim to assist the victim's recovery from the effects of\nwitnessing or becoming aware of the violent act.\nExamples for subsection (6)(c)\n1 Relocation expenses.\n2 Costs of securing the secondary victim's place of residence or business.\nNotes for section 12\n1 Section 27(5) specifies the maximum interim payment.\n2 Section 39 specifies the following:\n(a) the maximum award for all secondary victims of the same violent act;\n(b) the maximum award for all the financial loss of each secondary victim\nof the same violent act;\n(c) the minimum standard amount for compensable injuries.\n\nPart 2 Eligibility to apply for assistance\nDivision 1 Categories of victims of violent acts and eligibility\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 9\n13 Family victim\n(1) A family victim of a violent act is a person who, when the violent act\noccurs, is one of the following:\n(a) the spouse or de facto partner of the primary victim of the\nviolent act;\n(b) a parent, step-parent or guardian of the primary victim of the\nviolent act;\n(c) a child or stepchild of the primary victim of the violent act or a\nchild under the guardianship of the primary victim of the\nviolent act;\n(d) a person entirely or substantially dependent for financial\nsupport on the primary victim of the violent act.\n(2) In subsection (1)(c), a reference to a child of the primary victim\nincludes a reference to a child of the primary victim born after the\nviolent act occurs.\n(3) It is immaterial whether or not the family victim suffers an injury as a\nresult of the violent act.\n(4) A person is not a family victim if the person committed the violent\nact.\n14 Family victim's eligibility to apply for assistance\n(1) A family victim of a violent act is eligible to apply for counselling\nrequired because of the violent act.\n(2) A family victim of a violent act directly resulting in the death of the\nprimary victim is eligible to apply for an interim payment of financial\nassistance for the financial loss mentioned in subsection (3)(b)\nto (d) if the family victim is in circumstances of hardship.\n(3) A family victim of a violent act directly resulting in the death of the\nprimary victim is eligible to apply for an award of financial\nassistance for any of the following financial loss:\n(b) if the family victim was entirely or substantially dependent on\nthe primary victim for financial support – loss of money that,\nbut for the death of the primary victim, the family victim would\nhave been reasonably likely to receive from the primary victim\nduring the year immediately after the death;\n\nPart 2 Eligibility to apply for assistance\nDivision 1 Categories of victims of violent acts and eligibility\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 10\n(c) medical expenses reasonably incurred or reasonably likely to\nbe incurred by the family victim for the primary victim as a\ndirect result of the death;\n(d) in exceptional circumstances – other expenses reasonably\nincurred or reasonably likely to be incurred by the family victim\nto assist the victim's recovery from the effects of the death of\nthe primary victim.\nExamples for subsection (3)(d)\n1 Relocation expenses.\n2 Costs of securing the family victim's place of residence or business.\nNotes for section 14\n1 Section 27(5) specifies the maximum interim payment.\n2 Section 40 specifies the following:\n(a) the maximum award for all family victims of the same violent act;\n(b) the maximum award for all the financial loss of each family victim of the\nsame violent act.\n15 Related victim\n(1) A related victim of a violent act is a person who, when the violent\nact occurs, is one of the following:\n(a) a relative of the primary victim of the violent act;\n(b) a person in an intimate personal relationship with the primary\nvictim of the violent act.\n(2) A person is not a related victim of a violent act if the person:\n(a) is a family victim of the violent act; or\n(b) committed the violent act.\n(3) The Regulations may exclude persons from the category of related\nvictim.\n16 Related victim's eligibility to apply for counselling\nA related victim of a violent act is eligible to apply for counselling\nrequired because of the violent act.\n\nPart 2 Eligibility to apply for assistance\nDivision 2 Miscellaneous matters\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 11\nDivision 2 Miscellaneous matters\n17 Eligibility if injury suffered in motor accident\n(1) A person who suffers an injury as a direct result of a violent act (the\ninjured person) is not eligible to apply as a primary victim for an\ninterim payment or award for the same (or substantially the same)\ninjury if the person:\n(a) is being paid, or has been paid, a benefit under the Motor\nAccidents (Compensation) Act 1979 for the injury; or\n(b) is entitled to a benefit under the Motor Accidents\n(Compensation) Act 1979 for the injury, regardless of whether\nthe injured person has made a claim for such a benefit.\n(2) Subsection (1) applies even if the nature of the damage or loss for\nwhich a benefit is payable to the injured person under the Motor\nAccidents (Compensation) Act 1979 is different from the nature of\nthe damage or loss for which the injured person would, apart from\nsubsection (1), be eligible to apply for an interim payment or award.\n(3) A person who would, apart from subsection (1), be a secondary\nvictim or family victim of the violent act against the injured person is\nnot eligible for an interim payment or award in connection with the\nviolent act.\n(4) Subsection (1) does not prevent:\n(a) the injured person from applying for counselling as a primary\nvictim of the violent act; or\n(b) any other person from applying for counselling as a secondary\nvictim, family victim or related victim of the violent act.\n18 Eligibility if injury suffered in course of employment\n(1) A worker who suffers an injury as a direct result of a violent act is\nnot eligible to apply as a primary victim for an interim payment or\naward for the same (or substantially the same) injury if the worker:\n(a) is being paid, or has been paid, compensation under the\nReturn to Work Act 1986 for the injury; or\n(b) is entitled to compensation under the Return to Work Act 1986\nfor the injury, regardless of whether the worker has made a\nclaim for such compensation.\n(2) Subsection (1) applies even if the nature of the damage or loss for\nwhich compensation is payable to the worker under the Return to\n\nPart 3 Victims Counselling Scheme\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 12\nWork Act 1986 is different from the nature of the damage or loss for\nwhich the worker would, apart from subsection (1), be eligible to\napply for an interim payment or award\n(3) A person who would, apart from subsection (1), be a secondary\nvictim or family victim of the violent act against the worker is not\neligible for an interim payment or award in connection with the\nviolent act.\n(4) Subsection (1) does not prevent:\n(a) the worker from applying for counselling as a primary victim of\nthe violent act; or\n(b) any other person from applying for counselling as a secondary\nvictim, family victim or related victim of the violent act.\n(5) In this section:\nworker, see the Return to Work Act 1986.\n19 Effect of death on applications and entitlement to financial\nassistance\n(1) Despite any law to the contrary, if a person who is eligible for or\nentitled to receive financial assistance dies, the person's eligibility\nfor or entitlement to receive the assistance does not survive for the\nbenefit of the person's estate.\n(2) Subsection (1) does not prevent any other person from applying for\ncounselling or financial assistance as a secondary victim, family\nvictim or related victim of a violent act.\n(3) If an applicant for financial assistance dies before the application is\ndecided, the application lapses.\n(4) If a person is entitled to receive financial assistance but dies before\nthe assistance is paid, the assistance is taken to never have been\napproved or awarded and the person's application for the\nassistance lapses.\nPart 3 Victims Counselling Scheme\n20 Establishment of Victims Counselling Scheme\nThe Victims Counselling Scheme is established.\n\nPart 4 Victims Financial Assistance Scheme\nDivision 1 Preliminary matters\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 13\n21 Approval of counsellors and organisations\n(1) The Director may approve persons to be counsellors under the\ncounselling scheme.\n(2) The Director may approve organisations to provide counselling and\nrelated services under the counselling scheme.\n(3) If the Director has approved an organisation under subsection (2),\nthe Director need not approve a person to be a counsellor if the\nperson is employed by the organisation to provide counselling\nunder the counselling scheme.\n22 Application for counselling\nA primary victim, secondary victim, family victim or related victim\nmay apply for counselling to a person or organisation approved\nunder section 21.\nPart 4 Victims Financial Assistance Scheme\nDivision 1 Preliminary matters\n23 Establishment of Victims Financial Assistance Scheme\nThe Victims Financial Assistance Scheme is established.\n24 Assessors\n(1) Each of the following persons is an assessor for the financial\nassistance scheme:\n(a) the Director;\n(b) a person who is authorised under section 8(4)(b) of the Law\nOfficers Act 1978 to act in the name of the Solicitor for the\nNorthern Territory generally;\n(c) a person appointed by the Director under subsection (2).\n(2) The Director may, in writing, appoint a person to be an assessor for\nthe financial assistance scheme if the Director is satisfied that the\nperson has the appropriate skills, training and experience to\nperform the functions of an assessor.\n(4) Assessors have the functions conferred on them under this or any\nother Act and the powers necessary or convenient for performing\nthe functions of office.\n\nPart 4 Victims Financial Assistance Scheme\nDivision 2 Interim payments\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 14\n25 Applications generally\n(1) An eligible victim may apply for an interim payment or award in only\none of the categories of primary victim, secondary victim or family\nvictim of a violent act.\n(2) An eligible victim must not apply for more than one award for the\nsame violent act.\n(3) An eligible victim may apply for more than one interim payment for\nthe same violent act if the total of the interim payments does not\nexceed the maximum amount mentioned in section 27(5).\n(4) An eligible victim may apply for an award and an interim payment\nfor the same violent act.\n(5) An application for an interim payment, award or increased award\nmay be made for an eligible victim by a person who has a genuine\ninterest in the welfare of the eligible victim, including the parent or\nguardian of an eligible victim who is a child.\n25A Withdrawal of application\nAn applicant for financial assistance may, by notice to the Director,\nwithdraw the application at any time before it is decided.\nDivision 2 Interim payments\n25B Meaning of interim payment\nAn interim payment is a payment of financial assistance made\nunder this Division to an eligible victim for the victim's financial loss\nmentioned in section 10(5), 12(6) or 14(2).\n26 Application to Director for interim payment\n(1) An eligible victim of a violent act may apply to the Director for an\ninterim payment.\n(2) Subject to subsection (2A), there is no time limit for making an\napplication under subsection (1).\n(2A) If an eligible victim has applied for an award, the victim cannot\nmake an application under subsection (1) after the assessor\ndecides the application for an award.\n\nPart 4 Victims Financial Assistance Scheme\nDivision 2 Interim payments\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 15\n(3) An application under subsection (1) must include the following\ninformation:\n(a) whether the applicant is applying as a primary victim,\nsecondary victim or family victim;\n(b) the reasons the interim payment is required;\n(c) the amount of financial assistance sought;\n(d) whether the applicant has also applied for an award of\nfinancial assistance or intends to do so;\n(e) a brief description of the violent act, the name of the offender\n(if known) and the date on which the violent act occurred;\n(f) if the applicant is a primary victim – the date on which the\napplicant made a statement about the violent act to a police\nofficer or the reasons why no statement has been made;\n(g) if the applicant is a secondary victim or family victim – the date\non which the applicant made a statement to a police officer or,\nif the applicant did not make a statement, whether the primary\nvictim has made a statement;\n(h) if the applicant is a primary victim who is applying for financial\nassistance for a compensable injury or a secondary victim – a\ndescription of the injury resulting from the violent act;\n(i) whether the applicant has made a claim for benefits or\ncompensation under the Motor Accidents (Compensation)\nAct 1979 or Return to Work Act 1986 as a result of the injury\nor death and, if so, the outcome or current status of the claim;\n(j) any other information required by regulation.\n(4) If the applicant is a primary victim of a compensable violent act who\nis not applying for financial assistance for a compensable injury, the\napplication may include a description of injuries resulting from the\nviolent act.\n27 Decision about interim payment\n(1) Subject to section 47J, as soon as practicable after receiving the\napplication, the Director must decide whether to approve an interim\npayment or refuse to do so.\n\nPart 4 Victims Financial Assistance Scheme\nDivision 2 Interim payments\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 16\n(2) The Director must not approve the interim payment unless the\nDirector is satisfied it is reasonably likely:\n(a) the applicant has suffered or incurred, or will suffer or incur,\nthe financial loss described in the application; and\n(b) the financial loss results from the violent act described in the\napplication; and\n(c) the applicant is otherwise an eligible victim.\n(3) The Director may be satisfied about the matters mentioned in\nsubsection (2) even if:\n(a) no person has been charged with or found guilty of the violent\nact resulting in the applicant's financial loss; or\n(b) a person has been charged with or found guilty of a different\nviolent act than is described in the application.\n(4) If the Director approves the payment, the Director must also decide\nthe amount to be paid and whether any of the amount is to be paid\nto a person other than the applicant.\n(5) The maximum amount of the payment is $5 000.\n(6) The Director must give the applicant written notice of the decision\nincluding the following information:\n(a) if the Director approves an interim payment:\n(i) the amount to be paid and the reason for the payment;\nand\n(ii) if any of the amount is to be paid to a person other than\nthe applicant – the name of the person and any other\nrelevant details about the payment and its use; and\n(iii) the effect of the decision under section 28(1); and\n(iv) the circumstances when a reduction or refund of the\nfinancial assistance may be made or required;\n(b) if the Director refuses to approve an interim payment:\n(i) the reason for the refusal; and\n(ii) the effect of the decision under section 28.\n\nPart 4 Victims Financial Assistance Scheme\nDivision 3 Applications for awards\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 17\n28 Effect of decision\n(1) A decision under section 27 is final and is not subject to any review\nor appeal.\n(2) A decision refusing to approve an interim payment does not prevent\nan applicant who is an eligible victim from applying for an award of\nfinancial assistance.\n29 Payment\nAs soon as practicable (but within 28 days) after the Director\napproves an interim payment, the Territory must pay the amount\nspecified in the notice given to the applicant by the Director.\nDivision 3 Applications for awards\n29A Meaning of award\nAn award is an award of financial assistance made under\nDivision 4 to an eligible victim for any of the following:\n(a) the victim's financial loss mentioned in section 10(5), 12(6)\nor 14(2);\n(b) a compensable violent act or compensable injury.\n30 Application to Director for award\nAn eligible victim of a violent act may apply to the Director for an\naward.\n31 No time limit for lodging application\nThere is no time limit for making an application for an award.\n32 Form of application\n(1) An application for an award must include the following information:\n(a) whether the applicant is applying as a primary victim,\nsecondary victim or family victim of a violent act;\n(b) a brief description of the violent act, the name of the offender\n(if known) and the date on which the violent act occurred;\n(c) if the applicant is a primary victim – the date on which the\napplicant made a statement about the violent act to a police\nofficer or the reasons why no statement has been made;\n\nPart 4 Victims Financial Assistance Scheme\nDivision 3 Applications for awards\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 18\n(d) if the applicant is a secondary victim or family victim – the date\non which the applicant made a statement to a police officer or,\nif the applicant did not make a statement, whether the primary\nvictim made a statement;\n(e) if the applicant is a primary victim who is applying for financial\nassistance for a compensable injury or a secondary victim – a\ndescription of the injury resulting from the violent act;\n(f) if the applicant is applying for financial assistance for one or\nmore compensable injuries – the standard amount sought;\n(g) if the applicant is applying for financial assistance for financial\nloss – the nature and amount of the loss;\n(h) if financial assistance is sought for expenses incurred or\nreasonably likely to be incurred to assist the recovery from the\neffects of the violent act – a brief description of the applicant's\nexceptional circumstances;\n(i) whether the applicant has applied for or received an interim\npayment;\n(j) whether a civil or criminal proceeding has been commenced in\nrelation to the violent act or the applicant's injury, death or\nfinancial loss and, if so, the nature and outcome of the\nproceeding;\n(k) whether the applicant has made a claim for benefits or\ncompensation under the Motor Accidents (Compensation)\nAct 1979 or Return to Work Act 1986 as a result of the injury\nor death and, if so, the outcome or current status of the claim;\n(l) whether the applicant believes any other person may be a\nvictim of the violent act;\n(m) any other information required by regulation.\n(2) If the applicant is a primary victim of a compensable violent act who\nis not applying for financial assistance for a compensable injury, the\napplication may include a description of injuries resulting from the\nviolent act.\n(3) The application must be accompanied by the following documents:\n(a) a copy of the applicant's statement about the violent act made\nto a police officer, unless the applicant has given reasons why\na statement has not been made;\n\nPart 4 Victims Financial Assistance Scheme\nDivision 4 Deciding applications for awards\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 19\n(b) all documents in the applicant's possession supporting the\napplication, such as medical reports and invoices for\nexpenses incurred;\n(c) any other documents required by the Director or by regulation.\n33 Procedure after acceptance of application\n(1) As soon as practicable after the Director accepts an application for\nan award, the Director must give the application to an assessor for\na decision under Division 4.\n(2) The Director may give a copy of the application and a notice about\nthe entitlement under subsection (3) to the following persons:\n(a) an offender named in the application;\n(b) any other person the Director considers to have an interest in\nthe application.\n(3) As soon as practicable (but within 28 days) after receipt of a notice\ngiven under subsection (2), the person to whom the notice is\ndirected may give the Director a written submission relating to the\napplication.\n(4) The Director must give each submission to the assessor.\nDivision 4 Deciding applications for awards\n34 Deciding application and deferring decision\n(1) Subject to section 47J, the assessor must decide an application for\nan award, in accordance with this Act, by awarding financial\nassistance or refusing to award financial assistance.\n(2) The assessor must decide the application as soon as practicable\nbut if the Director gave a notice under section 33(2), not before the\nend of the period for giving submissions under section 33(3).\n(3) The assessor may defer the decision:\n(a) until the assessor has obtained further information or reports\nconsidered necessary to make a proper decision; or\n(b) if a civil or criminal proceeding has been commenced in\nrelation to the violent act or the applicant's injury, death or\nfinancial loss – until the proceeding is determined; or\n\nPart 4 Victims Financial Assistance Scheme\nDivision 4 Deciding applications for awards\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 20\n(c) if the Territory is seeking to recover an amount of money from\nthe applicant under Part 5 in relation to another application for\nfinancial assistance – until the proceeding for recovery of the\namount is determined.\n35 Examination of and report about applicant\n(1) The assessor may, by written notice, require the applicant to\nundergo an examination by any of the following persons:\n(a) a medical practitioner;\n(b) a psychologist;\n(c) a psychiatrist.\n(2) A person who examines the applicant must make a written report\nabout the applicant's injury and give it to the assessor.\n(3) The expenses of the examination and report must be paid by the\nTerritory to the person making the report.\n(4) The assessor may decide not to award financial assistance to the\napplicant if, without reasonable excuse, the applicant refuses or\nfails to undergo the examination.\n(5) This section applies to an application for financial assistance for a\ncompensable violent act only if it is made for a compensable injury\ndirectly resulting from the violent act.\n36 Obtaining information and documents\n(1) The assessor may obtain information and make the inquiries the\nassessor considers necessary to make a proper decision.\n(2) The assessor may, by written notice, require the applicant to give\nthe assessor further information or documents relevant to the\napplication.\n(3) The assessor may decide not to award financial assistance to the\napplicant if, without reasonable excuse, the applicant refuses or\nfails to give the assessor the information or documents.\n(4) The assessor may, by written notice, require any other person to\ngive the assessor the information or documents described in the\nnotice within the time specified in the notice.\n\nPart 4 Victims Financial Assistance Scheme\nDivision 4 Deciding applications for awards\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 21\n(5) A person must not, without reasonable excuse, contravene the\nrequirements of the notice.\nMaximum penalty: If the offender is a natural person –\n20 penalty units.\nIf the offender is a body corporate –\n100 penalty units.\n37 Award to eligible victim\n(1) The assessor may make an award of financial assistance only if\nsatisfied the applicant is an eligible victim of a violent act.\n(2) The assessor may be satisfied the applicant is an eligible victim\neven if:\n(a) no person has been charged with or found guilty of the violent\nact; or\n(b) a person has been charged with or found guilty of a different\nviolent act than the violent act described in the application.\n38 Award to primary victim\n(1) The maximum financial assistance that may be awarded to a\nprimary victim of a violent act under this Division is $40 000 less\nany amount paid as an interim payment, even if the victim's\nfinancial loss and the standard amount for the compensable violent\nact or the victim's compensable injuries exceed $40 000.\n(2) The maximum financial assistance that may be awarded to a\nprimary victim for financial loss described in section 10(5) is\n$10 000, less any amount paid as an interim payment, even if the\nvictim's financial loss exceeds $10 000.\n(3) The assessor may award a primary victim financial assistance for\none or more compensable injuries only if the total of the standard\namount for the injury or injuries is at least $7 500.\n39 Award to secondary victims\n(1) The maximum financial assistance that may be awarded to all the\nsecondary victims of the same violent act under this Division is\n$40 000 less any amounts paid as interim payments (the maximum\namount), even if the victims' financial loss and the standard\namounts for the victims' compensable injuries exceed the maximum\namount.\n\nPart 4 Victims Financial Assistance Scheme\nDivision 4 Deciding applications for awards\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 22\n(2) The maximum financial assistance that may be awarded to each\nsecondary victim for financial loss described in section 12(6) is\n$10 000, less any amount paid as an interim payment, even if the\nvictim's financial loss exceeds $10 000.\n(3) The assessor may award a secondary victim financial assistance\nfor one or more compensable injuries only if the total of the\nstandard amount for the injury or injuries is at least $7 500.\n(4) If the total financial assistance for all the secondary victims of the\nsame violent act is assessed to be more than the maximum\namount, the assessor must proportionately reduce each amount\nawarded.\n(5) However, subsections (6) and (7) apply if any of the secondary\nvictims witnessed the death of the primary victim at the scene of the\nviolent act and, at the time of the death, were:\n(a) the parents or guardians of the primary victim, being a child; or\n(b) the children of the primary victim; or\n(c) children under the guardianship of the primary victim.\n(6) The assessor must award each of the secondary victims mentioned\nin subsection (5):\n(a) the financial assistance as assessed; or\n(b) if the total financial assistance for all of those secondary\nvictims is assessed to be more than the maximum amount –\nfinancial assistance proportionately reduced.\n(7) If the maximum amount has not been awarded under\nsubsection (6), the assessor must award any other secondary\nvictims the remaining financial assistance proportionately reduced.\n40 Award to family victims\n(1) The maximum financial assistance that may be awarded to all the\nfamily victims of the same violent act under this Division is $40 000\nless any amounts paid as interim payments (the maximum\namount), even if the victims' financial loss exceeds the maximum\namount.\n(2) The maximum financial assistance that may be awarded to each\nfamily victim for financial loss described in section 14(3) is $10 000,\nless any amount paid as an interim payment, even if the victim's\nfinancial loss exceeds $10 000.\n\nPart 4 Victims Financial Assistance Scheme\nDivision 4 Deciding applications for awards\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 23\n(4) If the total financial assistance for all the family victims of the same\nviolent act is assessed to be more than the maximum amount, the\nassessor must, after awarding any financial assistance under\nsubsection (3), proportionately reduce each amount awarded.\n(5) However, subsections (6) and (7) apply if any of the family victims\nwere totally or substantially dependent on the primary victim.\n(6) The assessor must award each of the family victims mentioned in\nsubsection (5):\n(a) the financial assistance as assessed; or\n(b) if the total financial assistance for all of those family victims is\nassessed to be more than the maximum amount – financial\nassistance proportionately reduced.\n(7) If the maximum amount has not been awarded under\nsubsection (6), the assessor must award any other family victims\nthe remaining financial assistance proportionately reduced.\n(8) The assessor may award financial assistance to the family victims\nof the same violent act only if the assessor is satisfied no other\nfamily victim of the violent act is likely to make an application for an\naward.\n(9) The assessor may be satisfied no other family victim of a violent act\nis likely to make an application for an award if:\n(a) at least 3 months has elapsed since the latest application was\nmade by a family victim of the violent act; and\n(b) no other family victim of the violent act has made an\napplication or notified the assessor that he or she intends to\ndo so.\n41 When award may be reduced\n(1) The assessor may reduce an award after taking any of the following\nmatters into account:\n(a) if the applicant is a primary victim or secondary victim of a\nviolent act – any behaviour (including past criminal activity),\ncondition, attitude or disposition of the victim that directly or\nindirectly contributed to the injury or financial loss;\n(b) whether the applicant participated in the violent act,\nencouraged another person to commit the violent act or gave\nassistance to the offender;\n\nPart 4 Victims Financial Assistance Scheme\nDivision 4 Deciding applications for awards\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 24\n(c) whether the applicant failed to take reasonable steps to\nmitigate the extent of the injury or financial loss, such as\nseeking appropriate medical advice or treatment or obtaining\ncounselling, as soon as practicable after the violent act\noccurred;\n(d) whether the award is likely to benefit the offender because of\na relationship or connection between the applicant and\noffender;\n(e) any other matters the assessor is satisfied justify the\nreduction.\n(2) The reduction must be of an amount the assessor considers\nreasonable in the circumstances.\n42 When award must be reduced\n(1) The assessor must reduce an award if the applicant has received a\npayment for the compensable violent act, injury, death or loss\ndescribed in the application.\n(2) A payment mentioned in subsection (1) includes any of the\nfollowing:\n(a) an interim payment to which the applicant was not entitled;\n(b) compensation or damages from the offender or any person for\nthe offender;\n(c) private medical insurance benefit;\n(d) a benefit, compensation, damages or other award under an\nAct of the Territory, the Commonwealth, a State or another\nTerritory;\n(e) payment under an agreement or insurance policy.\n(3) The assessor must reduce the award by an amount equal to the\npayment the applicant has received.\n43 When financial assistance must not be awarded\nThe assessor must not award financial assistance to the applicant if\nany of the following circumstances apply:\n(a) the assessor is satisfied the applicant is not entitled to an\naward;\n\nPart 4 Victims Financial Assistance Scheme\nDivision 4 Deciding applications for awards\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 25\n(b) the violent act was not reported to a police officer within a\nreasonable time after its occurrence, unless the assessor is\nsatisfied circumstances prevented the report being made;\n(c) the violent act was not reported to a police officer before the\ndate the assessor decides the application, unless the\nassessor is satisfied circumstances prevented the report being\nmade;\n(d) the applicant failed, without reasonable excuse, to assist\npolice officers in a material way in the investigation or\nprosecution of the violent act, including by failing to make a\nformal complaint or statement;\n(e) the assessor is satisfied the applicant made the application in\ncollusion with the offender;\n(f) the injury or death occurred during the commission of an\nindictable offence by the applicant.\n44 Notice of decision\n(1) As soon as practicable after deciding the application, the assessor\nmust give the Director a notice, in the approved form, of the\nassessor's decision.\n(2) A notice awarding financial assistance must include the following\ninformation:\n(a) the total financial assistance awarded;\n(b) the amount of financial assistance awarded, as applicable, for\nthe compensable violent act, each type of financial loss and\neach compensable injury (or all the compensable injuries) and\nthe basis on which each amount is awarded;\n(c) if the assessor has reduced an award – the amount by which\nthe award has been reduced and the reason for the reduction;\n(d) if the assessor has made an award to more than one\nsecondary victim or family victim of the same violent act –\ndetails about the apportionment of financial assistance and the\nbasis for each award;\n(e) if the application was made for the eligible victim by a person\nmentioned in section 25(5) – details about the payment of\nfinancial assistance and requirements, directed to the person,\nabout the use or management (including by the creation of a\ntrust) of the financial assistance;\n\nPart 4 Victims Financial Assistance Scheme\nDivision 5 Payments, increases and refunds of awards or interim payments\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 26\n(f) the fact that the applicant has a right to have the decision\nreviewed by NTCAT;\n(g) any other information the assessor considers should be\nincluded or that is required by regulation.\n(3) A person must not, without reasonable excuse, contravene a\nrequirement directed to the person under subsection (2)(e).\nMaximum penalty: 100 penalty units.\n(4) A notice refusing to award financial assistance must include the\nfollowing information:\n(a) the reasons for the decision;\n(b) if the assessor is satisfied the applicant received an interim\npayment to which the applicant was not entitled – the\nrequirement for a refund and the information mentioned in\nsection 47(1) and (2)(a) to (c);\n(c) the fact that the applicant has a right to have the decision\nreviewed by NTCAT;\n(d) any other information the assessor considers should be\nincluded or that is required by regulation.\n(5) The Director must give the notice to the applicant and may give a\ncopy to the following persons:\n(a) an offender named in the application;\n(b) if the Director considers it appropriate – any person who gave\nthe Director a submission under section 33(3) relating to the\napplication.\nDivision 5 Payments, increases and refunds of awards or\ninterim payments\n45 Payment of award\nWithin 28 days after the Director gives notice under section 44(5) to\nan applicant awarded financial assistance, the Territory must pay\nthe amount specified in the notice.\n\nPart 4 Victims Financial Assistance Scheme\nDivision 5 Payments, increases and refunds of awards or interim payments\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 27\n46 Increase of award\n(1) An applicant paid financial assistance under section 45 may apply\nto the Director for an increased award:\n(a) if the applicant was an adult at the date of payment – within\n3 years after that date; or\n(b) if the applicant was a child at the date of payment – within\n3 years after the person becomes an adult.\n(2) The application must include the reason why the increase is sought,\nthe amount of financial assistance sought and any other information\nrequired by regulation.\n(3) The application must be accompanied by documents in support of\nthe application.\n(4) On receipt of the application from the Director, subject to\nsection 47J, the assessor must decide the application in\naccordance with the relevant provisions of Division 4 and may\ndecide to increase the award or refuse to do so.\n(5) The assessor may increase the award only if satisfied:\n(a) the circumstances require it; and\n(b) the relevant maximum amount of financial assistance\nmentioned in section 38, 39 or 40 has not already been\nawarded.\n(6) The assessor must give the Director a notice of the assessor's\ndecision to increase the award or refuse to do so.\n(7) The notice must be in the approved form including the following\ninformation:\n(a) the reasons for the decision;\n(b) if the assessor has increased the award:\n(i) the amount of financial assistance to be paid to the\napplicant; and\n(ii) if the application was made by a person mentioned in\nsection 25(5) – details about the payment of financial\nassistance and requirements, directed to the person,\nabout the use or management (including by the creation\nof a trust) of the financial assistance;\n\nPart 4 Victims Financial Assistance Scheme\nDivision 5 Payments, increases and refunds of awards or interim payments\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 28\n(c) the fact that the applicant has a right to have the decision\nreviewed by NTCAT.\n(8) A person must not, without reasonable excuse, contravene a\nrequirement directed to the person under subsection (7)(b)(ii).\nMaximum penalty: 100 penalty units.\n(9) The Director must give the notice to the applicant and may give a\ncopy to an offender named in the applicant's original application for\nan award.\n(10) Within 28 days after the Director gives a notice to an applicant\nawarded increased financial assistance, the Territory must pay the\namount specified in the notice.\n47 Refund of award or interim payment\n(1) An assessor may require a person to refund an amount to the\nTerritory if satisfied the person has received:\n(a) an award or interim payment to which the person was not\nentitled; or\n(b) further payments of a type mentioned in section 42(2)(b) to (e)\nafter being paid financial assistance under section 45 or 46.\n(2) The assessor must give the Director notice of the requirement, in\nthe approved form, including the following information:\n(a) the amount to be refunded;\n(b) the reasons the refund is required;\n(c) the time in which the person must refund the amount, which\nmust be at least 28 days after receipt of the notice by the\nperson;\n(d) the fact that the applicant has a right to have the decision\nreviewed by NTCAT.\n(3) The Director must give the notice to the person required to refund\nthe amount and may give a copy to an offender named in the\nperson's original application for financial assistance.\n(4) The amount to be refunded is a debt owing to the Territory.\n\nPart 4 Victims Financial Assistance Scheme\nDivision 5A Funeral expense assistance\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 29\nDivision 5A Funeral expense assistance\n47A Meaning of funeral expense assistance\nFuneral expense assistance is a payment under this Division\nmade to or for an individual who has incurred the costs of a funeral\nof a primary victim of a violent act.\n47B Eligibility and application for funeral expense assistance\n(1) Subject to subsection (2), an individual who has incurred or is\nreasonably likely to incur the costs of a funeral of a primary victim of\na violent act who died as a direct result of the act is eligible to apply\nfor funeral expense assistance.\n(2) If the individual committed the violent act, the individual is not\neligible to apply for funeral expense assistance.\n(3) An individual who is eligible to apply, may apply to the Director for\nfuneral expense assistance.\n(4) An individual may apply under subsection (3) for more than one\npayment of funeral expense assistance in relation to a single\nprimary victim's funeral if the total of the payments does not exceed\nthe maximum amount mentioned in section 47D.\n47C Time limit for lodging application\n(1) Subject to subsection (2), an application under section 47B must be\nmade within 2 years after the death of the primary victim in relation\nto whose funeral the application is made.\n(2) The Director may accept an application under section 47B after the\nexpiry of the period mentioned in subsection (1) if the Director\nconsiders the circumstances justify it.\n47D Amount of funeral expense assistance\nThe maximum amount of funeral expense assistance payable in\nrelation to a primary victim's funeral is the lesser of the following\namounts:\n(a) the amount equal to the costs that the Director considers the\napplicant reasonably incurred, or will reasonably incur, for the\nfuneral less any amounts that are paid by an organisation to or\nfor the applicant in relation to the funeral including a payment\nmade under an insurance policy;\n(b) $15 000.\n\nPart 4 Victims Financial Assistance Scheme\nDivision 5A Funeral expense assistance\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 30\n47E Deciding application\n(1) Subject to section 47J and subsection (2), after considering an\napplication under section 47B, the Director must:\n(a) decide whether to approve the payment of funeral expense\nassistance or refuse to do so; and\n(b) if the payment is approved – decide:\n(i) the amount of assistance to be paid; and\n(ii) whether any of the assistance is to be paid to a person\nother than the applicant.\n(2) The Director must not approve the payment of funeral expense\nassistance unless the Director is satisfied that:\n(a) the applicant is entitled, under section 47B, to apply for funeral\nexpense assistance; and\n(b) the application was made within the time allowed under\nsection 47C.\n(3) To avoid doubt, the Director may decide that funeral expense\nassistance is payable even if:\n(a) no person has been charged with or found guilty of the violent\nact that caused the death of the primary victim; or\n(b) a person has been charged with or found guilty of a different\nviolent act than is described in the application.\n(4) The Director must give written notice of the decision to the applicant\nthat includes the following information:\n(a) the decision and the reasons for it;\n(b) the fact that the applicant has a right to have the decision\nreviewed by NTCAT.\n47F Payment of funeral expense assistance\nAs soon as practicable, but no later than 28 days after the Director\ndecides to pay funeral expense assistance, the Territory must pay\nthe amount specified in the notice given to the applicant under\nsection 47E(4) in accordance with the notice.\n\nPart 4 Victims Financial Assistance Scheme\nDivision 5B Closure of financial assistance application if applicant uncontactable\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 31\n47G Refund of funeral expense assistance\n(1) The Director may decide to require an individual to refund an\namount of funeral expense assistance to the Territory if satisfied\nthat:\n(a) the individual has received funeral expense assistance to\nwhich the individual was not entitled; or\n(b) an amount has been paid by an organisation to or for the\nindividual in relation to the funeral for which the funeral\nexpense assistance was paid, including a payment made\nunder an insurance policy.\n(2) The Director must give written notice of the decision to the\nindividual that includes the following information:\n(a) the amount to be refunded;\n(b) the reasons the refund is required;\n(c) the time in which the individual must refund the amount, which\nmust be at least 28 days after receipt of the notice by the\nindividual;\n(d) the fact that the individual has a right to have the decision\nreviewed by NTCAT.\n(3) The amount to be refunded is a debt owing to the Territory.\nDivision 5B Closure of financial assistance application if\napplicant uncontactable\n47H Notice of proposed closure of application\n(1) If a CVSU officer is unable to contact an applicant for financial\nassistance after making reasonable attempts over a period of at\nleast 3 months, a CVSU officer may send, to the last known\naddress and email address (if applicable) of the applicant, a notice\nof proposed closure of the application.\n(2) The notice must state the following:\n(a) a CVSU officer has been unable to contact the applicant for at\nleast 3 months after making reasonable attempts to do so;\n(b) the applicant's application will be closed, without further\nnotice, unless the applicant provides updated contact details\nto a CVSU officer within 30 days after the date of the notice;\n\nPart 4 Victims Financial Assistance Scheme\nDivision 6 Review of decisions\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 32\n(c) if the application is closed:\n(i) it will be reopened if the applicant requests that it be\nreopened within 6 months of the date on which it was\nclosed; or\n(ii) the applicant may be able to make a new application.\n(3) In this section:\nCVSU officer, see section 4 of the Victims of Crime Rights and\nServices Act 2006.\n47J Closure of application\n(1) Subsection (2) applies in relation to an application for financial\nassistance if the applicant:\n(a) is sent a notice under section 47H(1); and\n(b) fails to comply with the notice within the period specified in the\nnotice.\n(2) On the expiry of the period specified in the notice, the assessor or\nthe Director, as the case requires, is taken to have closed the\napplication without deciding it.\n47K Reopening of closed application\nThe Director must reopen an application that has been closed\nunder section 47J if, within 6 months of the date of the closure, the\napplicant requests the Director to reopen it.\nNote for section 47K\nThe applicant may also be able to make a new application.\nDivision 6 Review of decisions\n48 Review by NTCAT\n(1) NTCAT has jurisdiction to review a decision (a reviewable\ndecision) specified in Schedule 1.\n(2) An affected person, for a reviewable decision, is a person\nspecified in Schedule 1 for the reviewable decision.\n\nPart 5 Recovery of money from offenders\nDivision 1 Debt recovery notice process\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 33\n(3) An affected person for a reviewable decision may apply to NTCAT\nfor review of the decision.\nNote for section 48\nThe Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2014 sets out the\nprocedure for applying to NTCAT for review and other relevant matters in relation\nto reviews.\nDivision 7 Legal representation and costs\n54 Applications\n(1) A person may be represented by a legal practitioner in making an\napplication under Division 3, 5 or 5A.\n(2) However, the legal practitioner is not entitled to recover from the\nperson any costs, except the legal practitioner's reasonable\ndisbursements, incurred in representing the person.\n(3) For subsection (2), the legal practitioner's disbursements do not\ninclude counsel's fees.\n(4) The Territory is not liable to pay any costs incurred by a person or\nlegal practitioner in making an application under Division 3, 5 or 5A.\n55 Review\n(2) The Regulations may prescribe the costs allowable to a legal\npractitioner for work done in a review proceeding.\n(3) The Regulations may provide for any other matter relevant to the\ncosts of a review proceeding, including the following:\n(a) the Territory's liability for an applicant's costs;\n(b) the way in which NTCAT may exercise a discretion in making\nan order for costs.\nPart 5 Recovery of money from offenders\nDivision 1 Debt recovery notice process\n55A Definitions\nIn this Division:\ndebt amount, see section 55B(2).\ndebt recovery notice, see section 55B(2).\n\nPart 5 Recovery of money from offenders\nDivision 1 Debt recovery notice process\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 34\n55B Director may seek to recover amount by giving debt recovery\nnotice\n(1) This section applies to the Director if:\n(a) the Territory has paid financial assistance:\n(i) to a victim of a violent act; or\n(ii) to or for an individual who has incurred the costs of a\nfuneral of a primary victim of a violent act; and\n(b) one or more offenders are found guilty of an offence that\nresulted in the payment.\n(2) Subject to subsections (4) and (5), the Director may give a notice (a\ndebt recovery notice) to the offender or offenders requiring\npayment of a specified amount (the debt amount).\n(3) The debt amount must be an amount that is equal to or less than\nthe total amount of financial assistance paid by the Territory.\n(4) The debt recovery notice cannot be given to an offender more than\n3 years after the last to occur of the following:\n(a) the payment of the financial assistance;\n(b) the offender being found guilty of an offence that resulted in\nthe payment of the financial assistance.\n(5) The debt recovery notice cannot be given to an offender against\nwhom the Territory has commenced a proceeding in the Court\nunder section 56 for recovery of the financial assistance.\n55C Content and service of debt recovery notice\n(1) The debt recovery notice must specify the following:\n(a) the name of each offender to whom the notice is directed;\n(b) the amount of financial assistance paid by the Territory and\nthe date or dates on which the assistance was paid;\n(c) details of the violent act that constituted the offence committed\nby the offender or offenders that resulted in the financial\nassistance being paid;\n(d) that the offender or offenders are required to pay the debt\namount;\n\nPart 5 Recovery of money from offenders\nDivision 1 Debt recovery notice process\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 35\n(e) if the notice is directed to more than one offender – that each\nof the offenders is jointly and severally liable for payment of\nthe debt amount;\n(f) the date by which the offender or offenders must pay the debt\namount, which must be at least 28 days after the date of the\nnotice;\n(g) that the offender may object to the notice by lodging a written\nobjection with NTCAT;\n(h) any other information prescribed by regulation or that the\nDirector considers should be included.\n(2) A debt recovery notice is given to an offender if it is:\n(a) served on the offender in a way mentioned in section 25 of the\nInterpretation Act 1978; or\n(b) given to the offender by means of electronic communication\nas defined in section 5 of the Electronic Transactions\n(Northern Territory) Act 2000.\n55D Objection\n(1) An offender who receives a debt recovery notice may object to the\nnotice by making an application to NTCAT on one or both of the\nfollowing grounds:\n(a) the victim contributed to the injury or death for which the\nfinancial assistance sought to be recovered was paid;\n(b) the financial assistance paid was excessive in the\ncircumstances.\n(2) The objection:\n(a) is a matter within NTCAT's original jurisdiction; and\n(b) must be lodged with NTCAT:\n(i) within 28 days after the date of the debt recovery notice;\nor\n(ii) if NTCAT extends the period for lodgement under\nsubsection (3) – within the extended period.\n(3) If an offender has a reasonable excuse for not being able to lodge\nan objection within 28 days after the date of the debt recovery\nnotice, NTCAT may extend the period for lodgement.\n\nPart 5 Recovery of money from offenders\nDivision 1 Debt recovery notice process\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 36\n(4) The objection must specify fully and in detail the facts relied on by\nthe offender.\n(5) The offender has the onus of proving the offender's case.\n(6) The Director is a party to a proceeding commenced under this\nsection.\n55E Decision on objection\n(1) After considering an objection to a debt recovery notice, NTCAT\nmay decide:\n(a) to allow the objection in whole or in part or disallow the\nobjection; and\n(b) to confirm, vary or revoke the notice.\n(2) NTCAT must give the offender who lodged the objection written\nnotice of the decision including the reasons for it.\n(3) An application for an internal review under section 140 of the\nNorthern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2014 cannot\nbe made in relation to a decision of NTCAT on an objection.\n55F Liability to pay debt\n(1) An offender who receives a debt recovery notice must pay the debt\namount by the date or within the period specified in the notice.\n(2) For subsection (1), if the debt recovery notice is directed to more\nthan one offender, each of the offenders is jointly and severally\nliable to pay to the Territory the debt amount specified in the notice.\n(3) Despite subsections (1) and (2), if an offender objects to a debt\nrecovery notice under section 55D:\n(a) the requirement for the offender, and any other offender to\nwhom the notice is directed, to pay the debt amount specified\nin the notice is suspended pending NTCAT's decision on the\nobjection; and\n(b) if NTCAT decides to confirm or vary the notice:\n(i) the suspension of the requirement to pay the debt\namount ceases on the date of the decision; and\n(ii) the due date for payment of the debt amount is extended\nby the period of the suspension unless NTCAT orders\notherwise.\n\nPart 5 Recovery of money from offenders\nDivision 2 Court process\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 37\n(4) Despite subsection (3)(b), if an offender lodges an appeal against\nNTCAT's decision under section 141 of the Northern Territory Civil\nand Administrative Tribunal Act 2014:\n(a) the requirement for the offender, and any other offender to\nwhom the debt recovery notice (as confirmed or varied by\nNTCAT) is directed, to pay the debt amount specified in the\nnotice is suspended pending a decision on the appeal; and\n(b) if, on appeal, the Supreme Court or NTCAT decides to confirm\nor vary the notice:\n(i) the suspension of the requirement to pay the debt\namount ceases on the date of the decision; and\n(ii) the due date for payment of the debt amount is extended\nby the period of the suspension unless the Supreme\nCourt or NTCAT orders otherwise.\n55G Recovery of debt\n(1) If a person who is required to pay an amount under section 55F\nfails to pay the amount, or pays only a part of the amount, by the\ndue date, the Director may refer the outstanding amount to the\nFines Recovery Unit.\n(2) Enforcement action for recovery of the outstanding amount may be\ntaken by the Fines Recovery Unit under the Fines and Penalties\n(Recovery) Act 2001 as if the outstanding amount were an\noutstanding fine imposed by a court.\n(3) In this section:\nFines Recovery Unit, see section 5 of the Fines and Penalties\n(Recovery) Act 2001.\nDivision 2 Court process\n56 Territory may recover from offender\n(1) Subsection (2) applies to the Territory if it has paid financial\nassistance:\n(a) to a victim of a violent act; or\n(b) to or for an individual who has incurred the costs of a funeral\nof a primary victim of a violent act.\n\nPart 5 Recovery of money from offenders\nDivision 3 Miscellaneous matters\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 38\n(2) The Territory may commence a proceeding in the Court for\nrecovery of an equal or lesser amount of money from an offender\nwho:\n(a) has been found guilty of an offence that resulted in the\npayment; or\n(b) is alleged to have committed an offence that resulted in the\npayment but who has not been charged with or found guilty of\nthe offence.\n(3) In the proceeding, the Territory must prove the following matters to\nthe satisfaction of the Court:\n(a) the Territory paid the amount sought to be recovered;\n(b) the offender against whom the proceeding is brought:\n(i) was found guilty of an offence that resulted in the\npayment; or\n(ii) on the balance of probabilities, committed an offence\nthat resulted in the payment.\n(4) The Court may reduce the amount sought to be recovered by the\nTerritory if:\n(a) the offender satisfies the Court the victim contributed to the\ninjury or death for which the amount was paid; or\n(b) the Court is satisfied the financial assistance paid was\nexcessive in the circumstances.\n(5) If the Court is satisfied that all or some of the financial assistance\nshould not have been paid, it may order that the Territory is not\nentitled to recover from the offender all or part of the amount paid\nby the Territory.\n57 No appeal to Supreme Court\nA party to a proceeding under this Division is not entitled to appeal\nto the Supreme Court against any order of the Court.\nDivision 3 Miscellaneous matters\n58 Recovery by set-off\n(1) Subsection (2) applies in relation to an amount that is payable\nunder section 55F or that the Court, under section 56, orders that\nthe Territory may recover from an offender.\n\nPart 6 Victims Assistance Fund and levy\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 39\n(2) The Territory is entitled to recover all or part of the amount by\nset-off if, under the financial assistance scheme, financial\nassistance is payable to the offender.\n59 Recovered money to be paid into Fund\nAny money recovered by the Territory under this Part must be paid\ninto the Fund.\nPart 6 Victims Assistance Fund and levy\n60 Victims Assistance Fund\n(1) The Victims Assistance Fund is established.\n(2) The Fund consists of the following:\n(a) money appropriated for the Fund to the Agency primarily\nresponsible for the administration of this Act;\n(b) the total amount of the levy imposed under section 61;\n(c) money recovered by the Territory under this Act;\n(d) money paid into the Fund under any other Act.\n(3) The money of the Fund must be credited into a fund maintained\nwithin the Agency Operating Account within the meaning of the\nFinancial Management Act 1995.\n61 Imposition of levy\n(1) A levy is imposed to provide a source of revenue for the Fund.\n(2) Subject to any exceptions prescribed by regulation, a levy is\nimposed on a person:\n(a) who is found guilty of an offence but not imprisoned for the\noffence; or\n(b) who expiates an offence by paying an amount specified in an\ninfringement notice issued to the person; or\n(c) against whom an enforcement order is made.\n\nPart 6 Victims Assistance Fund and levy\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 40\n(3) Subject to any other amount being prescribed by regulation, the\nlevy imposed under subsection (2)(a):\n(a) on an adult:\n(i) is 200 revenue units for an offence following prosecution\non indictment; or\n(ii) is 150 revenue units for any other offence; or\n(b) on a child is 50 revenue units; or\n(c) on a body corporate is 1 000 revenue units.\n(4) The amount of the levy imposed on a person under\nsubsection (2)(a) must be specified in:\n(a) the formal record of the finding of guilt and sentence; and\n(b) the notice of the finding of guilt or sentence given to the\nperson.\n(6) Subject to any other amount being prescribed by regulation, the\nlevy imposed under subsection (2)(b) or (c):\n(a) is 40 revenue units; and\n(b) must be specified in the relevant infringement notice or\nenforcement order.\n(7) Despite any other law in force in the Territory, a person on whom a\nlevy is imposed under subsection (2)(b) or (c) is not immune from\nprosecution for the relevant offence unless the amount specified in\nthe infringement notice or enforcement order and the levy imposed\nby this section are paid.\n(8) If money is paid by a person on whom a levy is imposed under\nsubsection (2)(b), the money must be initially appropriated towards\nmeeting the person's liability for the levy.\n(9) A court must not reduce a levy payable by a person or exonerate a\nperson found guilty of an offence from liability to pay a levy.\n(10) In this section:\nenforcement order has the same meaning as in the Fines and\nPenalties (Recovery) Act 2001.\ninfringement notice has the same meaning as in section 9 of the\nFines and Penalties (Recovery) Act 2001.\n\nPart 7 Miscellaneous matters\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 41\noffence means any offence against a law in force in the Territory.\nPart 7 Miscellaneous matters\n62 Preservation of civil claim for damages\n(1) This Act does not affect the right of a person to claim or recover\ncompensation or damages under any other law.\n(2) A court in which an action for damages under any other law is\nheard must not take into consideration that financial assistance has\nbeen or may be paid.\n63 Obstruction and providing false information\nA person must not:\n(a) hinder or obstruct a person exercising a power or performing a\nfunction under this Act; or\n(b) knowingly or recklessly provide false or misleading information\nto a person exercising a power or performing a function under\nthis Act.\nMaximum penalty: If the offender is a natural person –\n100 penalty units or imprisonment for\n6 months.\nIf the offender is a body corporate –\n500 penalty units.\n64 Inadmissibility of certain information in proceedings\n(1) Despite any law to the contrary, an application for financial\nassistance and any other document prepared solely for the\napplication and given to the Director or an assessor are not\nadmissible as evidence in any civil or criminal proceeding.\n(2) In a proceeding, a person must not be required to produce a\ndocument mentioned in subsection (1).\n(3) This section does not apply in relation to the following proceedings:\n(a) a proceeding for the review of a decision;\n(b) a criminal proceeding in which the applicant for financial\nassistance is the defendant;\n(c) a proceeding for an offence against this Act;\n\nPart 7 Miscellaneous matters\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 42\n(ca) a proceeding under Part 5, Division 2;\n(d) any other proceeding if the person to whom the document\nprincipally refers has consented to the use or production of the\ndocument.\n65 Guidelines\n(1) The Minister may issue guidelines, consistent with this Act and the\nRegulations, relating to the performance of functions by the Director\nand assessors.\n(2) The Director and assessors must have regard to the guidelines\nwhen performing their functions under this Act.\n66 Approved forms\nThe Director may approve forms for use under this Act.\n67 Delegations\nThe following persons may delegate to a person any of their powers\nunder this Act:\n(a) the Minister;\n(b) the Director.\n68 Protection from liability\n(1) This section applies to a person who is or has been:\n(a) the Director; or\n(b) an assessor; or\n(c) a person providing counselling or related services under the\ncounselling scheme.\n(2) The person is not civilly or criminally liable for an act done or\nomitted to be done by the person in good faith in the exercise or\npurported exercise of a power, or the performance or purported\nperformance of a function, under this Act.\n(3) Subsection (2) does not affect any liability the Territory would, apart\nfrom that subsection, have for the act or omission.\n\nPart 7 Miscellaneous matters\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 43\n69 Regulations\n(1) The Administrator may make regulations, not inconsistent with this\nAct, prescribing matters:\n(a) required or permitted to be prescribed; or\n(b) necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or\ngiving effect to this Act.\n(2) The Regulations may deal with any of the following:\n(a) any matters in connection with the counselling scheme,\nincluding the exercise of discretions by the Director;\n(b) any matters in connection with the financial assistance\nscheme, including the exercise of discretions by the Director\nor an assessor;\n(c) procedures relating to medical examinations and reports\nordered by an assessor and the costs and payments for those\nexaminations and reports;\n(d) the assessment of financial loss, including the following:\n(i) the method of calculating loss of earnings;\n(ii) the special circumstances in which an assessor may\naward financial assistance to assist a victim of a violent\nact to recover from the effects of the violent act;\n(e) awards for compensable violent acts and compensable\ninjuries, including the following:\n(i) different awards for different categories of a\ncompensable violent act or compensable injury;\n(ii) the assessment of a standard amount for more than one\ncompensable injury directly resulting from the same\nviolent act;\n(iii) the reduction of a standard amount, including for the\naggravation, acceleration, exacerbation or deterioration\nof an existing condition;\n(iv) procedures to establish whether a person has a\ncompensable injury or the degree of seriousness of a\ncompensable injury;\n(v) choices available to an applicant for an award;\n\nPart 8 Repeals and transitional matters for Victims of Crime Assistance Act 2006\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 44\n(f) increased awards of financial assistance;\n(g) requirements for refunds of financial assistance.\n70 Review after 3 years\nThere is to be a review of the first 3 years of operation of this Act.\nPart 8 Repeals and transitional matters for Victims of\nCrime Assistance Act 2006\n71 Definitions\nIn this Part:\ncommencement day means the day on which this Part comes into\noperation.\nrepealed Act means the Crimes (Victims Assistance) Act 1982 as\nin force immediately before the commencement day.\n72 Repeals\nThe Acts specified in Schedule 2 are repealed.\n73 Repealed Act applies to application for assistance certificate\nThe repealed Act continues to apply in relation to an application for\nan assistance certificate made before the commencement day.\n74 Application of Act to violent act\nThis Act applies to an application for counselling or financial\nassistance even if the violent act to which the application relates\noccurred before the commencement day.\n75 Fund\nThe Victims' Assistance Fund continues in force as the Fund.\n\nPart 9 Transitional matters for amending legislation\nDivision 3 Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal (Conferral of Jurisdiction\nAmendments) Act 2014\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 45\nPart 9 Transitional matters for amending legislation\nDivision 1 Revenue and Other Legislation Amendment\nAct 2010\n76 Application\n(1) Section 61(6)(a) as amended by the amending Act applies only in\nrelation to an offence committed on or after the commencement.\n(2) In this section:\namending Act means Revenue and Other Legislation Amendment\nAct 2010.\ncommencement means the commencement of Part 6 of the\namending Act.\nDivision 2 Victims of Crime Assistance Amendment Act 2013\n77 Application\n(1) Section 61 as amended by the amending Act applies only in\nrelation to an offence committed on or after the commencement.\n(2) In this section:\namending Act means the Victims of Crime Assistance Amendment\nAct 2013.\ncommencement means the commencement of the amending Act.\nDivision 3 Northern Territory Civil and Administrative\nTribunal (Conferral of Jurisdiction Amendments)\nAct 2014\n78 Definitions\nIn this Division:\ncommencement means the day on which Part 7 of the Northern\nTerritory Civil and Administrative Tribunal (Conferral of Jurisdiction\nAmendments) Act 2014 commences.\n\nPart 9 Transitional matters for amending legislation\nDivision 3 Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal (Conferral of Jurisdiction\nAmendments) Act 2014\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 46\n79 Review of decision notified before commencement\n(1) This section applies if, before the commencement:\n(a) the Director or an assessor had given an appeal notice to an\napplicant; and\n(b) the appeal period for the decision had not expired.\n(2) This Act, as in force immediately before the commencement,\ncontinues to apply in relation to the following:\n(a) the right of the applicant given the appeal notice to appeal to\nthe Local Court within the appeal period for the decision; and\n(b) the functions and powers of the Local Court in conducting and\ndeciding a proceeding for the appeal regardless of whether\nthe proceeding:\n(i) was being conducted before the commencement; or\n(ii) is started after the commencement by a person\nmentioned in paragraph (a);\n(c) the right to legal representation;\n(d) the provisions relating to costs and disbursements;\n(e) a decision by an assessor following a referral to the assessor\nby the Local Court.\n(3) In this section:\nappeal notice means a notice of a decision mentioned in\nsection 48 as in force immediately before the commencement.\nappeal period means the period during which a person given an\nappeal notice has a right to appeal to the Local Court.\n80 Review of Director's or assessor's decision made after\ncommencement\n(1) The new legislation applies in relation to a review of a decision of\nthe Director or an assessor if:\n(a) an application for the decision was made before\ncommencement; and\n(b) the decision was made after commencement.\n\nPart 9 Transitional matters for amending legislation\nDivision 4 Victims of Crime Assistance Amendment Act 2023\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 47\n(2) In this section:\nnew legislation means:\n(a) this Act and the Regulations as in force after the\ncommencement; and\n(b) the Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal\nAct 2014.\nDivision 4 Victims of Crime Assistance Amendment Act 2023\n81 Definitions\nIn this Division:\namending Act means the Victims of Crime Assistance Amendment\nAct 2023.\ncommencement means commencement of Part 2 of the amending\nAct.\n82 References to interim payments\nA reference to an interim payment is taken to include a reference to\nan immediate payment as defined in section 4 immediately before\nthe commencement.\n83 Application of amendments to Part 4\nPart 4, as amended by the amending Act, applies in relation to an\napplication for financial assistance that was made, but had not been\ndecided, before the commencement.\n84 Application of funeral expense assistance provisions\nTo avoid doubt, an application for funeral expense assistance may\nbe made in relation to costs incurred before the commencement,\nunless an application for financial assistance has been made and\ndecided before the commencement in relation to the same costs.\n85 Application of debt recovery procedures\nTo avoid doubt, a debt recovery notice may be given under\nsection 55B:\n(a) in relation to financial assistance that was paid to a victim of a\nviolent act before the commencement; or\n\nPart 9 Transitional matters for amending legislation\nDivision 4 Victims of Crime Assistance Amendment Act 2023\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 48\n(b) to an offender who, before the commencement, was found\nguilty of an offence that resulted in the payment of the\nfinancial assistance specified in the notice.\n\nSchedule 1 Reviewable decisions\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 49\nSchedule 1 Reviewable decisions\nsection 48\nItem Reviewable decision Affected person\n1 A decision of an assessor under section 34\non an application for an award\nThe applicant\n2 A decision of an assessor under\nsection 46(4) on an application for an\nincreased award\nThe applicant\n3 A decision of an assessor under\nsection 47(1) to require a person to refund\nan amount\nThe person required to\nrefund the amount\n4 A decision of the Director under section 47E\non an application for funeral expense\nassistance\nThe applicant\n5 A decision of the Director under\nsection 47G(1) to require an individual to\nrefund an amount of funeral expense\nassistance\nThe individual\n\nSchedule 2 Repealed Acts\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 50\nSchedule 2 Repealed Acts\nsection 72\nCrimes Compensation Act 1982 Act No. 46 of 1982\nCrimes Compensation Amendment Act 1989 Act No. 83 of 1989\nCrimes (Victims Assistance) Amendment Act 1999 Act No. 13 of 1999\nCrimes (Victims Assistance) Amendment Act 2002 Act No. 57 of 2002\n\nENDNOTES\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 51\nENDNOTES\n1 KEY Key to abbreviations\namd = amended od = order\napp = appendix om = omitted\nbl = by-law pt = Part\nch = Chapter r = regulation/rule\ncl = clause rem = remainder\ndiv = Division renum = renumbered\nexp = expires/expired rep = repealed\nf = forms s = section\nGaz = Gazette sch = Schedule\nhdg = heading sdiv = Subdivision\nins = inserted SL = Subordinate Legislation\nlt = long title sub = substituted\nnc = not commenced\n2 LIST OF LEGISLATION\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 (Act No. 15, 2006)\nAssent date 18 May 2006\nCommenced 1 May 2007 (Gaz G17, 26 April 2007, p 7)\nJustice Legislation Amendment Act 2007 (Act No. 5, 2007)\nAssent date 24 April 2007\nCommenced s 37 (exc amd of Criminal Code and Legal Profession\nAct 2006): 1 May 2007 (s 2(1), s 2 Victims of Crime\nAssistance Act 2006 (Act No. 15, 2006) and Gaz G17,\n26 April 2007, p 7); rem: 24 April 2007\nLaw Reform (Work Health) Amendment Act 2007 (Act No. 30, 2007)\nAssent date 12 December 2007\nCommenced 1 July 2008 (Gaz S29, 25 June 2008)\nJustice Legislation Amendment Act (No. 2) 2007 (Act No. 32, 2007)\nAssent date 12 December 2007\nCommenced 8 January 2008 (Gaz S2, 8 January 2008)\nJustice Legislation Amendment (Penalties) Act 2010 (Act No. 12, 2010)\nAssent date 20 May 2010\nCommenced 1 July 2010 (Gaz G, June 2010, p )\nRevenue and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2010 (Act No. 21, 2010)\nAssent date 30 June 2010\nCommenced pt 2 and pt 4, divs 1 and 2: 4 May 2010; rem: 1 July 2010 (s 2)\nStatute Law Revision Act 2010 (Act No. 29, 2010)\nAssent date 9 September 2010\nCommenced 13 October 2010 (Gaz G41, 13 October 2010, p 2)\n\nENDNOTES\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 52\nVictims of Crime Assistance Amendment Act 2013 (Act No. 6, 2013)\nAssent date 14 March 2013\nCommenced 1 July 2013 (Gaz G19, 8 May 2013, p 2)\nNorthern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal (Conferral of Jurisdiction\nAmendments) Act 2014 (Act No. 34, 2014)\nAssent date 13 November 2014\nCommenced 1 January 2015 (Gaz G51, 24 December 2014, p 7)\nWorkers Rehabilitation and Compensation Legislation Amendment Act 2015 (Act No. 9,\n2015)\nAssent date 23 April 2015\nCommenced ss 3, 4, 5, 24, 25 and pt 4: 22 May 2015; rem: 1 July 2015\n(Gaz S50, 22 May 2015)\nLocal Court (Related Amendments) Act 2016 (Act No. 8, 2016)\nAssent date 6 April 2016\nCommenced 1 May 2016 (s 2, s 2 Local Court (Repeals and Related\nAmendments) Act 2016 (Act No. 9, 2016) and Gaz S34,\n29 April 2016)\nStatute Law Revision Act 2017 (Act No. 4, 2017)\nAssent date 10 March 2017\nCommenced 12 April 2017 (Gaz G15, 12 April 2017, p 3)\nVictims of Crime Assistance Amendment Act 2023 (Act No. 30, 2023)\nAssent date 4 December 2023\nCommenced 2 January 2024 (Gaz G21, December 2023, p 1)\nDomestic and Family Violence and Victims Legislation Amendment Act 2025\n(Act No. 12, 2025)\nAssent date 6 June 2025\nCommenced s 14: 1 July 2025 (s 2(2)); rem: 7 June 2025 (s 2(1))\n3 GENERAL AMENDMENTS\nGeneral amendments of a formal nature (which are not referred to in the table\nof amendments to this reprint) are made by the Interpretation Legislation\nAmendment Act 2018 (Act No. 22, 2018) to: ss 1, 4, 17, 18, 26, 32, 60, 61, 71\nand 80.\n4 LIST OF AMENDMENTS\nlt amd No. 5, 2007 s 25\ns 3 amd No. 5, 2007, s 36; No. 30, 2023, s 4\ns 4 amd No. 5, 2007 s 26; No. 29, 2010, s 7; No. 34, 2014, s 17; No. 30, 2023,\ns 5\ns 5 amd No. 5, 2007 ss 27 and 36; No. 30, 2023, s 20\ns 7 sub No. 5, 2007 s 28\ns 8 amd No. 12, 2025, s 12\ns 9 amd No. 5, 2007 s 29\ns 10 amd No. 5, 2007 ss 30 and 36; No. 30, 2023, s 20\ns 12 amd No. 30, 2023, s 20\ns 14 amd No. 30, 2023, s 6\ns 17 amd No. 30, 2023, s 20\n\nENDNOTES\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 53\ns 18 amd No. 30, 2007, s 59; No. 9, 2015, s 31; No. 30, 2023, s 20\ns 19 sub No. 30, 2023, s 7\ns 24 amd No. 30, 2023, s 8; No.12, 2025, s 13\ns 25 amd No. 30, 2023, s 20\ns 25A ins No. 30, 2023, s 9\npt 4\ndiv 2 hdg sub No. 30, 2023, s 9\ns 25B ins No. 30, 2023, s 9\ns 26 amd No. 5, 2007 ss 31 and 36; No. 30, 2007, s 59; No. 9, 2015, s 31; No. 30,\n2023, s 10\ns 27 amd No. 5, 2007, s 36; No. 30, 2023, s 20\nss 28 – 29 amd No. 30, 2023, s 20\npt 4\ndiv 3 hdg amd No. 30, 2023, s 20\ns 29A ins No. 30, 2023, s 11\ns 30 amd No. 30, 2023, s 20\ns 31 amd No. 5, 2007 s 32; No. 34, 2014, s 18\nsub No. 30, 2023, s 12\ns 32 amd No. 5, 2007 s 33; No. 30, 2007, s 59; No. 9, 2015, s 31; No. 30, 2023,\ns 20\npt 4\ndiv 4 hdg amd No. 30, 2023, s 20\ns 33 amd No. 5, 2007, s 36; No. 30, 2023, s 20\ns 34 amd No. 5, 2007, s 36\ns 35 amd No. 5, 2007 ss 34 and 36\ns 36 amd No. 12, 2010, s 3\ns 37 sub No. 5, 2007, s 35\namd No. 30, 2023, s 20\ns 38 amd No. 5, 2007, s 36; No. 30, 2023, s 20\nss 39 – 40 amd No. 30, 2023, s 20\ns 42 amd No. 5, 2007, s 36; No. 30, 2023, s 20\ns 43 amd No. 8, 2016, s 45\ns 44 amd No. 5, 2007, s 36; No. 12, 2010, s 3; No. 34, 2014, s 19; No. 30, 2023,\ns 20\npt 4\ndiv 5 hdg amd No. 30, 2023, s 20\ns 45 amd No. 30, 2023, s 20\ns 46 amd No. 5, 2007, s 36; No. 12, 2010, s 3; No. 34, 2014, s 20; No. 30, 2023,\ns 20\ns 47 amd No. 5, 2007, s 36; No. 34, 2014, s 21; No. 30, 2023, s 20\npt 4\ndiv 5A hdg ins No. 30, 2023, s 13\nss 47A – 47G ins No. 30, 2023, s 13\npt 4\ndiv 5B hdg ins No. 30, 2023, s 13\nss 47H – 47K ins No. 30, 2023, s 13\npt 4\ndiv 6 hdg amd No. 34, 2014, s 22\nsub No. 30, 2023, s 13\ns 48 amd No. 34, 2014, s 23; No. 4, 2017, s 34\nsub No. 30, 2023, s 13\nss 49 – 53 rep No. 34, 2014, s 24\ns 54 amd No. 5, 2007, s 36; No. 30, 2023, s 14\ns 55 amd No. 34, 2014, s 25; No. 30, 2023, s 20\npt 5\ndiv 1 hdg ins No. 30, 2023, s 15\nss 55A – 55G ins No. 30, 2023, s 15\n\nENDNOTES\nVictims of Crime Assistance Act 2006 54\npt 5\ndiv 2 hdg ins No. 30, 2023, s 15\ns 56 amd No. 30, 2023, s 16\ns 57 sub No. 30, 2023, s 17\npt 5\ndiv 3 hdg ins No. 30, 2023, s 17\ns 58 sub No. 30, 2023, s 17\ns 61 amd No. 5, 2007, s 36; No. 32, 2007, s 29; No. 21, 2010, s 35; No. 6, 2013,\ns 4; No. 12, 2025, s 14\ns 63 amd No. 12, 2010, s 3\ns 64 amd No. 34, 2014, s 26; No. 30, 2023, s 18\ns 69 amd No. 5, 2007, s 36\ns 72 amd No. 30, 2023, s 20\npt 9 hdg ins No. 21, 2010, s 36\nsub No. 6, 2013, s 5\npt 9\ndiv 1 hdg ins No. 6, 2013, s 5\ns 76 ins No. 21, 2010, s 36\npt 9\ndiv 2 hdg ins No. 6, 2013, s 6\ns 77 ins No. 6, 2013, s 6\npt 9\ndiv 3 hdg ins No. 34, 2014, s 27\nss 78 – 80 ins No. 34, 2014, s 27\npt 9\ndiv 4 hdg ins No. 30, 2023, s 19\nss 81 – 85 ins No. 30, 2023, s 19\nsch 1 ins No. 30, 2023, s 19\nsch hdg amd No. 30, 2023, s 20","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"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"},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":7,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The Act's scope has expanded since its original form. Recent amendments explicitly added funeral expense assistance as a separate payment category (ss 47A–47G) and introduced a formal debt recovery notice process and related provisions to recover assistance from offenders (Part 5, Div 1: ss 55A–55G). The Act also clarifies levy arrangements and continues to evolve the review and administrative pathways (see Part 9 transitional notes referencing the Victims of Crime Assistance Amendment Act 2023 and later amendments). These changes extend the financial coverage of the scheme and strengthen the Territory's recovery tools, while leaving procedural detail and many operational rules to regulations and guidelines (ss 47A–47F; ss 55B–55G; ss 65, 69)."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple victim categories and distinct eligibility rules (primary, secondary, family, related) with different entitlements and caps (ss 9–16; ss 10, 12, 14).","Several types of payment (counselling, interim payments, awards, funeral assistance) with different procedures, decision-makers and review rights (ss 20, 25B, 29A, 47A–47F).","Overlapping exclusion and reduction rules tied to other statutory schemes (Motor Accidents Act, Return to Work Act) that create interaction effects (ss 17–18, 42).","Layered decision-making authority concentrated in the Director and assessors, with broad powers to require medical reports, obtain documents, defer decisions and reduce awards (ss 21, 24, 34–36, 41).","Multiple recovery mechanisms (debt recovery notice + NTCAT objection process; Court recovery) with suspension, appeal and enforcement rules (ss 55B–55G, 56).","Varied monetary caps and thresholds (interim payment $5,000; award caps $40,000 / $10,000; funeral cap $15,000) that require arithmetic apportionment when multiple victims apply (ss 27(5), 38–40, 47D).","Significant delegated detail left to regulation and guidelines, including defining compensable injuries, standard amounts, and assessment methods (ss 7(3), 65, 69).","Procedural penalties and obligations for applicants and third parties (penalty units for non-compliance with notices and false information) increasing legal risk (ss 36(5), 63).","Distinctions in reviewability (interim payments final; awards and refunds reviewable by NTCAT) create non-uniform legal remedies (s 28(1); s 48; Schedule 1)."],"plain_english_summary":"What this law does, in plain terms\n\n- Mechanically, the Act creates two linked schemes administered by the Territory's Crime Victims Services Unit (CVSU): a counselling scheme (Victims Counselling Scheme) and a financial assistance scheme (Victims Financial Assistance Scheme). The Director of the CVSU and assessors decide applications and manage payments (ss 20, 23, 24).\n\n- The Act defines different kinds of victims (primary, secondary, family and related) and the types of assistance each can seek: counselling, interim payments, awards for financial loss or compensable injuries, and funeral expense assistance (ss 9–16; ss 25B, 29A; ss 47A–47F).\n\n- The Act sets procedural steps and evidentiary requirements: applications must be in approved form with supporting documents (s 8; s 32(3)); assessors may require medical or psychological examinations and reports (s 35); applicants may need to give further information on request (s 36). Interim payments have a separate quick-decision process with a $5,000 cap (ss 25B, 27(5)).\n\n- Awards have statutory caps and conditions. Key monetary limits in the Act include a $5,000 maximum interim payment (s 27(5)), maximum total award caps ($40,000 across victims of the same act, and $10,000 caps for specified categories of financial loss) and a statutory threshold for compensable-injury awards (ss 38–40). Funeral assistance is separately capped at the lesser of reasonable funeral costs or $15,000 (s 47D).\n\n- The Act prohibits duplicate recovery in particular circumstances: a person who has received motor-accident or workers' compensation for the same injury is excluded from awards for that injury (ss 17–18). The assessor must reduce awards if the applicant has already received payments for the same loss (s 42).\n\n- The Act provides recovery tools so the Territory can reclaim assistance paid from offenders found guilty of the relevant offence: the Director may issue a debt recovery notice (ss 55B–55G) and the Territory may start Court proceedings for recovery (s 56). Recovered money is to be paid into the Victims Assistance Fund (ss 59–60). A statutory levy on offenders and those who expiate or receive enforcement orders funds the scheme (s 61).\n\nWhy the Act matters (official purpose and what that implies)\n\n- The Act states its objects as assisting rehabilitation by providing counselling and financial assistance, covering funeral costs, enabling recovery from offenders, and creating a fund supported by a levy (s 3). Those statements are claims about policy intent; the Act implements them by (a) setting eligibility rules and payments (Parts 2 and 4), (b) creating recovery mechanisms (Part 5), and (c) imposing a levy to supply revenue (Part 6).\n\nTesting the purpose-claims against costs, incentives and trade-offs\n\n- Who pays: awards and counselling are paid by the Territory (ss 20, 23; s 45) but the Fund that finances payments is fed by a levy imposed on offenders and related enforcement outcomes (s 60(2), s 61). Offenders may also be required to repay assistance via debt recovery notices or court orders (ss 55B, 56). The Territory bears immediate cash outlays (for payments and for ordered medical reports — s 35(3)) and seeks later recovery.\n\n- Who decides: the Director (CVSU) and appointed assessors exercise substantial discretion. The Director approves counsellors and organisations (s 21), appoints assessors (s 24(2)), decides interim payments and funeral assistance (ss 26, 47E) and gives procedural notices (s 33). Assessors make award decisions, can order examinations and obtain documents (ss 34–36), and may reduce or refuse awards on specified grounds (ss 41–43). The Minister may issue non-binding guidelines which the Director and assessors must have regard to (s 65). Regulations may further specify detailed rules (s 69). These points concentrate decision-making power in the Director/assessors and in delegated regulation-making.\n\n- Compliance burdens and administrative risk: applicants must file forms and supporting documents, often including police statements and medical reports (ss 8, 32(3)(a), 32(3)(b)). Assessors can require medical examinations (s 35) and documents from third parties with penalties for refusal (s 36(5)). Interim payments are final and not reviewable (s 28(1)), so administrative error or incomplete applications can have irreversible financial effects for applicants. The Act also creates refund obligations and debt recovery processes if payments were not properly due (ss 47, 55B–55G).\n\n- Incentives and behavioural effects: the Act disallows double recovery where other statutory compensation applies (Motor Accidents Act, Return to Work Act — ss 17–18) and mandates reductions where a victim has already been paid (s 42). Those rules reduce incentives to claim multiple public benefits for the same loss and shift recovery responsibility toward offenders (ss 55B, 56). Assessors can reduce awards where victim behaviour contributed to the injury (s 41), which creates an ex post adjustment to payments depending on assessed conduct.\n\n- Effects on private actors and markets: the Act primarily affects individuals who are victims or offenders. It does not directly regulate private businesses except where a body corporate is an offender (levy amounts specified for corporate offenders — s 61(3)(c)) or where organisations (including insurers) make payments that reduce eligible funeral assistance (s 47D(a)). Insurers or third parties that make payments relevant to a funeral or injury may therefore influence the grantable amount (s 47G(1), s 47D(a)). The scheme's caps and eligibility rules constrain private recovery choices by preserving civil claims (s 62) but preventing double recovery from public schemes (ss 17–18).\n\n- Trade-offs and opportunity costs: money paid from the Fund is public expenditure (s 60) that could be used elsewhere in the Territory's budget. The levy creates revenue but also creates an administrative overlay to collect and enforce payment (s 61). The Territory absorbs upfront cost and incurs administrative expense to determine eligibility, seek repayments, and enforce debts (ss 35; 55G).\n\n- Review and legal representation: certain decisions are reviewable by the Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NTCAT) (s 48; Schedule 1). Applicants may be represented by legal practitioners but cannot recover legal costs from the Territory other than reasonable disbursements (s 54).\n\nConcrete implementation risks and discretion points to watch\n\n- Significant discretion lies with the Director and assessors (appointment powers, approval of counsellors, decision-making on interim and funeral assistance, and deferral or reduction of awards) — see ss 21, 24, 27, 34–41, 47E. Regulations and Ministerial guidelines may fill in many technical details (ss 65, 69), which means much of the operational content can change without amending the Act.\n\n- Administrative finality of some decisions: interim payment decisions are final and not reviewable (s 28(1)), whereas awards and refund demands are reviewable (s 48; Schedule 1). This creates different legal risk profiles for quick payments versus full awards.\n\n- Recovery architecture: the Act gives the Territory both an administrative recovery path (debt recovery notices and NTCAT objections — ss 55B–55F) and a Court path (s 56). The debt-notice route includes joint-and-several liability among offenders (s 55C(1)(e); s 55F(2)).\n\nBottom line in one sentence\n\nThe Act establishes and funds Territory-run counselling and financial assistance for victims of violent acts, prescribes eligibility, caps and application procedures, funds the scheme by a levy on offenders, and gives the Territory routes to recover payments from offenders while conferring substantial discretionary power on the Director and assessors (Parts 2–6)."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":6,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The legislation has grown significantly beyond its original 2006 scope. The original Act established counselling and financial assistance schemes. Major expansions include: (1) the 2023 amendments adding funeral expense assistance (Division 5A), a new debt recovery notice administrative process (Part 5 Division 1), and closure procedures for uncontactable applicants (Division 5B); (2) the 2014 amendments shifting review jurisdiction from the Local Court to NTCAT; and (3) the 2010/2013 amendments expanding the levy system. The 2023 changes in particular represent a substantial broadening from victim compensation to include proactive debt recovery and funeral cost coverage."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple victim categories with overlapping but distinct eligibility rules (primary, secondary, family, related victims)","Complex interaction with other compensation schemes – sections 17-18 create detailed exclusions where motor accident or workers compensation applies","Intricate caps and apportionment rules for awards – $40,000 total per incident maximum with sub-limits ($10,000 for financial loss), plus proportional reduction formulas when multiple victims involved","Nested exceptions in Part 4 Division 4 – mandatory reductions (s 42), discretionary reductions (s 41), and absolute prohibitions (s 43) on awards","Dual recovery mechanisms in Part 5 – administrative debt recovery notice process (Division 1) running parallel to court recovery process (Division 2)","27 defined terms in section 4, with additional definitions scattered throughout (e.g., 'debt amount', 'debt recovery notice' in s 55A)","Transitional provisions spanning Parts 8 and 9 dealing with multiple amending Acts over 17+ years (2010, 2013, 2014, 2023)","Cross-references to external legislation: Motor Accidents (Compensation) Act 1979, Return to Work Act 1986, Fines and Penalties (Recovery) Act 2001, Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2014, Victims of Crime Rights and Services Act 2006"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this law does:**\n\nThis is the Northern Territory's **Victims of Crime Assistance Act 2006**. It sets up two main schemes to help people affected by violent crime:\n\n1. **Victims Counselling Scheme** – provides free counselling to victims\n2. **Victims Financial Assistance Scheme** – provides money to help cover costs and losses from violent crimes\n\n**Who it affects:**\n\nThe law recognises **four types of victims** who can get help:\n\n- **Primary victims** – people directly hurt by the violent act (or who died), including people injured while trying to stop a crime or help someone\n- **Secondary victims** – people who saw the crime happen and were injured, or close family members (parents/children) who later learned about the crime and suffered injury\n- **Family victims** – spouses, parents, children, or financial dependents of someone killed by a violent act\n- **Related victims** – other relatives or intimate partners who need counselling\n\n**What help is available:**\n\n- **Counselling** – available to all victim categories\n- **Interim payments** – emergency money (up to $5,000) for people in financial hardship to cover immediate costs like lost wages or medical bills\n- **Awards** – larger payments (up to $40,000 total per incident) for financial losses and specific injuries\n- **Funeral expense assistance** – up to $15,000 for funeral costs when someone dies from a violent act\n\n**Key rules:**\n\n- You don't need a conviction to apply – you can get help even if no one was charged, or if the offender was found not guilty\n- There's no time limit for most applications (except funeral assistance, which has a 2-year limit)\n- If you get money from other sources (like workers compensation, car accident insurance, or suing the offender), your award gets reduced by that amount\n- The Territory can chase the offender to get the money back through a \"debt recovery notice\" system or court action\n- The scheme is funded by a levy (fee) on people found guilty of offences or who pay infringement notices\n\n**Why it matters:**\n\nThis law recognises that violent crime creates costs and trauma beyond the courtroom. It gives victims practical support – money for bills and professional counselling – without having to sue anyone or prove criminal guilt. It also makes offenders contribute to the cost of helping victims through the levy system."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/victims-of-crime-assistance-act-2006","history":"/api/acts/victims-of-crime-assistance-act-2006/history","analysis":"/api/acts/victims-of-crime-assistance-act-2006/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/victims-of-crime-assistance-act-2006/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/victims-of-crime-assistance-act-2006/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/victims-of-crime-assistance-act-2006/documents"}}