Govt wants to give victims a voice in Sentencing Act amendment
The State Government wants to amend the Sentencing Act to protect the integrity of victim impact statements which can presently be edited by offenders.
Photo: Tony Lewis/InDaily
Currently, when a victim impact statement includes material which could be deemed inadmissible, that content may be deleted from the statement.
“The preparation and presentation of a victim impact statement is a victim’s opportunity to tell their story to the sentencing court,” Attorney-General Kyam Maher said.
“That story should be in the victim’s voice and should allow space for the victim to communicate their views without filter.”
The Government will consult with the legal sector and victim advocates on changes to the Sentencing Act 2017 to remove any ability to edit a victim’s statement, regardless of its content.
“Reforming the current practice around editing of statements will go a long way to supporting victims during their engagement with justice proceedings,” Maher said.
“Judges and Magistrates are well-placed to resolve any issues around the admissibility of content in a Victim Impact Statement.
“We will be undertaking a consultation process with relevant stakeholders before introducing legislative reform.”
