Blue Jackie: Prisoners’ and Victims’ Claims (2012 Expiry and Application Dates) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Blue Jackie: Prisoners’ and Victims’ Claims (2012 Expiry and Application Dates) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
[Sitting date: 02 May 2012. Volume:679;Page:1899. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Dr JACKIE BLUE (National) 
: 
 I am very pleased to rise to speak to the first reading of the Prisoners’ and Victims’ Claims (2012 Expiry and Application Dates) Amendment Bill. As has been alluded to before crime affects everyone. It affects communities it affects families it affects society it affects the economy but most of all it affects the victims. That is why it is so important that this bill as an interim measure is passed through the House. The toll on victims and families is immeasurable. Victims did not ask to be a victim. They did not wake up that morning and think: “Right I’m going to be a victim.” It is something that has happened obviously without any premeditation on their part. They are blameless. 
This bill will ensure that prisoners’ compensation will continue to be redirected to support victims over the next year or so and will allow time for the 2011 bill—the Prisoners’ and Victims’ Claims (Redirecting Prisoner Compensation) Amendment Bill—to pass through the House. Of course this Government will ensure that that bill is enacted before June 2013. It is important as an interim measure that we have the Prisoners’ and Victims’ Claims (2012 Expiry and Application Dates) Amendment Bill and it is pleasing that all parties are supporting it at this stage. 
We are as a Government serious about putting victims at the centre of the justice system. I am really really proud of what the Government has actually done for victims and will continue to do. We are determined to build a safer New Zealand for families for individuals and for communities. We have a comprehensive programme that we are implementing. In particular the $50 levy that has been established for all offenders has been very successful in the first year alone. Over $2 million—twice what was expected—has been achieved in the first year. That money has been redirected to new services to support victims. That is what it is all about. More than 2000 victims or their families have benefited from that levy in the first year. There are 13 new services such as funeral grants for families of murder victims grants to families of murder victims more services for victims of sexual violence expanded financial help for victims attending case-related meetings and there is new financial assistance for counselling for families whose loved one has been killed not by homicide but by other criminal acts such as dangerous driving. 
I am really particularly pleased that the Victims of Crime Reform Bill is before the Justice and Electoral Committee. In that bill more weighting will be given to victim impact statements. The current process I understand is that the victim has to ask permission of the judge to read out the victim impact statement. Surprisingly sometimes that is declined. This bill will ensure that due weighting is given to that victim impact statement. And so it should be. The only limit will be time but the victim can traverse any subject on how that crime has affected them at any particular level. I think that is an important change and I am delighted that it is in that bill. 
Importantly there will be more help for victims of sexual violence. Almost 1300 victims received a discretionary grant to cover immediate costs and almost 540 victims were assisted by the sexual violence court support service. This is an important bill. It is an interim measure and it is vital that it is passed. It is pleasing that it has the support of all parties. I commend it to the House.