7. Question No. 7—JusticeNICOLE McKEE (ACT) to the Minister of JusticeQuestion No. 7—Justice7. NICOLE McKEE (ACT) to the Minister of Justice: How much in financial reparations is currently outstanding to victims of crime and what is the lowest amount being paid by instalment to a victim? Hon KIRITAPU ALLAN (Minister of Justice): I've been advised that around $112 million in reparation payments are owing as of June this year across multiple years' worth of overdue reparations. Some offenders though are unable to pay or do not have a source of income—for example if they are in prison—meaning that the lowest amount being paid would be zero. There has been a 10 percent decrease in reparations outstanding over the past three years. However I have asked my officials to provide advice on making collection of reparation debts a higher priority and I expect further improvements in this area. Nicole McKee: What does she say to Jeremy who is still being drip-fed a court-ordered reparation of $600 10 years after the initial order? Hon KIRITAPU ALLAN: I'd say to that gentleman that the reparation system in my view and in the view of Government is not working as effectively and efficiently as it should—10 years is far too long. Across all of Government there is a work plan in place that looks at debt to Government. It is multi-agency and it looks at the prioritisation of what is extracted and at which point and the priority that is given to each of those payments that are taken out. That's a substantive piece of work and is one in which I expect we will see reprioritisation of reparation payments. Nicole McKee: Is the Minister aware that one victim is receiving reparation at the small amount of just 65c a week and if so what initiatives does she have to ensure that this victim benefits from a victim-centric approach? Hon KIRITAPU ALLAN: Yeah I am aware. I'm aware that some individual victims are paid 60c. As I said some individuals are paid none due to whether or not an offender has any income at all. There is as I said a piece of work that's happening across Government to look at the way in which the prioritisation of debt is paid including reparations and I think that we should see and will see improvements in this area. Nicole McKee: So what further considerations if any has the Minister made towards victim reparation delays using that victim-centric approach lens? Hon KIRITAPU ALLAN: The victim-centric approach lens is the one that I guess we have advocated for in the design of the programme that's looking at all of Government—what is taken out of an individual's weekly payments. You'll be aware that there's a multiple take that is taken out of an individual's pay for childcare other debts and victim reparations. There is a piece of work that looks at whether or not the prioritisations of those reparations is fit for purpose. My view is it's currently not but we're working on a piece of work to look at whether or not there need to be changes to those prioritisations. Nicole McKee: Does the Minister endorse ACT's policy of reforming the reparations system so that the Crown faces the burden of risk of slow reparation payments or non-payments rather than the victims of crime and if not why not? Hon KIRITAPU ALLAN: New Zealanders I think rightly might have some concerns if it was the case that the Government was to bear the burden of debt for not just the victims but the vast range of areas where Government is aware individuals are seeking payments whether those are things like child support payments whether those are things like victim reparations whether they are—there's a broad range of areas. Currently as I said in my primary answer there's over $100 million worth of debt that's currently outstanding and owed. It would be a substantive policy decision for any Government of any ilk to take on that amount of debt and it's not one that I'm actively considering at the moment.