[Greens-Media] MEDIA ALERT: Emergency Hunter forum on proposed cuts to victims compensation

[David Shoebridge]

MEDIA ALERT: Hunter Forum on proposed cuts to victims compensative - abuse survivors respond

What:   Emergency public meeting responding to the NSW government's proposed overhaul of the NSW Victims Compensation Scheme
When: 6-8pm TODAY, Monday 20 May 2013
Where: Newcastle Room, Newcastle City Hall, 290 King Street, Newcastle
Speakers include: Peter Kelso (lawyer specialising in working with victims of crime), Jan McDonald (Manager of crisis accommodation in Maitland for homeless women and their children), Rob Roseworne (survivor of abuse), David Shoebridge (Greens NSW MP and Justice spokesperson).

Principal issues with the government's proposed legislation:

* The legislation places a 10 year limit on making claims for compensation payments. Given the time it takes many victims of childhood sexual abuse to come forward, many of these people will be no longer eligible for even the nominal payments offered by the scheme.
* The schedules placing defined figures on classes of compensation will mean that many victims of long standing domestic abuse will receive payments of only $1,500 - if they receive any payments at all under the new criteria.
*The retrospectivity of the changes and the fact that they will see thousands of existing claims thrown out.

The emergency public forum will discuss the impact of these cuts and how to improve the bill.

Media contact: 9230 3030 | 0433 753 376



Mark Riboldi
Communications & Policy
Greens NSW MP David Shoebridge
P: (02) 9230 3030 |Media: 0433 753 376 |T: @ShoebridgeMLC<http://twitter.com/#!/shoebridgemlc>
SIGN UP TO STAY IN TOUCH at davidshoebridge.org.au/sign-up<http://davidshoebridge.org.au/take-action/sign-up/>