Simon Power
National Party Law & Order Spokesman

18 November 2006

Victims miss out on reparation

The Government is letting people accumulate huge amounts of unpaid reparation and fines, says National’s Law & Order spokesman, Simon Power.

He is releasing figures that show that of the top 10 reparations defaulters, seven owe $1.2 million between them, with the highest $275,000 for one outstanding reparations order, and another $137,188 for three outstanding orders.

The top 10 fines defaulters owe $2.25 million between them, with one owing $1.8 million for 41 fines, and another owing $307,000 for 70 fines.

“This Government claims it is cracking down on unpaid reparations and fines, but we can see that is not happening,” says Mr Power.

“They cannot, after seven years, look the victims of crime in the face and say we are doing our best – because they are not, and it is not good enough.

“How are victims supposed to get closure and move on with their lives if the issues of reparations ordered by the court have not been addressed?”

Mr Power says the issue of unpaid fines shows that the Government goes only for the easy targets.

“Take the guy who owes $1.8 million – they have known for a year where in Australia he is living, so why hasn’t Courts Minister Rick Barker picked up the phone and made a few calls to work out some protocols to get that money back?

“It is time the Government admitted that the system needs overhauling.

“Not enforcing fines means offenders are getting away with their crimes, and not enforcing reparation means the victims are suffering even further.

“Rick Barker must stop his bluster and take action to see that defaulters are chased up much faster than they have been – before these amounts get totally out of control.”

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