Today the ACT Government has launched the public consultation for the review of the ACT's Charter of Rights for Victims of Crime.
The Charter is a legislated set of rights for victims of crime in the ACT and commenced on 1 January 2021. The Charter expressly recognises that victims are central to the justice process, and it was introduced to ensure that, in the administration of justice, engagement with victims is governed by victims' rights.
The Charter is intended to set the foundation for how victims of crime should be treated by justice agencies and provide victims with a clear picture of their rights in the criminal justice system. The Charter also includes an accountability framework intended to ensure that justice agencies meet their obligations when engaging with victims, as well as providing a mechanism for making complaints where a victim's rights have not been upheld.
The legislation that established the Charter includes a requirement for its operation to be reviewed, recognising the importance of ensuring the Charter is effective in achieving its objectives and remains in step with community expectations, while also providing an opportunity to identify and address implementation issues.
Minister for Human Rights Tara Cheyne said, "At its introduction, the Charter was recognised as the most comprehensive set of legislated rights for victims of crime in Australia. It is timely to review its operation to ensure it is meeting community expectations, and to hear directly from those it is intended to support."
A discussion paper has been prepared to facilitate input about the effectiveness of the Charter's current operation both for victims and the justice agencies that have obligations to uphold victims' rights under the Charter.
"Justice agencies, community organisations, and victim-survivors are all encouraged to provide feedback as part of the statutory review.
"Hearing from justice agencies that regularly interact with and have obligations under the Charter will provide the Government with valuable operational insights and help identify where and how the Charter can be strengthened.
"Community organisations that work directly with victim-survivors, or that act on their behalf as 'victim representatives', are invited to share insights into systemic trends and emerging issues.
"Victim-survivors who have engaged with the Charter are encouraged to share their experiences and perspectives—either individually or as part of a submission from a justice agency or community organisation.
"Victim-survivors who may not have engaged with justice agencies or support organisations are also encouraged to provide feedback and strengthen the victim-survivor voice in this review," said Minister Cheyne.
The ACT Government welcomes all feedback, which can be submitted through the YourSay Conversations website and will remain open until 20 June 2025.
