1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:01,440 Speaker 1: Now I've got some great news for you. Do you 2 00:00:01,520 --> 00:00:03,920 Speaker 1: remember the government's new policy that if you fall behind 3 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:06,520 Speaker 1: in your fines or your reparation payments, they're going to 4 00:00:06,519 --> 00:00:09,240 Speaker 1: clamp your car. Well, it looks like it's working. Since 5 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:11,920 Speaker 1: the initiative started in July last year, one hundred and 6 00:00:11,960 --> 00:00:14,640 Speaker 1: twenty cars have been clamped, seven hundred thousand dollars has 7 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:17,200 Speaker 1: been recovered. Six hundred people paid up on the spot 8 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:19,640 Speaker 1: when they were identified by bailiffs as being behind on 9 00:00:19,680 --> 00:00:23,000 Speaker 1: their payments. Claire Buckley is an independent victim's advocate and 10 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:26,400 Speaker 1: with US Now Hi, Claire, Hi, Heather. How good is this? 11 00:00:27,680 --> 00:00:30,080 Speaker 2: It is so good, isn't it. It's great to see 12 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:33,120 Speaker 2: that victims are finally getting the reparations that they have 13 00:00:33,280 --> 00:00:35,920 Speaker 2: been waiting a very long time to finally get. 14 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:38,640 Speaker 1: What does it tell you about the ability of people 15 00:00:38,680 --> 00:00:39,080 Speaker 1: to pay? 16 00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:42,720 Speaker 2: I think it's always been known that most of the 17 00:00:42,760 --> 00:00:46,560 Speaker 2: time these venders have been able to pay, and we're 18 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:50,080 Speaker 2: electing not to because for quite a long time it 19 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:53,800 Speaker 2: was not enforced. They would send letters and remind you 20 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:56,920 Speaker 2: to pay, but then nothing would happen. So naturally it 21 00:00:56,960 --> 00:00:59,480 Speaker 2: became known that you could ramp up fines, you could 22 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:02,520 Speaker 2: ramp up operations and there be no consequences for you. 23 00:01:03,160 --> 00:01:06,760 Speaker 2: And so now that there's actually imposed consequences, people are 24 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:09,200 Speaker 2: actually starting to say, Okay, I need to pay these fines. 25 00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:11,759 Speaker 2: I need to sort out sort it out. There's still 26 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:15,880 Speaker 2: avenues within the legislation that haven't really been explored as 27 00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:18,679 Speaker 2: much as I would like to see them explored. But 28 00:01:18,959 --> 00:01:23,319 Speaker 2: the initial offering with clamping of vehicles has really yielded 29 00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:24,160 Speaker 2: great results. 30 00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:26,920 Speaker 1: What are the avenues you'd like to see explored? 31 00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:33,080 Speaker 2: Well, they have the ability to tap income from for 32 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:37,360 Speaker 2: reparations and fines, and they're not using that as often 33 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:40,840 Speaker 2: as you would like to see them use that. They 34 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:44,240 Speaker 2: you would think that an offender given a couple of 35 00:01:44,319 --> 00:01:49,000 Speaker 2: chances would automatically if they have money coming in from 36 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:54,240 Speaker 2: wins or IID, then that would money would automatically be tapped, 37 00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:58,320 Speaker 2: But it's not so. I would like to see them 38 00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:01,680 Speaker 2: be a little bit more proactive in that arena as well, 39 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:04,680 Speaker 2: especially for some of the higher reparations that have been 40 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:08,200 Speaker 2: ordered to be paid, because remember that reparations is not 41 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:11,600 Speaker 2: something that is being paid to the victim for a 42 00:02:11,639 --> 00:02:15,320 Speaker 2: punitive reason. It is a cost that the victim has 43 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:19,640 Speaker 2: incurred due to the crime and are being repaid for, 44 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:22,160 Speaker 2: so the victims actually out of pocket the whole time 45 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:23,520 Speaker 2: the offender hangs on to the money. 46 00:02:24,360 --> 00:02:26,760 Speaker 1: Now, does all of the money that is paid actually 47 00:02:26,840 --> 00:02:29,760 Speaker 1: goes directly to the victim. 48 00:02:29,320 --> 00:02:33,120 Speaker 2: No, so parts of it are find So parts of 49 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:35,240 Speaker 2: it is money that you know, like a speeding ticket, 50 00:02:35,320 --> 00:02:37,840 Speaker 2: gets paid to the government, and then part of the 51 00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:42,800 Speaker 2: money is reparations, so there's a dual element to the 52 00:02:42,840 --> 00:02:47,080 Speaker 2: money that is outstanding. The reparations portion, however, makes up 53 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:51,320 Speaker 2: about seventy percent, so that's victim's money that they are 54 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:52,160 Speaker 2: not getting back. 55 00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:54,680 Speaker 1: I imagine this is going to go a long way to 56 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:56,799 Speaker 1: establishing confidence in the justice system. 57 00:02:56,840 --> 00:03:01,320 Speaker 2: Again, I agree, I think that victims will feel much 58 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:06,960 Speaker 2: happier because previously, if you've got a reparations order against 59 00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:11,120 Speaker 2: you for a crime, the victim you could sort of 60 00:03:11,160 --> 00:03:13,919 Speaker 2: shrug your shoulders and say, well, I'm never seeing that money. 61 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:17,800 Speaker 2: And now it's a little bit because of this, These 62 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:21,280 Speaker 2: new laws and the fact that these are being enforced 63 00:03:21,440 --> 00:03:24,000 Speaker 2: is making a real difference to the victims because now 64 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:26,200 Speaker 2: if there is a reparation would have given, they have 65 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:29,519 Speaker 2: a greater than average chance of actually seeing that money 66 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:31,480 Speaker 2: to help recover. 67 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:33,600 Speaker 1: But to your point, which you made before I think 68 00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:35,960 Speaker 1: about where it can go next. I think the difference 69 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:38,360 Speaker 1: there is that at the moment it's random, right, so 70 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:41,360 Speaker 1: you're unlucky if the bailiffs catch you. But if you 71 00:03:41,400 --> 00:03:43,800 Speaker 1: start taking out out of pay, it's not random. It 72 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:46,040 Speaker 1: is just everybody will have it taken out of their 73 00:03:46,040 --> 00:03:48,200 Speaker 1: pay until it's repaid, and that's quite important. I would 74 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:48,560 Speaker 1: have thought. 75 00:03:49,880 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 2: I agree. And one of the things with it being 76 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:57,200 Speaker 2: related to cars and clamping cars is not every offender 77 00:03:57,240 --> 00:04:01,000 Speaker 2: owns a car. Some offenders, particularly all organized criminals, are 78 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:05,720 Speaker 2: very good at making businesses and trusts that are in vehicles, 79 00:04:05,760 --> 00:04:09,240 Speaker 2: and so therefore they can't be recovered that way. And 80 00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:12,480 Speaker 2: so I think personal income is a really good way 81 00:04:12,720 --> 00:04:16,000 Speaker 2: of leveling the playing field and ensuring that all the 82 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:17,880 Speaker 2: money is recovered rather than just a portion. 83 00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:19,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, okay, TWEA, it's really good to talk to you. 84 00:04:19,920 --> 00:04:22,960 Speaker 1: Thank you very much. Clear Buckley, Independent victim's Advocate. For 85 00:04:23,080 --> 00:04:26,360 Speaker 1: more from Heather Duplessy, Allen Drive, listen live to news 86 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:29,280 Speaker 1: talks that'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow the 87 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:31,000 Speaker 1: podcast on iHeartRadio.