Shadow Minister for Territory Families, Joshua Burgoyne, says Territorians deserve to know
which Labor Minister made the decision to pay $35 million in compensation to Don Dale
detainees – and who instructed government lawyers to try and hide that figure.
“Which Minister made the call to settle for $35 million? Was it Minister for Territory Families,
Kate Worden? Was it Attorney-General, Selena Uibo – or was it a cabinet decision?
“This is $35 million in taxpayer funds. The Minister, or Ministers, who signed that cheque
should be held accountable.
“The Gunner Government then instructed its lawyers to attempt to supress the $35 million
figure so that Territorians would never know how much they were forking out.
“So the next burning questions are: who tried to keep the payout secret? And what is the
total legal bill Territorians will be forced to foot?
“Let’s be clear, this is an out of court settlement – not a court order to pay $35 million. The
Gunner Government wanted this to go away as quietly as possible.
“The suppression application to keep the payout figure hidden was either a decision by
Minister Worden, Minister Uibo, or a captain’s call from the Chief Minister.
“In stark contrast, we have more than 1,650 people waiting for Victims of Crime
compensation – and they wait an average of three years. Opposition questioning during
Estimates revealed just $100,000 was recovered from offenders, to pay compensation to
victims, over a nine month period
“As part of this settlement the Gunner Government should have made sure offenders, who
receive their share of the $35 million, are made to pay restitution and pay their Victims of
Crime levies.
“Did this happen? Or is Labor still happy to trek down the path of putting the rights of
offenders above the rights of victims?” said Mr Burgoyne.
ENDS