Mr. Drew Harris:

The helpline was put in place because we realised when the news broke that some people would think, correctly or incorrectly, that it might impact on them. It was intended to provide immediate clarification for individuals who reported crimes in this period and were worried that their cases were not properly dealt with. We were able to specify a number of victims. That also told us exactly who those victims are, by name and location. We were able to confirm to people whether they were included or not. If they were included we could alert their district officer, that they had made contact. Rather than just sending a letter, we found as we went along that when the district officers and their teams examined the particular individuals involved, their local knowledge could tell them about particular sensitivities. In some tragic cases there was quite a bit of repeated victimisation and therefore it would not be appropriate to send a letter. Those are cases for personal contact. We think there will be more personal visits than we initially anticipated. We will deal with people appropriately.

In other cases we decided not to send a letter because our information is out of date. The victim may be deceased or have been a tourist or a temporary resident and can no longer be found. That is also a part of the victimology. In dealing with this we ask the district officers to think about the victims first and to ensure the outward-facing bit is done well. In tandem with that concentration on the victims, we ask them to consider the individuals involved and whether discipline is appropriate.

In respect of the serious crimes, of which 55 are indicated, I presume they have been examined carefully.