Se­nior Po­lit­i­cal Re­porter

Pro­vi­sions in the Vic­tims’ Rights Bill, 2026, be­ing de­bat­ed in the Sen­ate to­day, will in­clude al­low­ing a vic­tim to ap­ply to the court for a con­vict­ed of­fend­er to pay them com­pen­sa­tion - and pro­vid­ing for vic­tims’ pro­tec­tion from in­tim­i­da­tion by an of­fend­er and their sup­port­ers dur­ing court pro­ceed­ings.

But pri­or to de­bate, at­ten­tion will be on whether a re­place­ment for em­bat­tled Peo­ple’s Na­tion­al Move­ment Sen­a­tor Janelle John-Bates will be re­vealed in the Sen­ate to­day.