Victorian Consolidated Legislation

Victims of Crime Assistance Act 1996 - SECT 48

Costs

48. Costs



(1) The costs of, and incidental to, all proceedings in the Tribunal are in
the discretion of the Tribunal and it has full power to determine by whom, to
whom and to what extent the costs are to be paid.

(2) Subsection (1) is subject to this section and to-

   (a)  any scale of costs under section 46(1); and

   (b)  the rules; and

   (c)  any practice directions.



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(4) A legal practitioner acting for an applicant for assistance under this Act
is not entitled-

   (a)  to recover from the applicant any costs in respect of proceedings
        before the Tribunal; or

   (b)  to claim a lien in respect of any such costs on any sum payable as
        assistance under this Act; or

   (c)  to deduct any such costs from any such sum-

except to the extent to which the costs have been allowed as between the legal
practitioner and the client by the Tribunal on the application of the legal
practitioner or of the client.

(5) Except as allowed by the Tribunal, a person must not charge for the making
of an application to the Tribunal or for appearing on behalf of an applicant.

(6) Subsections (4) and (5) have effect despite anything to the contrary in
the Legal Profession Act 2004.