Under The Serious Overseas Criminal Matters Scheme, Australians facing severe criminal prosecution can access funding for legal representation. However, the grants provided are through tax payer funds. Recently,  it was revealed that Peter Scully was receiving $500,000 in funding to fight rape and human trafficking charges in the Philippines and there has been calls to reform the scheme. Should Australians be footing the massive bills to assist criminally prosecuted Australians abroad? Or do we need the scheme to uphold our belief of ‘innocent before proven guilty’? 

Michael Benes from RMIT University joined us on The Daily to discuss the scheme.