Justice Minister Simon Power is confident a new $50 levy on criminals will raise enough money to fund new services for their victims.
Parliament on Wednesday night night passed legislation creating the levy, which the courts will be required to impose at sentencing. It will apply from July next year.
The Labour Party, which voted in favour of the levy, is questioning whether administration costs will out-strip the revenue collected.
But Mr Power says the levy will raise $13.6 million in its first four years. He says that is based on current fine payments and is conservative.
Mr Power says the money will be used to fund eight programmes, including grants for the families of homicide victims.
