Sunday, 25 January 2009

Historical:Compensation Amendments Get the balance right.

FROM THE MINISTER FOR WORKCOVER
DATE: Thursday, October 16, 2003

The Bracks Government is legislating to improve compensation rights for
Victorians permanently injured in workplace accidents, WorkCover and
TAC Minister Rob Hulls said today.

Mr Hulls said the Accident Compensation and Transport Accident Acts
(Amendment) Bill 2003, introduced to State Parliament today, fulfilled
the Government’s commitment to address permanent impairment benefits
for injured workers following the Common Law Working Party in 2000.

The changes we are making are balanced and fair, ensuring
the financial viability of the accident schemes while caring for
Victorians permanently injured at work and on our roads,”

Mr Hulls said.

“Most importantly, this Bill will restore access to benefits for certain types
of significant permanent injuries that occur in future—assessed below the
10% permanent impairment threshold. These injuries were excluded by
changes introduced in 1997-98.”The Bill will also strengthen the ‘return
to work’ obligations on employers and improve the method of including
overtime and shift work in workers’ entitlements.

“This legislation is financially responsible as it clarifies a number of issues
raised by recent court decisions around impairment assessments, injury
causes and cost of living expenses,” Mr Hulls said.“If uncorrected, those
decisions would pose a risk to the financial liabilities of the TAC and
WorkCover schemes.“We are amending the law to reduce this threat to
the schemes while ensuring fair and equitable compensation for all injured
Victorians.”

The Accident Compensation and Transport Accident Acts (Amendment)
Bill will also:· Ensure benefits for statutory non-economic loss were fair,
in line with election commitments;·
  1. Provide payment of daily living costs for 18 months where accident victims are making the transition from hospital to living in supported accommodation facilities;·
  2. Strengthen the return to work incentives for employers, and
    provide occupational health and safety incentives for small and medium
    businesses;·
  3. Improve worker entitlements in relation to overtime and
    shift allowances in the calculation of weekly compensation;·
  4. Implement cross-border arrangements for workers’ compensation;
  5. Increase certainty for Victorians injured in interstate accidents.

“The TAC and WorkCover have been working with stakeholders
since February 2003 to reach agreement on recommendations on
improvements to the impairment assessment system,” Mr Hulls said.

“The proposals contained in this Bill represent the outcome of this
consultation process.”

WCv's: The proposals contained in this bill Mr Hulls, are to soley
benefit the government and the viability of Workcover it does not
provide any more or further protection for the injured workers
of Victoria.

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