24 November 2021
The compensation rights of sick and injured workers continue to hang in the balance in State Parliament, with the vote of the Cross Bench crucial.
The Marshall Government this year made sweeping changes to the Return to Work Impairment Assessment Guidelines which significantly erode workers' rights to compensation.
In September Treasurer Rob Lucas rushed through changes to tighten the Impairment Assessment Guidelines (IAG) which injured workers are evaluated against to determine whether they are eligible for compensation. Under current laws, he has the power to do that with the stroke of a pen, and he used that power to slash injured workers’ rights.
SA Labor has introduced a Bill to Parliament to wind back the Marshall Government’s cuts, and require that any future changes to the Impairment Assessment Guidelines undergo parliamentary debate and oversight, which would allow proper democratic process to be applied to the proposal, and allow them to be voted down.
The Bill has passed the Upper House and is now on the notice paper for the Lower House.
Over the past two weeks members of the Cross Bench have been lobbied by lawyer groups and unions in an effort to bring the Bill to a vote in the final week of parliamentary sitting for the year.
Occupational medicine practitioners have written a joint letter to state parliamentarians stating their strong opposition to the changes. “Generally, on review of the proposed changes, said to be aimed at improving consistency in understanding and application, on closer scrutiny, they overwhelmingly result in lowering impairments,’’ their letter said.
Scores of legal practitioners have also sent a letter to parliamentarians, stating: “We have a significant concern about the proposal by RTWSA for Rob Lucas to make wholesale changes to the Impairment Assessment Guidelines which are being rushed through without your input. These changes will have devastating results for workers.’’
Our state MPs in the Lower House still need to vote to approve the Bill. The support of the Cross Bench MPs is crucial to ensure injured workers’ rights are reinstated.
To increase pressure on the Cross Bench and the Government, please sign the petition at
https://www.stoptheattack.com.au.