Matter of Privilege

MATTER OF PRIVILEGE

Mr HANNA (Mitchell) (11:01): Mr Speaker, I raise a matter of privilege. On Tuesday 26 February the Premier made a ministerial statement concerning his government's proposed WorkCover legislation. In his ministerial statement he stated:

Included in the recommendations are proposals to make changes to levels of weekly payments to injured workers. These changes, as proposed by Mr Clayton, will come into effect only for claims arising from injuries incurred following commencement of the proposed new provisions.

I also draw your attention to clauses 4 and 5 of schedule 1 of the Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation (Scheme Review) Amendment Bill 2008, introduced in the House of Assembly on Thursday 28 February 2008. Clauses 4 and 5 deal with weekly payments and their discontinuance. Clause 4 clearly states:

...the new provisions extend to entitlements to weekly payments of compensation in relation to compensable disabilities occurring before the relevant day.

The relevant day being the day on which the provision is proclaimed. Clause 5 confirms that the provisions to cut off workers' payments 'extend to weekly payments commenced before the relevant day'. It therefore seems very clear that the Premier misled the house, not to mention thousands of injured workers.

I make available to you an extract of Hansard, dated 28 February, and an extract from the bill. Mr Speaker, I humbly ask you to consider this apparent duplicity and report back to the house.

The SPEAKER: I will have a look at the matters raised by the member for Mitchell and report back to the house as soon as possible.