REHABILITATION AND RETURN TO WORK

Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (15:02): My question is to the Minister for Workers Rehabilitation. Can the minister tell the house what the government is doing to recognise excellence in rehabilitation and return to work?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Treasurer, Minister for Employment, Training and Further Education, Minister for Workers Rehabilitation) (15:02): I would like to thank the member for Florey for her question. The government is ensuring that South Australian injured workers are supported to either remain at work if possible or, if not, to return to work quickly and safely. The longer someone is away from work the harder it is to return, so it is important that the government is doing what it can to support those who are returning to work. This is where the Recovery and Return to Work Awards play a very important role.

The awards, which are now in their sixth year, recognise the efforts and outstanding achievements of injured workers returning to work, as well as those who assist them. I had the privilege of attending this year's ceremony to present awards to some of the great success stories of those returning to work. After an extensive judging process, 30 finalists were nominated across eight categories. There was a total of 11 awards presented at the ceremony, together with five commendation awards.

Some of the highlights of the night included the joint winners of the Return to Work Achievement Award for workers in a large or self-insured company. This year that award went to probationary police officer Tung Tran and his partner Nathan Mulholland. The two officers faced a life-and-death situation in a shooting incident when on duty. They were ambushed and shot at during a routine domestic disturbance callout. They had shrapnel removed in hospital, but found that psychological injuries often take longer to heal than the physical ones. The support Nathan and Tung received from their colleagues and injury managers at work, together with encouragement from their families, enabled them both to recover and return to work quickly.

Another great success story was the winner of the Small Employer Excellence Award, which was won by a Naracoorte-based company called Kenlen Seeds. As a small rural company, Kenlen Seeds went the extra mile to make sure one of their staff members returned to work after being run over by a harvester. It is often tough for small employers to design suitable things for injured workers to do. With just four staff, Tim and Bruce Schultz of Kenlen Seeds did not hesitate to do all they could to help their worker get back to work, including modifying equipment and duties to get him back in the driver's seat.

These are just a couple of the great stories that were told throughout the night, showcasing the great spirit of employers and workers working together. I would like to thank the sponsors of the Return to Work Awards program, including Business SA, Employers Mutual, Minter Ellison and the Self Insurers of South Australia. I encourage anyone to visit www.workcover.com to read stories from all award winners of the 2011 Recovery and Return to Work Awards.