WORKCOVER BOARD

The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Planning, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Business Services and Consumers) (14:05): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: Today, I announce appointments to the new WorkCover board. These appointments are part of the first stage of this government's broader reforms to the WorkCover scheme. The makeup of the new board represents a fundamental change to the way in which the scheme will operate. From today, the current terms of the WorkCover board of management will expire. As members would be aware, changes to the legislation will reduce the number of members on the board from nine to seven.

I can advise the house that three current members of the board will be reappointed, effective from 1 November 2013, and I am pleased to report that one of the three continuing members, Jane Yuile, has accepted my invitation to take on the role of chair of the board. Jane Yuile has played an important role on the board to date and will continue to apply her value and experience to the new board as chair.

She is the Chair of ANZ South Australia, and a member of the Built Environs and South Australian Film Corporation boards. She is also a member of the Advisory Board to the Australian Centre for Asian Studies at the University of South Australia. Current members Joanne Denley and Peter Malinauskas will also be appointed to the board. I am also pleased to announce the appointment of four new members to the board. They are:

Dr Bill Griggs, AM, Director of Trauma Services and the senior consultant for Intensive Care, Retrieval Services and Anaesthetics at the Royal Adelaide Hospital.

Chris Latham, a director of Pricewaterhouse Coopers and Chair of the Personal Injury Education Foundation. He has extensive experience in the insurance industry, with a particular focus on accident compensation schemes.

Nigel McBride, a former chief executive of Minter Ellison, a firm that continues to play an integral role in WorkCover's core legal work. He is also a member of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry board and a CEO of Business SA.

Yvonne Sneddon is a director of the South Australian Financing Authority. She is a former partner at Deloittes and Ferrier Hodgson, and currently sits on the board of the Motor Accident Commission.

These appointments will place the scheme on a commercial footing. This board possesses a diverse set of skills and experience, and will oversee the next phase of reform so that WorkCover better supports both employers and injured workers.

I would like to thank the chair of the board, Mr Phil Bentley, and all previous members of the WorkCover board for their hard work and service to South Australia. I look forward to working with the new board to create a financially sustainable system for the benefit of all South Australians.