WorkCover

The Hon. I.F. EVANS (Davenport) (14:30): My question is to the Treasurer. Is the Treasurer aware that the predicted savings under the government's proposed WorkCover reforms were based on actuarial advice undertaken in just 10 days by Finity Consulting?

The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Justice Reform, Minister for Planning, Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Minister for Industrial Relations) (14:30): As Minister for Industrial Relations, this is a matter that is appropriate for me to answer. The investigations that have been going on in relation to WorkCover matters have been going on for the greater part of the whole of last calendar year. In fact, if I recall correctly, the Premier asked me to take over the management of that matter in January or February of last year.

Members would be aware that there was a bill brought to this place in the middle part of last year in relation to the governing body of WorkCover, which was a part of that work. There was also a discussion with various parties about amendments to the WorkCover legislation, which ultimately did not result in any movement at that time. There was also—

Ms Redmond interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Heysen is warned.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: —a new charter, which the Premier (as then treasurer) and I signed into effect, and I think that came into effect, from memory, in about September of last year. There have been ongoing discussions with various people, including actuaries, over the course of most of last year, in particular towards the end of last year and, I have to say, those conversations have continued since. So, there is no secret that we have been talking to actuaries in relation to WorkCover—no secret whatsoever—and so we should.

Can I make the point that the reason we spoke to actuaries about WorkCover is that we wanted to be in a position to be able to tell this parliament that we had actuarial evidence to support propositions we wish to advance about law reform. What a contrast with the resolutions that have been moved here in relation to other matters touching on WorkCover where no attention whatsoever has been paid by the opposition to the actuaries' reports, one of which was dated 30 September and provided to those opposite, indicating a cost of something in the order of $90-odd million across the forward estimates to the WorkCover scheme.

The Hon. I.F. Evans interjecting:

The Hon. J.R. RAU: Absolutely. We have spoken to actuaries and we will continue to do so.

The SPEAKER: Supplementary.