WORKCOVER REHABILITATION PROVIDERS

The Hon. J.A. DARLEY (15:15): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Mineral Resources Development, representing the Minister for Industrial Relations, a question in relation to WorkCover rehabilitation providers.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.A. DARLEY: On 16 July 2000, the Advertiser published an article regarding Ms Sandra De Poi, and allegations of a conflict of interest. Ms De Poi, a member of the WorkCover Board, is also the managing director of De Poi Consultancy Services, which is an Adelaide-based workplace injury management and occupational rehabilitation provider.

The article states that De Poi Consultancy Services has received over $6.2 million in contracts from WorkCover referrals since the 2004-05 financial year. Last financial year, all rehabilitation providers were allocated work on a rotational basis. I am advised that case managers were able to override this process at their discretion and allocate work to any rehabilitation provider. I am further advised that De Poi Consultancy Services was exempt from this rotational referral process.

This financial year, work has been allocated to rehabilitation providers, based on their performance which is determined by the CAPO system. This system uses certain variables such as cost and return-to-work statistics to establish the performance of each registered rehabilitation provider against other registered rehabilitation providers. I am advised that the only rehabilitation providers who are excluded from this referral process are those smaller rehabilitation providers who did not receive enough referrals in the past to have a large enough sample size. My questions are:

1. Can the minister confirm whether De Poi Consultancy Services was exempt from the rotational referral system used in previous years?

2. If so, can the minister provide an explanation as to why this was the case?

3. Are De Poi Consultancy Services current referrals from WorkCover based on the CAPO system?

4. Does De Poi Consultancy Services meet or exceed industry benchmarks standards in its return-to-work outcomes?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Small Business) (15:17): I will refer that question to my colleague in another place and bring back a reply.