SAMUELL, DR D.

The Hon. A. BRESSINGTON (14:55): I would like to clarify this because I think the minister misunderstood my supplementary question. I am not asking about limiting the number of fly-ins: I am asking about limiting the number of actual independent medical examinations that an injured worker is required to undergo now. Can we put a cap on it? Does the minister think that perhaps 50 independent medical assessments is a bit too many?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister Assisting the Premier in Public Sector Management) (14:56): Of course that would be the case. One would hope that if the medical panels are functioning correctly—and certainly the advice I have received suggests that they have been making a big difference—then, in relation to the assessment processes of WorkCover, one would think that, apart from a case progressing over a period of time, in most cases one such examination would be desirable.

Unless there is an ongoing issue that needs future reference, it is hard to believe that the number of examinations that the honourable member is talking about is desirable. If there is any evidence that that is continuing then I would be concerned about it, and I would hope that WorkCover would be concerned as well.

May I take this opportunity to say that a new chief executive of WorkCover, Mr Rob Thompson, has been appointed in the last week or so. He is a former acting head of WorkCover in New South Wales, and he is a person with great experience in this field. As he becomes familiar with the operations in South Australia, one would expect that he will take action to ensure not only that the treatment of injured workers is reduced, in terms of over-examination, but that the scheme is efficient. Repeated medical examinations, if they do occur, are not in anyone's interest—neither for the economic cost of the scheme nor for the wellbeing of workers—so, obviously, we would like to see them reduced, and I am sure that will be the objective of the changes that are made.