WORKCOVER CORPORATION

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (14:46): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Industrial Relations, representing the Minister for Workers Rehabilitation, a question on the WorkCover Corporation charter.

Leave granted.

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS: The WorkCover charter 2010-11, which was finally tabled in the House of Assembly on 26 July 2011, states that the government expects the WorkCover Corporation to achieve and maintain rates of rehabilitation consistent with at least 93 per cent of employees returning to work within 12 months of their injury, with 52 per cent returning within three years of injury. The WorkCover charter 2011-12, which was also tabled on 26 July 2011, does not state the rehabilitation and return-to-work rates expected by the government. The rehabilitation and return-to-work section is no longer contained in the WorkCover charter, although the charter does refer to a performance statement.

The WorkCover annual report for 2010-11 states that a new WorkCover charter, aligned with the WorkCover SA Strategic Direction 2011-16, came into effect on 1 July 2011. In this document, return-to-work targets are expressed as improvement in the return-to-work rates of 3 per cent each year, measured at 26, 52 and 104 weeks. My questions to the minister are:

1. Has WorkCover achieved the return-to-work targets in 2009-10 and 2010-11?

2. What is the minister and the Treasurer's assessment of the WorkCover board's performance against the charter and the performance statement to which they are meant to be accountable?

3. Can the minister explain why the return-to-work rates have been dropped from the 2011-12 charter?

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations) (14:48): I thank the member for her very important question and acknowledge the keen interest the member has had in WorkCover over a long period of time. I will refer this to the Minister for Workers Rehabilitation and get an answer as soon as possible.