Psychiatric Impairment Assessment Guidelines

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (14:34): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before addressing a question without notice to the Minister for Industrial Relations on the topic of ReturnToWorkSA's Psychiatric Impairment Assessment guidelines.

Leave granted.

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS: Under the Return To Work Act 2014, a person must have a whole person impairment of at least 30 per cent to be entitled to damages. It is the same for a physical injury as it is for a psychiatric injury. I would like to draw the minister's attention to the assessment matrix for the mental function at chapter 16.1 of the impairment guidelines, evaluation of psychiatric impairment. Under this matrix, the categories include thinking, perception, judgement, mood, behaviour, and also intelligence. Can the minister explain why intelligence is a measure on the assessment matrix for impairment of mental function?

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (Treasurer) (14:35): I am happy to take advice from ReturnToWorkSA and bring back an answer to the member's question.