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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-09-13 Daily Xml
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COSSEY REVIEW

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Treasurer, Minister for Employment, Training and Further Education, Minister for Workers Rehabilitation) (15:13): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: In June this year, the then Minister for Industrial Relations tabled the review of the Impact of the Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation (Scheme Review) Amendment Act 2008.

Mr Bill Cossey was assigned the task of reviewing the 2008 amendments to the Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Scheme as required by statute earlier this year. The review assessed the impact of the 2008 amendments based on all reasonable available information but, in my view, did not find significant improvements in the scheme that should be pursued at this time based on that it was not yet possible to draw firm conclusions about the impact of the 2008 legislative changes.

The review makes it clear that it is too early to measure the impacts of the 2008 changes, let alone base substantial further reform on its early findings. It is for this reason that, in developing the government's response to the Cossey Review, recent judgements, including Campbell and Yaghoubi, Davey and Mericka, as well as other reform proposals, will be taken into consideration.

I continue to work on the appropriate response to the Cossey Review in this context and I will work closely with employee and employer representatives, the WorkCover CEO and board, and other interested parties.

It is my strong belief that the South Australian WorkCover scheme must focus on return to work. There is much work ahead in improving return to work rates. Increasing return to work rates is the key to the best results for injured workers, employers and the financial sustainability of the scheme. Any response to the review and other matters will be contingent on actuarial assessment to uphold the government's commitment to give support for injured workers to work while creating a more affordable and sustainable scheme for employers. This will be balanced against the potential impact of any changes in the average levy rate and the unfunded liability and any consequential impact on the state's financial position.

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