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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, First Session (53-1)
2014-07-01 Daily Xml
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Lifetime Support Scheme

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries) (14:12): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: Today marks the commencement of the Lifetime Support Scheme in South Australia, a landmark change to accident compensation for people who sustain the most catastrophic injuries from car accidents. The scheme will provide lifetime treatment, care and support for people with very serious disabilities, injuries like paraplegia and quadriplegia, severe brain injury, whole limb or multiple amputations, major burns, and blindness.

From midnight last night, people who previously could only seek compensation if there was someone else to blame for the accident—more accurately, someone they could sue for damages—are now covered. The Lifetime Support Scheme is a no-fault scheme and will not be retrospective. Prior to its commencement, serious lifelong injuries sustained by drivers in single vehicle accidents or when a car hit a kangaroo did not qualify to receive support for their ongoing treatment and care. The difference between those who were compensable and those who were non-compensable has been described to me by people directly affected, their families and the disability sector as a system of haves and have nots. This inequality no longer exists.

When I first became aware of the potential to improve the outcomes for people who sustain the most catastrophic injuries in motor vehicle accidents, I was determined to see things change. It was pretty clear that the compulsory third-party insurance scheme needed reform. Early in this journey, I came to realise a no-fault scheme for the most critically injured would not only dramatically improve the situation for people who previously did not have a claim but it was also apparent that people who had the ability to make a claim for compensation often found the money they received was not enough or was not available early enough in their rehabilitation because it was held up in courts.

I very clearly recall a conversation with a woman at the Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre who, despite being compensable, was not able to be discharged because her claim had not been settled and she could not get the assistance she needed to support her in her own home. It is a situation that will not happen again for people who are permanently injured in car accidents, as the support they require will be available once accepted into the Lifetime Support Scheme—support like personal care workers, hoists, wheelchair, medical equipment, and home modifications.

Yesterday, I attended a launch where powerful stories were told by people advocating for this scheme—people like Cheryl Mason and her husband, Dean Fyfe. Cheryl lives with a serious brain injury caused by a motor vehicle accident in 2006 and has worked incredibly hard through her rehabilitation and returned to home and work. Cheryl and Dean have told their story many times, and to many different audiences in recent years, and have been strong advocates for a no-fault compensation scheme.

We also heard from Neil Lillecrapp, a peer support worker with Paraquad SA who is based at the Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre several days a week to talk with people in the spinal unit, many at the early stages of their rehabilitation. His genuine emotion about the availability of the Lifetime Support Scheme was humbling. His personal story, which he generously shared, was compelling and his passionate support for the scheme was very clear. By so generously sharing their struggles and their triumphs, Dean, Cheryl and Neil and many others have given us an invaluable insight in to the challenges faced by people who live with permanent disability from car accidents and the need for this important scheme.

Reforms to compulsory third-party arrangements have been implemented over two years, with the first stage (a reduction in CTP premiums) occurring in 2013-14. From today, a levy to fund the scheme has been introduced on vehicle registrations, along with further reductions in CTP premiums. If we did not make any changes to the CTP scheme, a typical motorist in South Australia registering a passenger metropolitan vehicle would have been $140 worse off over two years.

Now that the changes are complete, the cost of the Lifetime Support Scheme levy plus the CTP premium for South Australian motorists is still lower than the CTP premium alone was two years ago, and South Australia now has a fairer system of support for people—

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: —with lifetime disabilities. I am happy to support people with disabilities. The Leader of the Opposition can support who he wants in this debate.

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