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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-09-15 Daily Xml
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WORKCOVER CORPORATION

The Hon. J.S. LEE (15:07): Thank you, Mr President.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Ms Lee, when your comrades are quiet.

The Hon. J.S. LEE: I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Industrial Relations a question about WorkCover.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.S. LEE: According to the Return to Work Monitor 2010-11, released by the heads of workers compensation authorities, it was reported that the SA scheme has the nation's worst return-to-work record and the highest proportion of people on workers compensation, coupled with the nation's highest average employer levy.

South Australia's return-to-work rate is 80 per cent, whilst the national average is 86 per cent, and South Australia has the highest rate of injured workers, with 35 per cent receiving compensation, whilst the national average is 23 per cent. The state performed poorly in keeping injured workers in paid employment once they returned to work, and employees also took longer to return after an accident than was the case in other states. My questions are:

1. How is the government going to help manufacturers and businesses in South Australia to compete with their interstate counterparts when South Australia's workers compensation scheme is the most expensive in the nation for businesses and has been the worst performing of all the states?

2. The CEO of WorkCover reported in The Advertiser on 13 September that WorkCover is presently proposing to overhaul the levies paid by medium and large employers. Can the government provide details about WorkCover's proposed new levies and any other related measures that will improve the scheme's outcomes?

The PRESIDENT: The minister representing the minister in the other place.

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations) (15:09): Thank you, Mr President. The question was directed to me as industrial relations minister. I would like to respond by informing the honourable member that, if she looks on her desk, there is a list of ministers responsible, and under Gail Gago there is the Treasurer and the minister for WorkCover. So, what the honourable member should do is direct the question to my colleague in this place, and she will then direct it to the appropriate minister.

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