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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-09-19 Daily Xml
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WORKCOVER

The Hon. A. BRESSINGTON (14:48): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the minister, representing the Minister for Workers Rehabilitation, questions about WorkCover's conduct.

Leave granted.

The Hon. A. BRESSINGTON: As members may recall, last week I asked several questions focusing on the incompetence of WorkCover and their claims agent EML in their management of Ms Mandy Jamieson's injuries. It would seem that what I detailed last week was not the full extent of WorkCover's incompetence in this case, as revealed by Ms Mandy Jamieson's section 107B application. When finally receiving her file, as her application was initially lost despite being acknowledged when submitted, Ms Jamieson discovered that WorkCover had purportedly paid an interstate psychiatrist for an independent medical examination of her. However, Ms Jamieson does not have and has never been suggested to have a psychiatric condition and she states that she has never seen the psychiatrist concerned, Dr Doron Samuell.

Members may recall Dr Samuell from questions of mine in 2010, when I detailed the numerous allegations made by constituents of his intimidating manner, verging on bullying, resulting in several being left in tears and feeling retraumatised. Despite raising these serious allegations of impropriety and assurances from the then minister that the use of interstate independent medical examiners would be limited to cases where a local specialist is not available, it is my understanding that Dr Samuell was never fully investigated and continues to be contracted by WorkCover to undertake such examinations and assessments.

Considering these allegations, Ms Jamieson is surely thankful that this consultation did not take place. However, this does not detract from the fact that Dr Samuell was reportedly paid some $1,580, including travel and accommodation expenses, for an examination which never occurred. My questions to the minister are:

1. Will the minister now initiate an investigation into the payment to Dr Samuell for an examination that allegedly did not occur?

2. Will the minister report the outcome of this investigation to the parliament?

3. If that investigation reveals that this is not simply an error, will the minister review all payments to Dr Samuell and other independent medical examiners to determine if this was an isolated incident?

4. Given the commitments made on 24 June 2010 by the then minister for industrial relations in this place, why is an interstate psychiatrist still being engaged by WorkCover when there is no shortage of South Australian psychiatrists available and at a much reduced cost?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the Status of Women) (14:51): I thank the honourable member for her important question. We will refer those to the appropriate minister in another place and bring back a response.

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