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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-05-06 Daily Xml
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ReturnToWorkSA Premium

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (15:12): My question is to the Treasurer. Can the Treasurer outline the background to the decision by the ReturnToWork board today on the premium levels for next year?

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (Treasurer) (15:12): I am advised that the ReturnToWorkSA board, as an independent body, has issued a press statement, I think this afternoon or maybe this morning, announcing its premium levels for next year, which is a small increase of 0.05 per cent. The premium for this year and I think last year as well has been 1.65 per cent, and the proposed premium for next year is 1.70 per cent.

We welcomed the reforms of the former government, led by former Attorney-General, John Rau. We supported those reforms through this parliament. There has been some discussion in recent days about long speeches given in this particular chamber critical of aspects of the former government's comprehensive reforms, which, as I said, were supported by the then Liberal opposition and the now government.

That has led to premium rates dropping from just under 3 per cent—I think 2.75 per cent—down to at the lowest level 1.65 per cent. I congratulate the ReturnToWork corporation, its staff and its board over the last 12 to 18 months, as they have had to manage, as everyone has had to manage, the ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic. They took key decisions in relation to whether or not premiums would be charged, for example on JobKeeper payments, which assisted business to help retain jobs in South Australia. They have been flexible and agile in terms of trying to work with businesses to try to keep as many businesses alive as possible during the 12 or 15 months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Their release today outlines the fact that the scheme is under significant pressure. There have been a number of recent tribunal and court decisions that are placing financial pressure on the key elements of the scheme. As outlined by the former Attorney-General, John Rau, there are, certainly in the last 12 months, higher numbers of workers now qualifying for seriously injured worker status than were originally projected by the corporation (and the former government, I might say, when they introduced the scheme).

Those tribunal and court decisions, as I said, are placing pressure on the fundamentals of the scheme and in particular on premium levels that might have to be charged. Essentially, they have advised me that is the background to the modest increase in the premium levels from 1.65 per cent to 1.70 per cent for the coming year.

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