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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2022-06-15 Daily Xml
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Return to Work Scheme

The Hon. C. BONAROS (15:07): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Industrial Relations a question about the Return to Work scheme.

Leave granted.

The Hon. C. BONAROS: During the last sitting week, I asked the minister questions about a bill moved in this place by the Hon. Irene Pnevmatikos, namely the Return to Work (Impairment Assessment Guidelines) Amendment Bill, aimed at addressing the manner by which the former industrial relations minister made changes to the guidelines which, in this minister's words, 'drastically change the Impairment Assessment Guidelines that affect some of the most vulnerable injured workers in South Australia'. As we know, that bill passed this chamber with the full support and endorsement of the Labor Party. My questions to the Attorney are:

1. Has the government committed to reverse changes made to the Impairment Assessment Guidelines by the former industrial relations minister? If so, when and how will this occur?

2. Does the minister stand by his commitment in this place to make Impairment Assessment Guidelines disallowable legislative instruments?

3. Does the minister acknowledge the changes by the former government focused almost exclusively on injuries that were the subject of cases where ReturnToWork was unsuccessful in its legal challenges?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Attorney-General, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (15:08): I thank the honourable member for her questions. I am not sure I'm taking them in order but, yes, this government remains committed to making changes to those guidelines as a disallowable legislative instrument, yet many of the guidelines that were published by the former minister in the former government we will seek to reverse. There are a few of those that are acknowledged, I think, by all those who use the scheme as useful parts to give clarification or interpretation on some areas but, yes, by and large we intend to reverse those and make future guidelines disallowable instruments.

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