Media articles

WorkCover case ruled oppressive Tuna diver wins 5 year fight

Mark — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 22:15:09 GMT

WorkCover has been slammed by a panel of Supreme Court justices for its "win at all costs" fight against an injured tuna diver.

WorkCover 1.3 Billion dollar unfunded liability

Mark — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 01:24:47 GMT

From The Advertiser April 2009 Timely reform of WorkCover WORKCOVER'S $1.3 billion unfunded liabilities are an enormous problem for this state, particularly during a global downturn. This will have an impact on the state's already pressured balance sheet and cast more doubt on the imperilled AAA credit rating. Business is, rightly, looking forward to a decrease in the average levy because of WorkCover reforms implemented by the State Government last year. One can only imagine ...

Australian Nursing Federation

Bruce — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 13:46:11 GMT

12 March 2008 Dear Reader, Injured workers' entitlements are under threat due to the State Government's proposed changes to WorkCover legislation. The proposed changes will see: � Payments to Injured workers cut after 13 weeks to 80 percent of their average weekly earnings. � Weekly payments discontinued altogether after two and half years following injury. � If an injured worker disputes their claim, they will receive no payments during this time. � Reduced compensation for loss ...

WorkCover board advice rejected

Bruce — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 11:28:20 GMT

Article from: The Advertiser GREG KELTON, STATE POLITICAL REPORTER March 29, 2007 02:00pm WORKCOVER'S board has recommended cuts to benefits for workers to rein in a huge unfunded liability which could reach $1 billion within two years - but the Government has refused to act on the board's recommendations. Instead, the Government decided to hold another review of the worker's compensation scheme in South Australia. The shock decision resulted in the Opposition saying Industrial ...

Vote ALP for poor hospitals: Abbott

Bruce — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 06:42:43 GMT

Federal Health Minister Tony Abbott has sought to make an election issue out of problems at a Sydney hospital, blaming Labor after a woman miscarried in a toilet while waiting to be seen by doctors. Earlier, Prime Minister John Howard blamed hospital administrators and human error for the incident at Sydney's Royal North Shore Hospital. But when asked about the incident Abbott said: "If you don't like what's happening in public hospitals now, don't vote Labor, because state Labor has created ...

Doctor perving on workcover patient.

Martin — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 01:07:25 GMT

Perving doctor jailed Article from: Sunday Mail (SA) August 26, 2007 12:15am THE victim of a perverted doctor who used a hidden camera to take illicit photographs of his female patients has spoken of her trauma. The doctor, who cannot be named by order of the court, was this week sentenced to two years' jail with a 14-month non-parole period. Police began investigating the man, who practised at a clinic in Adelaide's northeast, after a female patient noticed a flash ...

Labor party faithfuls appointed to top Jobs

lucas — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 23:52:31 GMT

Labor faithful in key posts Article from: The Advertiser MICHAEL OWEN, POLITICAL REPORTER August 11, 2007 02:15am DOZENS of people with close links to the Labor Party have been appointed to lucrative State Government board and committee positions. A list of board and committee appointments which pay up to $75,000 a year, compiled by the Liberal Party, includes a former Labor minister's wife, former Labor MPs, Labor Party candidates and former senior Labor ministerial staffers. Upper ...

An act of injustice

dianne — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 01:03:39 GMT

An act of injustice From the Independent Weekly June 30-July06 2007. The state government's fight against bikie gangs is tough talk and its walk is a popular swagger. But are its laws brutal and unfair, as its critics claim? HENDRIK GOUT explains how you could get caught up in a fight you have no chance of winning. Lawyers Catherine Hicks and David Edwardson believe the criminal assets law is flawed It was a dark and stormy night. High in the wooly Scottish hills, with the moon scudding ...

Corruption: No resources

Simon Davidson — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 01:08:27 GMT

Article from: COLIN JAMESL, EGAL AFFAIRS EDITOR June 25, 2007 02:15am THE Police Complaints Authority and State Ombudsman do not have the resources to investigate corruption, it has emerged. Former Ombudsman Eugene Biganovsky and PCA head Tony Wainwright have confirmed any allegations of official corruption, including against police, have to be investigated by SA Police. The comments by Mr Wainwright and Mr Biganovsky follow calls by Director of Public Prosecutions Stephen ...

Unions attack Workcover

dianne — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 10:30:34 GMT

Unions attack WorkCover Article from: The Advertiser MICHAEL OWEN, POLITICAL REPORTER June 15, 2007 01:30pm UNIONS have accused the WorkCover Corporation and Business SA of "mischievously misrepresenting" WorkCover's financial situation to try and cut workers' entitlements. SA Unions today released a discussion paper it commissioned by UniSA workers' compensation expert Kevin Purse. Dr Purse this morning criticised the management of the WorkCover Corporation ...

Redemptions

Gary — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 13:59:27 GMT

I have heard of some claimants that have been on Workcover for over 10 years. Now just on average if they cost Workcover around $40,000 a year( including management costs and wages etc) how can it be that they only offer redemptions to some, not others and that their redemptions rarely exceed $100,000 for a section 42. Now if you add up 40 k over 10 years thats $400,000 including interest over 10 years thats a heck of a lot of money that could have been saved. Money thats saved can go back into ...

Unfair compo scheme isn't working

P.F. — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 04:38:36 GMT

Michael Duffy September 23, 2006 IN THE workers' compensation scheme for NSW, the rule of law is not operating properly. There is not adequate predictability, consistency or protection from the decisions of government. Several hundred of the biggest employers are outside the scheme because they insure themselves. Those companies left are being preyed upon by WorkCover, the State Government agency responsible for the scheme. Small businesses have no realistic avenue of appeal ...

Hansard 31 May 2007

P.F. — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 04:37:19 GMT

Full Day Hansard Transcript (Legislative Assembly, 31 May 2007, Proof) < H2>Proof Extract from NSW Legislative Assembly Hansard and Papers Thursday, 31 May 2007 (Proof). WORKPLACE SAFETY The Hon. AMANDA FAZIO: My question is addressed to the Minister for Industrial Relations. Will the Minister inform the House about New South Wales efforts to ensure that employers are clear about their workplace safety responsibilities? The Hon. JOHN DELLA BOSCA: I thank ...

Why didn't Mr Bruce Carter resign?

P.F. — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 04:34:52 GMT

Extract from the Advertiser Thurs May 31 2007. Silence over Key Workcover query. There were lots of questions about WorkCover's rapidly deteriorating financial position yesterday but not the one that's been bugging many observers. Industrial Relations Minister Michael Wright appointed a new, high-powered board in 2003 with riding instructions to fix its raft of problems. He installed high-profile liquidator Bruce Carter as chairman to head the rescue mission, along with ...

WorkCover lump-sum payout plea

P.F. — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 04:34:05 GMT

CRAIG BILDSTIEN May 25, 2007 02:15am Article from: The Advertiser WORKCOVER is being urged to offer more and higher lump-sum payouts to injured workers to cut ballooning claims liability. An injured worker said he and hundreds of others have been "trapped" on weekly benefits for more than three years because of a "poor policy decision to stop paying reasonable redemptions". WorkCover figures show the number of injured workers receiving compensation ...

Compo revolt by employers

P.F. — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 04:33:11 GMT

Compo revolt by employers business demands cuts From the Advertiser page 1 Adelaide Tuesday May 15, 2007 EXCLUSIVE PAUL STARICK CHIEF REPORTER EMPLOYERS today will launch a mass campaign to pressure the State Government to overhaul WorkCover, warning the nation's worst-performing com�pensation scheme is damaging the state economy. In an unprecedented attack on state Labor, Business SA is urging more than 60,000 employers to lobby MPs until the scheme is ...

MARGARET KELLY Covering all bases in compo review

P.F. — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 04:32:13 GMT

The advertiser. Monday April 30th 2007 WORKCOVER is in the news again. The Minister for Industrial Relations, Michael Wright, has announced a review of the WorkCover Scheme, This review will consider proposals which, he says, will look to achieve a scheme that is fully funded, that is fair to workers, and enables the earliest possible return to work but also is affordable to business. The most specific of the three objectives of the review is in respect of the average ...

Plan to slash WorkCover bill by $1bn

P.F. — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 04:31:12 GMT

By CRAIG BILDSTIEN April 02, 2007 02:15am Article from: The Advertiser INJURED workers would save the financially troubled WorkCover $1 million if they went back to work just one day earlier. And if five employees on benefits for more than three years returned to their jobs today, they would save another $1 million. A WorkCover report prepared last November and released by the State Government last week does not specify over what period the savings would ...

WorkCover releases half-year results

P.F. — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 04:30:26 GMT

RELEASE DATE 29/03/2007 WorkCover�s unfunded liability has increased to $722.7 million after a loss of $28.6 million for the half-year to 31 December, 2006. The Scheme is 66.1 per cent funded. WorkCover�s financial result for the July-December 2006 period is primarily due to an increase in the estimate of costs for income maintenance (weekly payments). The Scheme�s funding ratio has increased despite this loss because of an increase in the asset base, largely due to ...

Redemptions

Matt R. — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 02:40:53 GMT

Sue, I note with interest that you chose to question something I had written and authorised to be published on the VOID website directly with VOID yet curiously did not address the issue with myself. You drew attention to a WorkCover media release that you suggest confounds what I had stated but it only serves to reinforce the failings of WorkCover to understand the very issue that gave rise to the blowout in the financial liability. You also know that the data I refer to is sound having ...