Archives

Today’s editorial from the AUSTRALIAN may give a clue:
“In the past decade, the state’s public-sector wages have increased by 49.2per cent, versus a rise of “35.9 per cent in the private sector over the same period, yet public services are as bad as ever. This has aided a perverse money cycle where Labor has rewarded public-sector unions that have in turn helped fund a $15 million negative election campaign that has smashed Mr Debnam’s hopes.”

It’s a sensible theory in my opinion, and I’m sticking to it because its sounds about right to me.
Just recently Mr Della Bosca has all but admitted that the Worker Compensation system was in crisis and drastic measures needed to be taken back in 2000, to reduce costs and to improve the financial performance of the system. Premiums had become too high and payouts too costly.

NSW: Workers compensation premiums set to fall again Wednesday, 21 March, 2007

“Mr Della Bosca said recently the one-off payout and premium cuts were possible because of the continuing improvement in WorkCover’s finances from a $3.2 billion deficit to a $416 million surplus. “The scheme returned to financial stability and it can now be said to have completely returned to financial health,” Mr Della Bosca told reporters. “It means we can lower premiums and increase benefits and increase services to workers now we’ve fixed the scheme.”

The Government have argued that lawyers were the one’s who were rorting the system, now it has become apparent WorkCover and insurers in particular have been the BIG WINNERS. But at no time does it appear that injured workers have been given the consideration they need. That was supposed to fall to UNIONS to defend, but they dropped the ball and probably for good reason.

Yes, unions are now taking a stand but that is 5 years after the fact, which is not good enough in my opinion.

Posted by John McPhilbin of NSW at 4:56 PM, 3/6/2007