
Issue No 104		27 July 2001

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Media

WorkCover Finally Fesses Up – Premiums the Problem

The head of WorkCover this week confirmed what trade unions have argued for years - the troubles in the workers compensation scheme are the result of employers not paying adequate premiums.

WorkCover general manager Kate McKenzie was quoted by APP making the comments at a conference this week. She said the scheme's problems dated back to the early 1990s when it was not collecting enough premium revenue to cover costs.

"We're still not collecting enough premium and the deficit has not been

addressed at this stage," she was reported to have said.

The admission adds weight to trade union arguments that injured workers should not be carrying the can for the scheme woes.

NSW Labor Council secretary John Robertson says the government needs to reconsider its approach to workers compensation reform in light of McKenzie's comments.

"Access Economics has produced an analysis of the scheme that argues that an increase in premiums would have an, at worst, minimal impact on jobs," Robertson says.

"We don't see why injured workers should be the ones who pay for the failure to collect adequate premiums through reduced benefits and reduced access to their workers compensation entitlements."

Sheahen Inquiry Hears Trade Union Concerns

Mary Yaager reports A single threshold for allowing injured workers to sue negligent employers would rule out many legitimate claims, the NSW Government's inquiry into common law has been told.

Labor Council of NSW Secretary, John Robertson with a delegation of unions and eminent doctors presented their Oral Evidence to the Inquiry into Common Law headed by Justice Sheahan on Thursday.

Robertson expressed the union view that the right of an injured worker to sue for negligence must be maintained.

"Access to common must not be severely restricted so that only a handful of victims can claim, " he said. "A second gateway such as a judicial discretion is crucial."

Robertson also told the Inquiry that the unions want to ensure that a proper and fair injury threshold test is set and that Judges retain discretion to hear worthy cases

Professor Michael Fearnside an Eminenet Neurosurgeon and well respected in the medical profession was a part of the union delegation. Professor Fearnside supported the union's position and stated that it is critical to have both tests.

Professor Fearnside told the Inquiry that there are anomalies in the guidelines used for the injury threshold test and that a number of workers with very serious injures would not pass and hence there is a need for Judge to decide on claims

Ben Kruse from the MEU confirmed that the Labor Government in Victoria had just reintroduced a second test because the majority of seriously injured workers do not get over the injury threshold test.

Nancy Searle from the Police Association said, "Police officers, ambos, teachers, nurses and a number of other groups who suffer major psychological trauma at work would not pass."

This was confirmed by a Psychiatrists, Dr Murray Wright who advised that his a patient -a police officer, who will never work again after almost being beaten to death and witnessing his co worker being murdered would not pass the injury threshold test

Full transcript of the Labor Council's oral submission to the Inquiry will be available on the official website next week.

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  Issue 104 contents

Interview: A Super Agenda
Labor's federal spokesman on superannuation Kelvin Thompson outlines the challenges a Beazley Government will face in managing the nation's savings.

E-Change: 1.4 The Shifting Sands of Ideology
Peter Lewis and Michael Gadiel conclude the first part of their study of new politics by looking for core Labor values in a post-Cold War environment.

Corporate: Locking Horns
The same names keep cropping up in the business pages as the web of corporate control stays tied to a few big players. Georgina Murray has been looking at the extent and depth of the connections.

Unions: The Workers Bank
With banks on the nose, David Whiteley looks at how unions and super funds have got together to create the real deal – the workers bank.

International: Phil Davey's Amazon Postcard
The CFMEU's Boy Wonder has downed the megaphone for three months in South America. Here's what he's been up to.

History: Faded Vision of The American Bounder
King O'Malley was an American ex-pat who dreamed of a people's bank. Neale Towart looks at what happened to his vision.

Activists: The Big Gee-Up
With the big guns of the anti-corporate movement in town, Mark Hebblewhite goes looking for a definition of globalisation.

Indonesia: Where to the Workers After Gus Dur?
At the end of a turbulent week, Jasper Goss looks at the impact of the overthrow of Wahid on Indonesian workers.

Review: Mixing Pop and Politics
'The Bank' is a new Australian film that takes a contemporary political issue and transforms it into a piece of compelling popular culture.

Satire: Milosevic's Defence: "I Was Just Issuing Orders"
Disgraced former Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic has brushed off against charges for war crimes against humanity and mass genocide.

» Community Banks Are No Collectivists

» Labor Vows to Widen Royal Commission

» WorkCover Finally Fesses Up – Premiums the Problem

» Unions Launch 56 Hour Watch

» Call Centre Campaign Bares First Fruit

» Justice at Last for One.Tel Workers

» Entitlements Push Gathers Momentum

» Employer Dirty on Leave Win

» Rights Put In Too Hard Basket

» AMA Move on Doctors’ Hours Welcome

» Aussie Post Workers Rally

» Strike by Airport Guards Lawful

» Workers Rejects Brough Deal

» Unions Will March at CHOGM

» Average Response to Robberies

» Coca-Cola Sued for Using Paramilitary Force

» Activists Notebook