Page 5935 - Week 18 - Wednesday, 11 December 1991
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rate fell from 4.68 per cent to 2.2 per cent; and the restaurants rate fell from 4.85 per cent to 3.61 per cent. The overall reduction to 2.09 per cent of wages is very satisfactory and compares favourably with the cost of other State workers' compensation schemes.
What Mr Stefaniak wants to do now is go for the victims. He does not want to sort out the problems with workers' compensation law. It is the old ideological anti-union position. We see it here; we have seen it here so many times in the past. These premium reductions that I have mentioned are a direct result of the review of workers' compensation which was initiated by the previous Follett Government in 1989.
Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, this amendment cannot be supported as it will bring hardship to workers already suffering, for little benefit. It is a question of whether a worker or an employer or just an ideology is the most important. I say that the workers' rights are important and they need to be protected. I think what Mr Stefaniak sets out to do is not well thought out. It will damage the consultation process which is in place in relation to workers' compensation and will not assist us in delivering a better package, not only to employees but also to employers and the community as a whole.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Bill agreed to in principle.
Detail Stage
Clauses 1 to 6, by leave, taken together
MR JENSEN (4.38): Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I am not quite sure whether I can do this in the absence of my colleague Mr Collaery - - -
MADAM TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: You can do it, Mr Jensen.
MR JENSEN: I seek leave of the Assembly to move the amendment that has been circulated.
MADAM TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: You do not need leave, Mr Jensen.
MR JENSEN: All right. I move the amendment that has been circulated in Mr Collaery's name. I move:
Clause 5, page 2, line 30, after proposed paragraph 6(d), insert the following paragraph: "(da) treatment by a psychologist;".
I will defer to my colleague Mr Collaery to speak on this amendment.
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