Page 548 - Week 02 - Thursday, 25 February 1993
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Mr Lamont: A fine Australian.
MR DE DOMENICO: A fine gentleman, a fine Australian. That committee was looking into aspects of workers compensation in the ACT. In fact, Madam Speaker, that committee made some, I think, 59 recommendations, or was it 89? It is so long ago that I have forgotten. Anyway, it made many recommendations.
Mr Lamont: It was 39.
MR DE DOMENICO: It made 39 recommendations suggesting what could be done to improve the workers compensation climate in the ACT. I believe that this is one of the recommendations. It means very simply that the last insurer will pick up the tab in terms of the claim and then will recoup any money due to it from other insurance companies once it pays that claim out to the work force. That means that claims will be settled more quickly. It also means that claims will be settled more cheaply than they are now, and that ultimately will, I believe, mean cheaper workers compensation premiums.
The second part of the legislation, Madam Speaker, corrects a typo or a technical error in the Bill. After consulting with Confact, the Insurance Council of Australia, the Chamber of Commerce and the Canberra Business Council - we did have an opportunity to consult with the business community this time, unlike what happened over the past week or so - we are quite happy to say that this is good legislation. Therefore the Liberal Party will support it.
MR BERRY (Minister for Health, Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Sport) (4.19), in reply: Madam Speaker, I thank members for their support for this legislation. I have to say that Mr De Domenico's applause for the legislation caused me to quickly glance through it again to see whether I had done something wrong.
Mr De Domenico: If it is good stuff I will say so.
MR BERRY: It is rare, Madam Speaker, that we get such applause but I am happy to - - -
Mr De Domenico: It took you 10 years to put it in, but still, it is good stuff.
MR BERRY: Well, I have been here only since 1989, so it is a bit hard to cram the 10 years into that. It might feel like a long time dealing with Liberals. Madam Speaker, I thank members for their support for the Bill. I foreshadow, Madam Speaker, that I will be moving further amendments later on. I have circulated those amendments and discussed them with various members. I will deal with them later in the course of debate.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Bill agreed to in principle.
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