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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 13 Hansard (9 December) . . Page.. 4081 ..
The Assembly voted -
AYES, 10 NOES, 7 Ms Carnell Mr Berry Mr Cornwell Mr Corbell Mr Hird Mr Hargreaves Mr Humphries Mr Quinlan Mr Kaine Mr Stanhope Mr Moore Ms Tucker Mr Osborne Mr Wood Mr Rugendyke Mr Smyth Mr Stefaniak
Question so resolved in the affirmative.
MR OSBORNE (12.03): I seek leave to present the Workers Compensation Amendment Bill 1999.
Leave granted.
MR OSBORNE: I present the Workers Compensation Amendment Bill 1999, together with an explanatory memorandum.
Title read by Clerk.
MR OSBORNE: I move:
That this Bill be agreed to in principle.
I thank members for their indulgence. The legislation only came through last night. I intend to refer it to the Select Committee on the Workers Compensation System.
In 1995 Mr Berry chaired a committee inquiring into the performance of Comcare in regard to our workers compensation requirements, in particular the level of cost to employers. As a result of that inquiry, changes were made which, I understand, have produced a better workers compensation scheme. I believe that there are now fewer accidents on the job, rehabilitation times are shorter and the costs for all parties have been reduced. So, while the system we have now is still far from perfect, it has nonetheless improved.
Despite this improvement, two common points of criticism remain - firstly, the quality of rehabilitation has come under question; and, secondly, the cost of the scheme is still too high. This legislation addresses an aspect of the latter point - the cost of the scheme.
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