Page 941 - Week 03 - Thursday, 10 April 2014
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These are valid issues. They should be addressed. This bill is important and it should pass. But we do need to get it right. I am aware that there is constant review in New South Wales of how their scheme is operating. Truly, these people are injured and the last thing they need is uncertainty in the scheme. So, with that, I will be moving my amendments in the detail stage.
MR RATTENBURY (Molonglo) (11.34): As members are no doubt aware, in 2011 the Productivity Commission released an inquiry report called Disability care and support. I think we can classify this as a landmark report, as it recommended the establishment of the national disability insurance scheme, the NDIS, which, as we know, is a scheme to provide long-term, high-quality care and support for people with significant disabilities. It is a scheme the Greens have strongly supported and I am pleased that the ACT is a launch site for the NDIS.
The second part of that Productivity Commission report recommended establishing a no-fault national injury insurance scheme, NIIS, a model intended to comprise a federation of individual state and territory schemes to provide fully funded care and support for all cases of catastrophic injury.
The Lifetime Care and Support (Catastrophic Injuries) Bill will implement one aspect of the NIIS in the ACT, and I am pleased to support it. I understand that Mr Barr will be presenting some minor amendments to the bill shortly, as well as a revised explanatory statement, which will address some of the issues that I raised with him during discussions on the bill. I thank Mr Barr and his office for the useful discussions and willingness to cooperate.
The bill establishes a scheme of no-fault, minimum care and support arrangements for people suffering catastrophic injuries received through a motor vehicle accident. The arrangements will be funded by a fee added to compulsory third-party premiums, estimated to be $34.
The lifetime care and support scheme, referred to as the LTCS, will be administered by a commissioner who will assess an applicant’s eligibility and treatment and care needs. Motor vehicle accidents are the first injury type to be subject to this scheme. Someone catastrophically injured in a motor vehicle accident, whether they can show fault or not, will be eligible for the scheme. A motor vehicle accident requires the involvement of a motor vehicle, which means that cyclists and pedestrians will be covered in relation to incidents that involve a motor vehicle. If they are hit by a car, they will be covered. If they have an accident while riding alone, they will not be. The Productivity Commission recommended that ultimately the NIIS should cover almost all causes of catastrophic injuries, including medical treatment, criminal injury and general accidents occurring within the community or at home.
Currently in the ACT, a person injured in a motor vehicle accident who cannot show that someone else was at fault is not able to claim under the compulsory third-party insurance scheme. The scheme established under this bill will cover this gap, ensuring that these injured people receive the care and treatment they need for their lifetime. This is a significant change that will make a very important difference to the lives of
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