Page 1660 - Week 05 - Thursday, 5 May 2016
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They further stated:
The application of the discount rate, capping, the imposition of thresholds upon access to common law remedies and other legislative measures have reduced the adequacy of payments for injured people.
There is a slightly differing view across the chamber on access to common law, and whether or not it should be the case. As the new system that is being put in place evolves, we will need to keep an eye on it. We certainly need to make sure that people do receive appropriate compensation where it is appropriate. We also need to make sure that the processes work properly.
We will support it today. We will keep a watching brief. We think it should be reviewed as quickly as is appropriate when we have adequate data to be collected which can give us some indication of whether or not it is going in the right direction. With that we will support the bill today.
MR RATTENBURY (Molonglo) (5.31): In April 2014 the Assembly supported the lifetime care and support act, which established the first element of a national injury insurance scheme or NIIS. The act established a scheme of no-fault minimum care and support arrangements for people suffering catastrophic injuries received through a motor vehicle accident. The arrangements are funded by a fee as compulsory third-party premiums. The scheme is administered by a commissioner who assesses applicants’ eligibility and treatment and care needs.
The bill before us today proposes to extend the lifetime care and support scheme. As well as covering catastrophic injuries received through motor vehicle accidents, the scheme will extend to cover catastrophic injuries acquired through work accidents. On behalf of the Greens, I am happy to say that I support this bill and its extension to work accidents.
Establishing the NIIS was a recommendation of the landmark 2011 Productivity Commission report on disability care and support. That report recommended establishing the national disability insurance scheme, or the NDIS, as well as the NIIS. The Greens have supported both the NDIS and the NIIS. We believe these schemes establish a good system for providing long-term, high quality care and support for people with significant disabilities and for people who have acquired catastrophic injuries. Our society should be set up in a way that helps people who have suffered these tragic injuries, whose lives have been irreversibly changed, so that they can at least get care and support that will help them to live as best they can.
This week is Road Safety Awareness Week, and we have been reflecting on the deaths that have occurred on ACT roads. Many of us have been wearing yellow ribbons to signify that this week. One thing that we sometimes do not think about as much as we should is that as well as deaths there are catastrophic life-changing injuries that occur on our roads and in our workplaces.
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