Latest news with #ofPersonImpairment
The Age
5 days ago
- Business
- The Age
Workers compensation legislation to face second inquiry after government loses first battle
The NSW Labor government's contentious workers compensation bill has been dealt a major blow and will be delayed indefinitely after Treasurer Daniel Mookhey failed to convince the Coalition and crossbenchers to back his reforms. To avoid an embarrassing loss in the upper house, the government did not oppose the Coalition's push to have a second inquiry into the bill, which will occur over at least two weeks and have broad powers to interrogate the data and modelling underpinning the proposed legislation. The proposed changes included increasing the Whole of Person Impairment (WPI) threshold to 31 per cent, limiting the capacity for people with serious psychological injury to receive long-term support or claim damages. Mookhey had warned the Coalition's amendments to the legislation would cost the state $1.9 billion. This will be the second time the legislation is considered by an inquiry, after a snap one-day hearing was held in mid-May. Some Labor backbenchers had circulated a draft letter imploring the premier to delay the introduction of the bill. Loading Opposition treasury spokesman Damien Tudehope acknowledged he and Mookhey seemed to 'have swapped friends' as he argued an inquiry was fundamental to understand the inherent risks with the reforms, a process he believed should have begun in October last year. Mookhey, who hoped the legislation would be debated and passed on Thursday, argued an inquiry would miss an opportunity to begin repairing the state's workers compensation system, providing certainty to injured workers and small businesses ahead of three successive years of 12 per cent cost rises in premiums. 'I understand as well the point that the shadow treasurer is making about the desire to familiarise himself further with data, but that comes at an expense, that is the opportunity cost we have to fix this system,' he said. 'I urge the house to do its job today.'
Sydney Morning Herald
5 days ago
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Workers compensation legislation to face second inquiry after government loses first battle
The NSW Labor government's contentious workers compensation bill has been dealt a major blow and will be delayed indefinitely after Treasurer Daniel Mookhey failed to convince the Coalition and crossbenchers to back his reforms. To avoid an embarrassing loss in the upper house, the government did not oppose the Coalition's push to have a second inquiry into the bill, which will occur over at least two weeks and have broad powers to interrogate the data and modelling underpinning the proposed legislation. The proposed changes included increasing the Whole of Person Impairment (WPI) threshold to 31 per cent, limiting the capacity for people with serious psychological injury to receive long-term support or claim damages. Mookhey had warned the Coalition's amendments to the legislation would cost the state $1.9 billion. This will be the second time the legislation is considered by an inquiry, after a snap one-day hearing was held in mid-May. Some Labor backbenchers had circulated a draft letter imploring the premier to delay the introduction of the bill. Loading Opposition treasury spokesman Damien Tudehope acknowledged he and Mookhey seemed to 'have swapped friends' as he argued an inquiry was fundamental to understand the inherent risks with the reforms, a process he believed should have begun in October last year. Mookhey, who hoped the legislation would be debated and passed on Thursday, argued an inquiry would miss an opportunity to begin repairing the state's workers compensation system, providing certainty to injured workers and small businesses ahead of three successive years of 12 per cent cost rises in premiums. 'I understand as well the point that the shadow treasurer is making about the desire to familiarise himself further with data, but that comes at an expense, that is the opportunity cost we have to fix this system,' he said. 'I urge the house to do its job today.'
