As the NSW Treasurer seeks to push significant ‘reform’ of the Workers Compensation through Parliament as early as this week, workers need to communicate their opposition now.
Hundreds of protesters outside NSW Government offices in Martin Place Sydney this morning (Monday) were told workers need to contact their local MP and local radio station this week.
Financial burden would shift from Treasury to injured workers
If the draft workers compensation amendment bill becomes law, it will be much harder for seriously injured workers to access mental health benefits and support.
“The fact is that the financial burden is being shifted from Treasury to the injured worker,” Federation Deputy President Amber Flohm told the crowd.
“We know that when you increase the Whole Person Injury [threshold] from 15 per cent to 31[per cent], you effectively shut down psychological injury claims for workers in this state.”
“Doctors, mental health experts, lawyers and unions are standing united against these cuts because the fact remains, workers and essential workers and all workers in NSW deserve more than health that is determined by a spreadsheet.
“Instead of focusing on preventing injuries, Treasury is focusing on preventing claims — and we cannot accept that.”
Ms Flohm said high workloads, high levels of burnout, bullying, harassment including sexual harassment and exposure to traumatic experiences and events are way too common in education.
“[The proposed legislation] will do nothing for those individual injured workers or the teaching profession overall,” she said.
Labor politicians breaking pre-election workers compensation pledge
Injured Workers Campaign Network representative Annette Thorncraft said 80 members of NSW Parliament signed a pledge to reform the workers compensation system before the last election. She said Premier Chris Minns gave his verbal support but refused to sign but Treasurer Daniel Mookhey and Industrial Relations Minister Sophie Cotsis are among the signatories.
“It’s time to honour the pledge before more lives are lost,” she said.
Doctors are out and the lawyers are in
Australian Services Union NSW branch Secretary Angus McFarland said that “the doctors are out and the lawyers are in” in the proposed legislation.
“The scheme’s sustainability will come from limiting the injuries rather than support to the injures.”
Higher barriers for traumatised workers
Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association NSW Branch Secretary-Treasurer Bernie Smith said that at the federal election Australia voted for the mantra: “No one held back and no one left behind”.
“Our members at Bondi Junction [Westfield] would be left behind by this legislation,” Mr Smith said. They would not be able to successfully make a claim due to additional requirements about close connection to a traumatic event.
Mookhey’s millstone
Unions NSW Secretary Mark Morey said the union movement’s opposition to Treasurer Daniel Mookhey’s proposed legislation would be a millstone around his neck so long as he was in parliament.
The crowd also heard from speakers representing the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association, Public Service Association, Australian Manufacturing Workers Union, Finance Sector Union and Australian Salaried Medical Officers Federation, the registered trade union for salaried medical practitioners.
Contact your local politicians now
Call and email your local Labor MP and MLC now and tell them to stand by their pre-election promise to support injured workers.
