aaron hughes - comcare - trends in the national workers’ compensation scheme

TRENDS IN THE

NATIONAL

WORKERS’

COMPENSATION

SCHEME

2

Overview

1. Comcare scheme – update

2. Health benefits of work and rehabilitation initiatives

3. A modern workers’ compensation scheme

3

The Comcare scheme

4

Coverage

375 300 FTE covered

under the Safety,

Rehabilitation and

Compensation Act (1988)

415 000 FTE covered

under the Work Health

and Safety Act (2011)

5

Coverage (continued)

Workers’ compensation arrangements under the

SRC Act covers:

• the majority of the Australian Public Service

• the ACT Government

• self-insured licensees.

6

Self-insurance

A moratorium on scheme entry was

lifted in December 2013. Six

entities have been declared eligible

since that time.

There are currently 33 employers

self-insured under the Comcare

scheme with four new entities

being granted licences.

7

Further information

Source: Comcare Compendium of WHS and Workers’ Compensation Statistics October 2015

8

Further informationSelf-insurance Insured scheme funding

ratioSafe Work Australia: Comparison of workers'

compensation arrangements 2015Employees covered

by self-insurance

(%)

Number of self-insured

employers

New South

Wales20

41 self-insurers, 20 group

self-insurers with 142

subsidiaries

Victoria 5.8 200

Queensland 8.5 281

Western

Australia11.5 27

South Australia 38.367 private and approx. 43

Crown

Tasmania 4.12 10

Northern

Territory3.7

4 private, Government is a

self-insurer by legislation and

is not required to be

approved.

Australian

Capital Territory<1 7

C’wealth

Comcare42.2 33

Source: Comcare Annual Report 2014-15

9

Further informationSerious claims

Source: Comcare Compendium of WHS and Workers’ Compensation Statistics October 2015

10

Further informationReturn to work

Source: Safe Work Australia Comparative Performance Monitor Report Edition 17 (October 2015)

11

Health Benefits of Work and

Rehabilitation

12

Modern workers’

compensation scheme

• Hanks and Hawke reviews of the SRC

Act and Comcare

• Implementation of the reviews through:

o Safety, Rehabilitation and

Compensation Legislative Bill

2014

o Safety, Rehabilitation and

Compensation Amendment

(Improving the Comcare

Scheme) Bill 2015

o Safety, Rehabilitation and

Compensation Legislation

Amedment (Exit Arrangements)

Bill 2015

• The 2015 Bill has passed.

13

Modern workers’ compensation scheme

• Comcare Digital

Transformation

Programme

• Information and

education

Further information:

Aaron Hughes

General Manager

Scheme Management

02 6112 9635

hughes.aaron@comcare.gov.au

Thank you