[Greens-Media] Media Release: NSW Coalition deals a $350 million blow to injured workers

[David Shoebridge MLC]

*Media Release: 20 May 2014*

*NSW Coalition deals a $350 million blow to injured workers*

The NSW government has stripped another 16,000 injured workers of
compensation benefits, worth a combined $350 million, with their successful
appeal to the High Court against Mr Ronald Goudappel a worker who crushed
his foot and ankle at work. This is the latest attack on injured workers by
the NSW Coalition government and will, together with other brutal benefit
cuts from 2012, see the scheme’s projected surplus hit close to $6 billion
by 2019.

The High Court decision in Mr Goudappel’s
case<http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/cth/HCA/2014/18.html>
validated
a regulation made by the NSW government and was handed down late last
week.  That regulation retrospectively removed the right of workers who had
been injured before the 2012 benefit cuts to claim lump sum compensation
for either pain and suffering or any increased impairment they had suffered.

See report in the SMH
here<http://www.smh.com.au/national/thousands-of-injured-workers-to-miss-out-on-lump-sum-compensation-after-high-court-upholds-workcover-appeal-20140519-38k4c.html>
.

Greens MP and Industrial Relations spokesperson David Shoebridge said:

“Another 16,000 injured workers have just lost compensation benefits in
NSW, and collectively they have lost an estimated $350 million.

“All over this country Coalition governments are targeting and hurting the
vulnerable and the powerless.

“Prior to this decision WorkCover’s own actuaries had estimated that the
combination of far fewer benefits being paid by the scheme and improvements
in the scheme’s investments were on track to deliver an embarrassing scheme
surplus of some $5.5 billion by 2019.

“This latest decision will see WorkCover’s projected surplus run close to
$6 billion in 5 years time, and this is $6 billion that should be returned
to the injured workers that the scheme is meant to be protecting.

“In the last two years we have seen thousands and thousands of injured
workers lose the right to income protection, medical benefits and lump sum
compensation despite suffering often serious work injuries.

"After the so-called ‘reforms’ of 2012 even workers who have their whole
foot amputated after an injury at work are not classified as “seriously
injured” and are being cut off workers compensation.

“It is genuinely heartbreaking to hear the stories of people who have gone
from a dignified life at work to a life of poverty and pain, simply because
they were injured at work and the system no longer protects them.

“This is yet another act of meanness and dishonesty from the NSW Coalition
who repeatedly told the public their amendments were not retrospective,
while they argued the exact opposite in the High Court.

“We are calling for all political parties to join with the Greens and
demand a return to a decent Workers Compensation scheme in NSW where
injured workers are protected for their loss and not forced into poverty by
a mean-spirited and deceitful government,” Mr Shoebridge said.

-- 

* David ShoebridgeGreens MP in the NSW Legislative Council P: (02) 9230
3030 |Media: 0408 113 952|T: @ShoebridgeMLC
<http://twitter.com/#!/shoebridgemlc> SIGN UP TO STAY IN
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