ContactWorkCover Board Tasmania
Media Release
WorkCover Board Tasmania to Undertake Broad Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Scheme Review
- The WorkCover Board Tasmania will undertake a broad, independent review of Tasmania's Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Scheme (the Scheme) to ensure its ongoing effectiveness, sustainability and ability to meet the needs of workers, employers and the Tasmanian community into the future.
- The Review will provide an independent, evidence-based assessment of the fairness, sustainability, effectiveness, governance arrangements and future direction of the Scheme under the Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988.
- The Review comes at a time of increasing complexity across workers compensation systems nationally, including growth in psychological injury claims, increasing claim duration and complexity, and evolving workforce structures.
- WorkCover Board Tasmania Chair Kristy Bourne said the Review would help ensure Tasmania's Scheme remains fit for purpose and capable of responding to future challenges.
- "Workers rehabilitation and compensation schemes play an important role in supporting workers who experience workplace injury. This Review will help ensure Tasmania's Scheme remains fair, effective and sustainable, while continuing to support positive outcomes for injured workers and employers into the future," Ms Bourne said.
- The Review will examine the Scheme's legislative and policy framework, design and performance, governance arrangements, system administration and emerging risks. It will also consider stakeholder experiences and benchmark Tasmania's Scheme against contemporary practice across Australia.
- The Review will identify both short-term and long-term opportunities for reform to ensure the Scheme continues to:
- support injured workers and safe, durable return to work;
- provide fair, transparent and affordable compensation;
- remain financially sustainable;
- respond to changes in work, injury patterns and workforce structures; and
- maintain public confidence.
- The Board will oversee the Review, which will be conducted by an independent review panel supported by dedicated project resources within WorkSafe Tasmania.
- Draft Terms of Reference for the Review will be released for public consultation, with stakeholders invited to provide feedback on the proposed scope and focus of the Review.
- Further information regarding consultation opportunities and key milestones will be made available as the Review progresses.