❓ Hon. Embry questions the need for 'draconian' workers' compensation legislation given healthy insurance industry profits, while Hon. Griffiths (on behalf of the Minister) refutes this, stating the changes improve benefits and fairness for injured workers.
AnsweredQoN 288Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I am sure that the minister will find my question easier to answer than the previous question. Brendan McCarthy, the Director of Operations of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry gave evidence to a parliamentary committee on 14 July 1998. He said that insurance companies manipulate their outgoings and therefore are able to manipulate their profits. Given that the profits for the insurance industry from 1998 to 2001 are now publicly available and are shown to be very healthy, will the minister explain to the House exactly what is the crisis in the insurance industry and why does the Government deem it necessary to introduce draconian legislation to further erode the common law rights of workers’ entitlements to workers compensation? Hon NICK GRIFFITHS
AnswerView source ↗
I found the previous question very easy to answer, and I find this even easier, as the honourable member anticipated, and I thank him for some notice of the question. The Minister for Consumer and Employment Protection provided the following answer - The Government’s proposed change to the Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act will improve benefits for injured workers and increase common law payments to them. The member’s question is misconceived as the legislation being prepared by the Gallop Government is about returning fairness to injured workers, not eroding their benefits.
Brendan McCarthy, the Director of Operations of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry gave evidence to a parliamentary committee on 14 July 1998. He said that insurance companies manipulate their outgoings and therefore are able to manipulate their profits. Given that the profits for the insurance industry from 1998 to 2001 are now publicly available and are shown to be very healthy, will the minister explain to the House exactly what is the crisis in the insurance industry and why does the Government deem it necessary to introduce draconian legislation to further erode the common law rights of workers’ entitlements to workers compensation? Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: I found the previous question very easy to answer, and I find this even easier, as the honourable member anticipated, and I thank him for some notice of the question. The Minister for Consumer and Employment Protection provided the following answer - The Government’s proposed change to the Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act will improve benefits for injured workers and increase common law payments to them. The member’s question is misconceived as the legislation being prepared by the Gallop Government is about returning fairness to injured workers, not eroding their benefits.
Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: I found the previous question very easy to answer, and I find this even easier, as the honourable member anticipated, and I thank him for some notice of the question. The Minister for Consumer and Employment Protection provided the following answer - The Government’s proposed change to the Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act will improve benefits for injured workers and increase common law payments to them. The member’s question is misconceived as the legislation being prepared by the Gallop Government is about returning fairness to injured workers, not eroding their benefits.
I found the previous question very easy to answer, and I find this even easier, as the honourable member anticipated, and I thank him for some notice of the question. The Minister for Consumer and Employment Protection provided the following answer - The Government’s proposed change to the Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act will improve benefits for injured workers and increase common law payments to them. The member’s question is misconceived as the legislation being prepared by the Gallop Government is about returning fairness to injured workers, not eroding their benefits.
Brendan McCarthy, the Director of Operations of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry gave evidence to a parliamentary committee on 14 July 1998. He said that insurance companies manipulate their outgoings and therefore are able to manipulate their profits. Given that the profits for the insurance industry from 1998 to 2001 are now publicly available and are shown to be very healthy, will the minister explain to the House exactly what is the crisis in the insurance industry and why does the Government deem it necessary to introduce draconian legislation to further erode the common law rights of workers’ entitlements to workers compensation? Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: I found the previous question very easy to answer, and I find this even easier, as the honourable member anticipated, and I thank him for some notice of the question. The Minister for Consumer and Employment Protection provided the following answer - The Government’s proposed change to the Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act will improve benefits for injured workers and increase common law payments to them. The member’s question is misconceived as the legislation being prepared by the Gallop Government is about returning fairness to injured workers, not eroding their benefits.
Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: I found the previous question very easy to answer, and I find this even easier, as the honourable member anticipated, and I thank him for some notice of the question. The Minister for Consumer and Employment Protection provided the following answer - The Government’s proposed change to the Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act will improve benefits for injured workers and increase common law payments to them. The member’s question is misconceived as the legislation being prepared by the Gallop Government is about returning fairness to injured workers, not eroding their benefits.
I found the previous question very easy to answer, and I find this even easier, as the honourable member anticipated, and I thank him for some notice of the question. The Minister for Consumer and Employment Protection provided the following answer - The Government’s proposed change to the Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act will improve benefits for injured workers and increase common law payments to them. The member’s question is misconceived as the legislation being prepared by the Gallop Government is about returning fairness to injured workers, not eroding their benefits.
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