A WA parliamentary question seeks information on the appointment and impartiality of WorkCover adjudicators, specifically regarding potential conflicts of interest arising from prior employment in the insurance industry. The Minister's response indicates no record of such conflicts.

AnsweredQoN 262Legislative Council
Asked
5 May 2004
Portfolio
Consumer and Employment Protection

QuestionView source ↗

With regard to WorkCover hearings, will the minister please advise - (1) Who is responsible for appointing an adjudicator or review officer to each hearing? (2) Are these adjudicators or review officers sworn to act impartially, or are they required to swear an oath identical to or similar to a judge? (3) Have any of these adjudicators or review officers previously worked in the insurance industry? (4) If yes to (3), how many? (5) If some of these adjudicators or review officers have, in fact, previously worked in the insurance industry, will the minister please supply their names and details of the company with which they were associated? Hon NICK GRIFFITHS

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Consumer and Employment Protection has provided the following answers - (1) Director. (2) They are not required to take an oath but are required to act in accordance with the Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 1981 and the public sector code of ethics. (3) There is no record of any adjudicator or review officer having worked for an insurance company. (4)-(5) Not applicable.
(1) Who is responsible for appointing an adjudicator or review officer to each hearing? (2) Are these adjudicators or review officers sworn to act impartially, or are they required to swear an oath identical to or similar to a judge? (3) Have any of these adjudicators or review officers previously worked in the insurance industry? (4) If yes to (3), how many? (5) If some of these adjudicators or review officers have, in fact, previously worked in the insurance industry, will the minister please supply their names and details of the company with which they were associated? Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Consumer and Employment Protection has provided the following answers - (1) Director. (2) They are not required to take an oath but are required to act in accordance with the Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 1981 and the public sector code of ethics. (3) There is no record of any adjudicator or review officer having worked for an insurance company. (4)-(5) Not applicable.
(2) Are these adjudicators or review officers sworn to act impartially, or are they required to swear an oath identical to or similar to a judge? (3) Have any of these adjudicators or review officers previously worked in the insurance industry? (4) If yes to (3), how many? (5) If some of these adjudicators or review officers have, in fact, previously worked in the insurance industry, will the minister please supply their names and details of the company with which they were associated? Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Consumer and Employment Protection has provided the following answers - (1) Director. (2) They are not required to take an oath but are required to act in accordance with the Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 1981 and the public sector code of ethics. (3) There is no record of any adjudicator or review officer having worked for an insurance company. (4)-(5) Not applicable.
(3) Have any of these adjudicators or review officers previously worked in the insurance industry? (4) If yes to (3), how many? (5) If some of these adjudicators or review officers have, in fact, previously worked in the insurance industry, will the minister please supply their names and details of the company with which they were associated? Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Consumer and Employment Protection has provided the following answers - (1) Director. (2) They are not required to take an oath but are required to act in accordance with the Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 1981 and the public sector code of ethics. (3) There is no record of any adjudicator or review officer having worked for an insurance company. (4)-(5) Not applicable.
(4) If yes to (3), how many? (5) If some of these adjudicators or review officers have, in fact, previously worked in the insurance industry, will the minister please supply their names and details of the company with which they were associated? Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Consumer and Employment Protection has provided the following answers - (1) Director. (2) They are not required to take an oath but are required to act in accordance with the Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 1981 and the public sector code of ethics. (3) There is no record of any adjudicator or review officer having worked for an insurance company. (4)-(5) Not applicable.
(5) If some of these adjudicators or review officers have, in fact, previously worked in the insurance industry, will the minister please supply their names and details of the company with which they were associated? Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Consumer and Employment Protection has provided the following answers - (1) Director. (2) They are not required to take an oath but are required to act in accordance with the Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 1981 and the public sector code of ethics. (3) There is no record of any adjudicator or review officer having worked for an insurance company. (4)-(5) Not applicable.
Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Consumer and Employment Protection has provided the following answers - (1) Director. (2) They are not required to take an oath but are required to act in accordance with the Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 1981 and the public sector code of ethics. (3) There is no record of any adjudicator or review officer having worked for an insurance company. (4)-(5) Not applicable.
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Consumer and Employment Protection has provided the following answers - (1) Director. (2) They are not required to take an oath but are required to act in accordance with the Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 1981 and the public sector code of ethics. (3) There is no record of any adjudicator or review officer having worked for an insurance company. (4)-(5) Not applicable.
(1) Director. (2) They are not required to take an oath but are required to act in accordance with the Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 1981 and the public sector code of ethics. (3) There is no record of any adjudicator or review officer having worked for an insurance company. (4)-(5) Not applicable.
(2) They are not required to take an oath but are required to act in accordance with the Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 1981 and the public sector code of ethics. (3) There is no record of any adjudicator or review officer having worked for an insurance company. (4)-(5) Not applicable.
(3) There is no record of any adjudicator or review officer having worked for an insurance company. (4)-(5) Not applicable.
(4)-(5) Not applicable.

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