Hon Ben Dawkins questions the government's stance on contractor coverage under the Workers Compensation and Injury Management Bill 2023, following concerns raised by the Australian Lawyers Alliance. The government reiterates its intention not to exclude any currently covered worker and plans to publish fact sheets.

AnsweredQoN 1061Legislative Council
Asked
14 September 2023
Portfolio
Industrial Relations

QuestionView source ↗

WORKERS COMPENSATION AND
INJURY MANAGEMENT BILL 2023 — EXCLUSIONS
1061. Hon BEN DAWKINS to the parliamentary secretary representing the
Minister for Industrial Relations:
I refer to the Hansard of 15
August 2023 and comments made by Hon Matthew Swinbourn that it is not the
government's intention to exclude any class of workers from coverage
under the Workers Compensation and Injury Management Bill 2023.
If the courts find that clause 12
of the bill excludes contractors from coverage, as the Australian Lawyers
Alliance has confirmed, will WorkCover WA advise or educate the excluded
workers that they will need to obtain their own insurance cover?

AnswerView source ↗

I think I thank the member for some
notice of the question. The following answer has been provided to me by the
Minister for Industrial Relations.
As has been previously stated, it
is not the government's intention to exclude any class of worker who is
currently covered, but, rather, to clarify the definition of ''worker''.
This is necessary to reduce the uncertainty regarding contractors in the
current definition and any disputation in the future. WorkCover WA will publish
fact sheets on this issue before the bill commences operation.

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