A former Newcastle council general manager will undertake an independent review into the state’s workers compensation system.
Janet Dore, who served in the role from 1999 to 2007 before being appointed chief executive of the Transport Accident Commission in Victoria, has been asked to assess the performance of the Nominal Insurer – Insurance and Care NSW (icare).
The NSW workers compensation system is the largest defined benefit scheme in Australia, protecting more than 4.5 million workers, with about 90,000 active claims from injured workers being managed each year.
As the largest insurer, icare issues 74% of premiums while its agents, EML, Allianz and GIO, manage 65% of total active claims.
Given its dominance, the State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA) announced the Compliance and Performance Review of the Workers Compensation Nominal Insurance Scheme to assess and address issues.
The Hunter Business Chamber welcomed the review last week.
Chief executive Bob Hawes said it provided an important opportunity to address some areas of concern for businesses and employees.
“Businesses across NSW have complained of poor administration when it comes to workers compensation, including a lack of appropriate checking of claims, lengthy delays, and poor advice and support for both employers and employees,” he said.
“Importantly, this review will look at the current operations and roles of icare, the Nominal Insurer and its claims agents, and will shine a light on the experience of employers and employees with a view to identifying measures to implement improvements.”
A draft report is expected to be provided next month and a final version, complete with any findings and recommendations, will be delivered by August.
The review includes public submissions or written feedback, which closes on 14 June.
Mr Hawes urged all businesses who interact with icare and the workers compensation scheme in NSW to participate.
“We hope that this review will ultimately address the concerns of employers and employees in the administration of the system, resulting in more effective and efficient administration of workers compensation in NSW,” he said.
Visit sira.nsw.gov.au for more information.
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