HMV
( topdogformusic.video.dvd)
5`h June 2003
Workers Compensation and OHS
Productivity Commission
PO Box 80
Belconnen ACT 2616
The Commissioner,
As an employer with stores in 3 states of Australia and with further expansion plans to become a national retailer we would like to express our interest in the introduction of a National Workers Compensation and Occupational Health and Safety Framework.
As a company HMV Australia Pty Ltd has introduced a Australian Workplace Agreement to cover all our employees to ensure all employees across all States receive equal payment and working conditions for their job tasks. Unfortunately we are notable to offer that same equality within the Workers Compensation and OHS Acts. The different definitions and employer requirements within each States' WC and OHS Acts makes the administration of the provisions difficult and time consuming.
There are many areas where Companies would benefit from a National body. One main area where employers would benefit from a national framework is the definition of an injury. For example in NSW the definition of an injury has a pre existing condition clause, other states do not.
Another issue is the coverage of employees to and from work. In NSW an employee has Journey Claim coverage in Victoria there is no Journey Claim coverage. In Victoria an employee injured on their way home from work must make a claim through the transport authority.
In the area of OHS a Company with work sites in several States finds anomalies in each OHS Act and Regulations. This area is most frustrating when developing policies and procedures for the Company as a whole. In the State of Victoria all worksites must have an OHS policies and procedures manual, in NSW this is only mandatory if the Premium Discount Scheme is in place. It is encouraged in NSW but not law.
Our Company strives to achieve best practice in training programmes for all our employees across all States. This training includes OHS induction courses. At the present time we are running a training programme for prospective managers. The same course content is being presented in each State, except when it comes to Workers Compensation liability and Occupational Health and Safety Acts and Regulations section of the course. The training package for this section has to be rewritten for each State.
HMV AUSTRALIA PTY LTD
LEVEL 2, 7 WEST STREET, NORTH SYDNEY NSW 2060 PH: 02 9922 0500 FAX: 02 9923 1 688 EMAIL. HMVHO@HMV COM.AU	
ACN 000 037 25B ABN 64 000 037 258