The Australian Workers Union Greater South Australian Branch
Submission to:

The productivity commission Review on:

Workers Compensation and Occupational
Health and Safety Frameworks

Introduction

The AWU represent a very broad cross section of workers in Australia from Council employees, oil and gas, manufacturing, mining, steel construction and Pastoral industries just to name a few.

We intend to address the following points:

•	National versus State schemes
•	Access to compensation
•	Common Law
•	Rehabilitation if injured workers and early intervention
•	Dispute Resolution process
•	The role of exempt employers
•	The role of private insurers
•	Premium setting

The views contained in this submission are the views of the Greater South Australian Branch of The Australian Workers Union

National versus State Scheme

The Australian Workers Union greater South Australian Branch would certainly  if there was to be a National scheme, prefer the South Australian model be adopted, as the National Model.

Having had the benefit of listening to the submission held in Adelaide there was some suggestion about adapting Comcare as the National framework.

We would see then this as a retrograde step in the delivery of adequate levels of compensation to injured workers and their families. 

There would have to be significant amendments to the Comcare legislation for the AWU to consider the Comcare model, the change we would consider necessary but not limited to would be

•	Benefit structure
•	Average weekly earnings calculations
•	Step downs in weekly payments
•	The ability to offset Superannuation in payments against weekly payments
•	Access to economic adjustments
•	Removal of or reduction on threshold, i.e. 20% loss of hearing before you can 	access a lump sum 10% threshold for other injuries.

Just to name a few.

Access to Compensation

Definition of employee, submission to the Stanley Enquiry and in particular the submission of Professor Stewart