Liberals back Return to Work Bill but demand independent analysis

The Liberals will back controversial changes to workers’ compensation – but with a vital condition.

Controversial workers’ compensation changes are on the brink of securing support to pass parliament’s upper house after the Liberals offered conditional backing.

An opposition joint party room meeting on Wednesday night agreed to back the state government’s Return to Work amendments – subject to independent review of the proposed changes.

The Liberals are demanding “an actuarial opinion and independent peer review”, provided by the government.

The proposal was taken to the Liberal party room by shadow treasurer Matthew Cowdrey and backed by Opposition Leader David Speirs.

Shadow treasurer Matthew Cowdrey and Opposition Leader David Speirs. Picture Matt Turner.

“The Liberal opposition will support the Return to Work bill if the state government can provide independent verification of the impacts of the proposed changes,” Mr Speirs said.

“The only thing left is for Labor to prove the numbers stack up and we will support the passage of this bill, which will provide certainty to the business community (and) workers, as well as the Return to Work board.”

Unions and business on June 15 united behind the government legislation that limits employer premium rises in return for increased injury assessment thresholds. The amendments have passed the lower house but require Liberal backing to pass the upper house.

Under the changes, so-called whole-person assessment thresholds would rise from 30 per cent to 35 per cent, while preventing employer levies rising beyond 2 per cent – Premier Peter Malinauskas’s key demand.

Premier Peter Malinauskas at Parliament House, Canberra on June 17. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Seriously injured workers will be given the choice of getting a single lump sum instead of weekly payments until retirement age, while currently injured workers also will be able to redeem weekly payments for a lump sum.

Employer peak body Business SA had warned change was needed to prevent higher costs being passed on to customers, limited wage rises or forced job losses.

The proposed change was prompted by a 2019 court decision that deemed people injured at work could combine their injuries for compensation claims.

Previously, each injury was separated for assessment, even if they formed a single claim.