Injured workers decry ‘broken promise’ over workers compensation reform in letter to NSW government

Injured workers have issued a desperate plea in a letter to a state government they say broke a promise with a proposal to reform workers compensation.

A network of injured workers have issued a desperate plea in a letter to the NSW government that they say broke a promise with a proposal to dramatically up-end the workers compensation scheme in the state.

The NSW Injured Workers Campaign Network (IWCN) wrote to “express our disappointment” with the proposed reforms, which the unions say will cut off access to compensation to 95 per cent of psychologically injured workers.

Treasurer Daniel Mookhey told a parliamentary inquiry that without urgent reform, the workers compensation system would collapse and he was cutting off cash injections to the government’s self-insurer.

While welcomed by some business leaders, the reforms were panned by the state’s unions that have taken issue with the reforms, including a 31 per cent threshold for damages for permanent impairment due to psychological injury.

NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said the workers compensation was at risk of collapse. Picture: NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

In its letter, the IWCN, which is supported and resourced by Unions NSW, claimed the reforms would “harm the very injured workers you (the Labor government) pledged before the 2023 election to assist”.

“There are 80 members of the NSW parliament across both houses who signed the IWCN pledge to create a workers compensation system to ensure dignity, respect and fairness – since the 2023 election injured workers have campaigned to see reform from the parliament to enact the pledge.

“The three ministers responsible for the workers compensation system, NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey, Minister for Workers Compensation Sophie Cotsis and Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government Jihad Dib all signed the pledge as well.”

The IWCN said that by signing the pledge, the members had promised to “fight for a system” that had doctor-led care with timely and appropriate medical treatment, polite, timely responses to injuries, and ensured workers returned when it was safe to do so.

Only one promise, to place a workers’ representative on the board of icare – the self-insurer – was fulfilled in the proposal, according to the IWCN.

Unions NSW secretary Mark Morey Secretary slammed the proposal. Picture: NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

“We, the undersigned members of the IWCN, demand that you live up to your pledge to support us by saying a resounding ‘NO’ to the changes put before you,” the letter stated, adding that the IWCN was calling for a meeting to discuss its grievances further.

The proposed Exposure Workers Compensation Bill was released earlier this month.

The draft was later debated before a parliamentary inquiry, which heard evidence from a raft of unions, including Unions NSW and the NSW Teachers Federation.

The unions have decried provisions in the draft Bill, including the requirement for someone psychologically injured by sexual or racial harassment or bullying to receive a court determination before seeking compensation.

On Monday, Unions NSW and other unions will rally outside Parliament House in Sydney to protest the Bill.