By: Jason Wagstaffe

Jason Wagstaffe — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 22:40:05 +0000

Interestingly I live around the corner from the Edgeworth Tavern, where Ray confronted the PM. I drove past at the time and did not gel to the fact that there appeared to be more cars in the car park on wet mid week night then would have been considered “usual”. It was definitely unannounced. However, I have worked in the mining industry as an OHS “professional”, return to work coordinator, and more recently, and providing expert opinion (witness) reports for workplace injury and civil matters associated with matters similar to Rays’. Ray’s story is not new for the NSW and QLD mining industry, although the NSW mining industry is somewhat different in that workers compensation insurance is a legislated requirement for all companies that operate in the NSW coal industry (regardless of size) must insure through Coal Mines Insurance. Workers compensation payments are decreased after (approx) 48-50 weeks and then ceased after 78 weeks under most circumstances. The option then exists for a lump sum payout and then civil action after that. However, once all of that has run its course and the permanent injured worker has run out of (awarded) money, they are then left with applying for disability welfare. That is where the Federal Government has the control and it is that process where anyone who has attempted to apply for disability welfare, or tried to maintain the payments, struggles. As Ray tried to get across, workers bust there guts working and paying taxes, some of these workers (for example Ray) suffer a life changing injury, struggle to survive in this country once their compensation has run out. These workers are injured for life, not for 10 years or, as some jurisdictions legislate, until you turn 65.

Comments on: Confrontation with PM involves workers’ compensation

By: Jason Wagstaffe