Media Release.
The
Newman government will target workers’ compensation in its latest
attack on employee rights by axing the ability to make a claim for
injuries suffered while travelling to or from work.
Shadow
Treasurer Curtis Pitt said any move by the LNP to abolish the right to
make a journey claim or introduce a threshold to make it harder for
injured workers to make a legitimate claim
would have a significant impact on the state’s workforce, particularly
fly-in fly-out workers in the resources sector.
He
said the Opposition would strongly oppose the move which was
particularly petty considering journey claims cost on average just five
cents out of the average premium of $1.45.
“This
is a major concern for FIFO and also drive-in-drive-out workers who by
definition face increased risks of sustaining an injury on their way to
or from their place of work,” Mr Pitt said.
“This
is a government that is determined to attack workers’ rights and it’s
critical that when people are injured at work they receive the support
they and their family deserve."
“By
now Queenslanders understand that the LNP government will not hesitate
to use its massive majority in the Parliament to pursue its anti-worker
agenda."
“It
will pursue this to satisfy its twisted priorities, putting political
interests first and the interests of working Queenslanders a distant
last."
“There is simply no reason to make these changes that are proposed."
“The
Attorney-General says he is listening to business because they are the
ones paying premiums for the scheme. Well it’s about time that the
Attorney-General listened to the Parliamentary
Committee or otherwise it’ll be ordinary Queenslanders who’ll be paying
in the long-run."
“Even
the LNP-dominated parliamentary committee that examined our workers’
compensation system essentially agreed to retain the scheme as it stands
- including journey claims and access to
common law."
“But
this not the first time the Attorney-General has shown contempt for the
committee system and its independent role and gone against his own LNP
colleagues to cosy up to big business."
“After
first asking the committee to review the definition of worker he then
introduced legislation to change that definition before the committee
had even handed down its findings."
“We
now know why the government has delayed its official response to the
parliamentary committee’s report until after the federal election.”
“The
fact that the WorkCover annual report appears to have not yet been
released doesn’t help either. Is the government worried it’s going to
show that the scheme is in a healthy state and
that these changes just aren’t necessary?"
“It
may also show that some of the previous government’s reforms from 2010
are having a positive effect on what was already a great scheme."
“I
have spoken to a number of very concerned people – workers, workplace
advocates and members of the legal fraternity – who are all greatly
concerned about the very real difference these
changes would make to lives of working men and women."
“The Labor Opposition will be supporting the campaign that was launched today by the Queensland Council of Unions 100 per cent.”
Mr Pitt said the Premier and the Attorney-General should immediately:
- Rule out removing access to journey claims
- Commit to ensuring a threshold will not be imposed on injured workers
- State categorically that they have not made a commitment to business that they would make these changes, in spite of the independent inquiry.
“I
encourage every Queenslander to write, phone or knock on the door of
their local LNP member of Parliament and demand they stop playing
politics with their rights at work.”
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