Output 1.3 Industrial Relations Policy

Overview

The directorate was responsible for the management, including policy and legislation, of the ACT private sector workers' compensation scheme, and the supervision of the ACT Default Insurance Fund. It also supported the management and prevention of workplace injuries in the ACT Public Sector by delivering return to work and injury management services for the ACT Government and the ACTPS Workers' Compensation and Work Safety Improvement Plan.

The directorate provided health and safety improvement programs to ACT Government agencies and was responsible for developing policy and legislation on workplace relations matters including industrial relations, work safety, dangerous substances, public holidays and portable long service leave. Support was also provided for the Territory's contribution to the national harmonisation of work health and safety laws, along with secretariat support to the ACT Work Safety Council and to the Territory's representatives on the Safe Work Australia Council and its subcommittees.

Highlights

Against this output in 2015-16 the directorate:

  • managed the expansion of the portable long service leave schemes to cover aged care and waste management workers;
  • managed legislation to confirm Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day, and Easter Sunday as public holidays when falling on a weekend;
  • developed legislation to increase compensation for workers affected by asbestos disease and streamline the process of claiming compensation;
  • implemented recommendations arising from the Getting Home Safely inquiry into construction industry safety;
  • developed legislation requirements for large employers to appoint trained Return to Work Coordinators; and
  • strengthened laws to enable the WorkSafe inspectorate to respond to workers' compensation compliance issues.

The directorate met eight out of ten of its 2015-16 accountability targets against this output. It exceeded the target for accountability indicator (b) Represent the ACT on Safe Work Australia and its various sub-committees and working groups, and coordinate input into, and activities arising from, the national initiatives to harmonise and implement work health and safety laws and improve workers’ compensation arrangements due to higher than anticipated policy activities in areas including explosives regulation and rehabilitation resulting in more meetings than expected. The directorate did not meet the target for accountability indicator (g) Maintain consultative fora within the ACT on workplace safety and on workers’ compensation as a meeting originally scheduled for July 2015 was moved to June 2015, in the previous reporting period.

Future Direction

In 2016-17, the directorate will:

  • finalise scheme design negotiations and develop legislation for a new workers' compensation scheme for public sector employees;
  • advise on and make changes to workers' compensation, work health and safety and industrial relations regulatory frameworks where agreed by the ACT Government;
  • provide whole of government return to work case management services to injured employees and their agencies;
  • provide advice to ACTPS directorates and agencies in relation to workers' compensation and manage the relationship between Comcare and the ACT Government;
  • finalise a review of the ACTPS Workers' Compensation and Work Safety Improvement Plan;
  • coordinate actuarial analysis of workers' compensation performance and manage the apportionment of the Territory's Comcare workers' compensation premium;
  • develop and review whole of government work health and safety policies and provide work health and safety services; and
  • coordinate the Territory's consultative bodies for workers' compensation and work health and safety.

For further information contact:

Michael Young
Executive Director
Workplace Safety and Industrial Relations
+61 2 6205 3095
Michael.Young@act.gov.au

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