Revelations that icare were able to make submissions to an inquiry into its own failings and push for changes to compensation access that would harm workers show a report into the insurance agency lacks credibility, the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union NSW & ACT (AMWU) says.
Today, at a meeting of the Nominal Insurer Advisory Committee — an icare industry advisory group that includes the AMWU — the union will call on the government to set aside this report and engage in meaningful dialogue with injured workers and their representatives.
It’s unacceptable that icare were able to make submissions into an inquiry into its own failings and that those submissions were kept under wraps.
What is clear is that icare spent money — set aside towards supporting injured workers — on submissions that attack the rights of these very workers to access medical treatment.
The public must know exactly what was in those submissions and how much workers compensation money was diverted from injured workers to create them.
Quotes attributable to Cory Wright, State Secretary AMWU NSW & ACT
“ICare does not have the moral authority to weigh in on changes to workers’ compensation models given that it owes injured workers millions of dollars.”
“The entirety of the McDougall Report and its recommendations are now tainted by association with icare. This report cannot be relied upon to influence changes to the workers compensation scheme.”
“It is unfathomable that a NSW Government agency would make submissions into an inquiry on itself.”
“Injured workers are meant to be supported by icare. But what can be gleaned from McDougal’s report is they’ve been thrown under the bus.”
Media contact – Sophia Morris – 0400 889 166 or [email protected]