(Unfortunately, it has not been possible to continue this page beyond December 2002, when Robert Clark ceased to be Shadow Minister for WorkCover.  However, State Opposition Media Releases and  news releases, articles, speeches etc by Robert Clark are continuing, as well as pages on Robert Clark's current portfolio areas.  See also our News Links page.)

(For other WorkCover and TAC news, see also below.)

2002

Liberals' plan for a fairer WorkCover system

The Liberal Party WorkCover policy proposes to will reduce costs to employers and provide better help for injured workers through a five point plan to assist and reward safety improvements, introduce a fairer premium system, allow employers to take greater responsibility for claims handling, provide better support for workers with ongoing injuries, and tackle rorting and abuse. (1 Nov - see The Liberal Plan for a Fairer WorkCover (pdf))

WorkCover figures show burden continues

The latest figures released by the Victorian WorkCover Authority show that unfunded WorkCover liabilities are $237 million higher than when the Bracks Government came to office.  The Opposition argues that  the Government is counting its chickens well before they were hatched in suggesting that WorkCover costs were under control. (14 Mar)

Concern over WorkCover private investigator tender

The Opposition has raised in Parliament the handling of a tender process for private investigators by the Victorian Workcover Authority (VWA), saying companies and individuals with no previous experience or expertise in Workcover investigations have been appointed and reputable and competent firms have been dropped, with many jobs being placed at risk. (28 Feb)

2001

Injured worker ripoff on lump sum payouts

Seriously injured workers will be entitled to cash in their future rights to receive weekly benefit payments in exchange for a lump sum payout under a Bill before Parliament. However, the maximum lump sum payout being offered totals less than one-and-a-half years of weekly payments. (22 Nov)

TAC suffers $640m downturn

The State Opposition has called on the Government to develop a plan to guarantee   the long term financial viability of the Transport Accident Commission following a $192 million loss in 2000-01 compared with the $447 million surplus in 1999-2000. (27 Sep)

Minister seeks credit for $396m burden

The Opposition has pointed out that WorkCover unfunded liabilities have increased by $396 million since the Government came to office, and that the main change over the previous six months was that some of the more outrageous claims lodged prior to the Government's amended deadline for common law claims have been cleared out of the system for less than the original cost estimates. (2 Aug)

Government claims credit for WorkCover liability reduction

The Minister for WorkCover has claimed that the Government is turning around inherited liabilities after WorkCover's actuaries revised down liability estimates by $130 million, as part of an overall reduction in the unfunded liabilities from $1.07 billion as at December 2000 to $692 million as at 30 June 2001 – a total of $382 million. (2 Aug)

All-party Committee confirms WorkCover premium impact

The Opposition says that the report of the all-party Economic Development Committee into WorkCover premiums for 2000-01 has confirmed that the Government has grossly understated the extent and impact of its WorkCover premium increases. (20 June)

New WorkCover premium rises

The Opposition says that employers with payrolls over $1 million p.a. in almost one third of Victorian industries are facing further WorkCover premium rate increases of 20 per cent or more this year, despite Government claims that the average premium rate will not rise. Industries to be hard hit include motor vehicle manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, clothing, milk products and bus transport. (11 June)

Rule change caused extra premium rise

Analysis by the State Opposition of a submission by the Victorian WorkCover Authority to the Parliamentary Economic Development Committee inquiry has shown that a little-publicised change to the rules for setting WorkCover premiums has resulted in many Victorian employers missing out on premium reductions to which they would otherwise have been entitled. (8 Apr)

Construction Industry Induction Training Agreement signed

The Government has announced the signing of a Construction Industry Induction Training Agreement between construction industry employers and unions, the Victorian WorkCover Authority and the Chief Electrical Inspector, to provide standardised and portable industry-wide induction training for all workers on Victorian construction sites. (29 Mar)

2000

Parliamentary report shows budget hit by premium rises

The Opposition has said that a Public Accounts and Estimates Committee report tabled in Parliament has revealed that many Government departments and agencies have been hard hit by increases in WorkCover premiums, and that the report and transcripts of evidence given to the Committee show that the Minister for Community Services has urged the Government to recognise the impact of premium increases on non-government agencies such as disability service organisations. (30 Nov)

No excuses for breaking WorkCover promises

The Opposition has said that it is ludicrous for the Government to attempt to blame the previous Government for having to break its promise to fully fund WorkCover within three years, and for putting in doubt that its WorkCover changes would be paid for by a 15% average premium increase. (23 Oct)

Revised WorkCover liabilities estimate

The Minister for WorkCover says that actuaries Tillinghast-Towers-Perrin have estimated unfunded WorkCover liabilities as at June 1999 at $579 million.  This is a retrospective re-estimate taking into account recent claims and payments experience. The Minister has not released the estimated figure for June 2000. (23 Oct)

Government accepts Opposition compensation proposal

The Government will propose amendments to the Transport Accident Act to allow the spouse of a person who dies in a road accident to receive a lump sum compensation payment, regardless of whether the deceased was in paid employment or not.  The announcement follows the Opposition introducing a private members Bill proposing similar amendments, on which the Government blocked debate. (6 Oct)

Government disarray on funding for WorkCover premium increases

The Premier has revealed in Parliament that extra funds will be provided to Government departments to help meet their increased WorkCover bills. However, the Premier's statement leaves unanswered whether non-government organisations such as community health centres and disability service organisations funded by Government will receive additional grants. (5 Oct)

Government releases draft Bill on Industrial Manslaughter

The Attorney General and the Minister for WorkCover have released a draft bill including increased penalties for breaches of the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the introduction of a new offence of industrial manslaughter. (4 Oct)

Opposition launches WorkCover premiums inquiry

The Opposition has moved to establish a Legislative Council inquiry into WorkCover premiums by the all-party Economic Development Committee. (5 Sep)

Employers "kept in dark" on premium deadline extension

Employers were not officially notified of an extension in a WorkCover premium payment deadline until after the deadline had passed, the Shadow Minister for WorkCover, Robert Clark, has told Parliament. The deadline was for payment of the annual premium in full in order to obtain a 5% discount. (1 Sep)

$500,000 WorkCover shortfall for Country Fire Authority

More than $500,000 of additional funding to country firefighting will be wasted if the Government fails to compensate the CFA for an increase in WorkCover costs, which has left the authority $540,000 over budget, according to the Opposition. (30 Aug)

WorkCover leaves fire brigade $600,000 short

Fire services in Melbourne will be cut or overtime bans placed on firefighters if the Government fails to compensate the Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Brigade for an increase in WorkCover costs, which were $600,000 over budget, according to the Opposition. (26 Aug)

Government makes concessions on WorkCover premiums

The Government has agreed to a package of concessions with employer organisations over WorkCover premium increases, including time extensions, full disclosure of information relating to industry rates and premium calculations to employers,  individual payment arrangements for individual employers who are in genuine financial hardship, immediate recalculation of premiums for those employers who had an automatic 20% increase applied to their remuneration, employers who dispute their premium calculations having their calculations promptly re-assessed and adjusted accordingly by the Authority, finalisation of the Small Business Packagewithin 1 month, and the business community working with the WorkCover Authority Board in a comprehensive Review of the Premium system this financial year including  Industry Rating, the experience rating system and discount rates. (14 Aug)

WorkCover backdown "must lead to results"

The last minute intervention by the Premier over the Government's handling of WorkCover premium increases has merely bought the Government some time to come up with a solution, which the Government must use the next week to actually deliver, according to the Opposition.  (9 Aug)

Minister blames paperwork for WorkCover premium slug

The Minister for WorkCover claims more than a third of Victorian businesses may be paying higher WorkCover Premiums than necessary because they failed to advise the WorkCover Authority of their estimated remuneration levels for the 2000/2001 financial year. (7 Aug)

Compensation call for disability services hit by WorkCover premiums

The Opposition has called on the Government to compensate disability services for the cost of its WorkCover policy in light of "massive cost increases". (3 Aug)

ACCC forces backdown on WorkCover claims

The ACCC has forced the Victorian WorkCover Authority to re-issue a leaflet purporting to explain WorkCover premium increases, which the ACCC found to be "potentially misleading".  (24 July)

Hidden changes boost WorkCover premium increases

Thousands of Victorian employers are facing WorkCover premium rate increases of up to 40% as a result of hidden changes to the way premium rates are calculated, combined with premium increases already announced by the State Government, according to the State Opposition. (19 July)

Road Blackspot program launched

The Government has launched its promised $240m Statewide Blackspot Program funded from motorists' TAC contributions, with the Minister for Transport calling for community input to the program. (Proposals can be nominated on-line.) (9 June)

Public funding of pain and suffering compensation

The Government has introduced legislation to reintroduce taxpayer funded compensation for pain and suffering for victims of crime. (26 May)

Concerns on 50 kph speed limit plans

The Opposition has expressed concerns regarding the 50km speed limit to be introduced in residential streets, centred on the increased enforcement requirements, the scope for local government to subsequently pressure the government to be given the ability to fine people for exceeding the speed limit; the costs associated with increased signage; and the definition of residential streets. (25 May)

Opposition will not oppose WorkCover legislation

The State Opposition has announced that  if the Government insists on proceeding with its "common law" legislation the Opposition will not block the Bill, on the basis that  reintroducing so-called common law legal actions was probably the most prominent legislative issue on which the present Government campaigned in the 1999 election. (9 May)

WorkCover decision makes Victorians three way losers

The Shadow Minister for Workcover says that Victorians are at risk of being three way losers from the Government's WorkCover decision, through an inequitable method of compensating injured workers, through premium increases and job losses, and through a return to rip-offs and cost blow-outs. (11 Apr)

Government announces "common law" package

The Government claimed it would increase WorkCover premiums "marginally" in order to fund the reintroduction of "common law" legal actions for workers injured on or after 20 October 1999.  The package also includes an "Intensive Case Review Program" for workers injured between 12 November 1997 and 20 October 1999 "including the chance, where appropriate, to access a lump sum settlement of their benefit", together with improved weekly benefits, improvements to pain and suffering (SNEL) benefits, restrictions on legal costs and a review of rehabilitation and return to work programs. (11 Apr)

Working Party report refutes claims about WorkCover

The State Opposition says Government claims that WorkCover is "in crisis" and "out of control" have been refuted by the Government's own Working Party in its report, which shows that WorkCover has been more than covering its current costs for each of the past 3 years, that if left unchanged it would return to the black by 2001 and that the main cause of recent WorkCover losses has been the cost of pre-1997 claims under common law.  The Opposition says the report also refuted the Government's claim that the current system provides low benefit levels to seriously injured workers and showed that WorkCover had been highly successful in reducing workplace injuries while also increasing total payments to injured workers. (8 Mar)

WorkCover premiums to rise

Victorian businesses face WorkCover premium increases of 15% or more under Government proposals to reintroduce so-called "common law" legal actions. (23 Feb)

Legislation to widen damages rights for dust disease victims' families

The Attorney-General has announced that he intends to introduce legislation to provide that the families of  victims of dust-related diseases, such as asbestosis and mesotheliomia, can recover damages for pain and suffering of the victim, any bodily or mental harm suffered and the curtailment of expectation of life, even if the victim dies before a court judgement is awarded. (22 Feb)

The last WorkCover safety campaign?

At the same time as the Minister for WorkCover is launching WorkCover's latest workplace safety advertising campaign, the State Government is pressing on with its plans to strip the Victorian WorkCover Authority of its role in workplace safety, putting the future for these campaigns and the inspectorate in doubt, the Shadow Minister for WorkCover has said. (17 Jan)

New inspectors as WorkCover inspectorate in doubt

The Minister for WorkCover has said that by the end of January the number of inspectors in Victoria will have increased to 198, up from 150 a year ago, and that  9 new inspectors had started work on 17 January and 16 the previous week, with another 15 to start before the end of the month.  The Minister also launched an advertising campaign calling on all Victorians to play a role in reducing the workplace injury toll.   Another campaign on electrocutions will start in February. (17 Jan)

1999

Design guide for patient handling launched

New guidelines for the design of health and aged care facilities were an example of Victoria leading the way on health and safety in building design The Minister for WorkCover has launched the publication, Designing Workplaces for Safer Handling of Patients/Residents: Guidelines for the Design of Health and Aged Care Facilities, at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.  The guidelines were developed by a working party as part of WorkCover's Health and Aged Care Project. (13 Dec)

Proposed Major Hazard Facilities Regulations released

The Minister for WorkCover, Mr Bob Cameron, has released for public comment proposed regulations prepared under the previous Government, stating the regulations are expected to come into effect early next year. (11 Nov.)

Motorists to pay for Labor big spending

Victorian Treasurer Alan Stockdale has strongly criticised Labor’s proposal to take out a one-off dividend of $240 million from the Transport Accident Commission. (8 Sep)

Operational independence for Major Hazards Unit

The Victorian Government has formalised measures to assure the operational independence of the Major Hazards Facilities Unit (MHU) of the Victorian WorkCover Authority (VWA). (3 Aug)

Roadworthiness system to be reviewed

The Minister for Roads and Ports, Geoff Craige, has set the Terms of Reference for the Parliamentary Road Safety Committee to conduct an inquiry into Victoria's vehicle roadworthy system.

1998

Victoria Rates Highly in National Workplace Safety Report

The first report comparing Australian workers' compensation schemes was released on December 16 by the Federal Employment Minister, Mr. Reith.

Compulsory registration for Driving Instructors

All driving instructors operating in Victoria must be registered from March 1, 1999, under new laws introduced by the State Government.

WorkCover Annual Report shows fewer workplace accidents

The number of deaths and traumatic injuries in Victorian workplaces continued to fall during 1997-98 while Victoria's worker compensation scheme moved closer to regaining full funding.

Government Rejects Major Changes to TAC, WorkCover

The State Government has not accepted proposals under national competition policy reviews to change Victoria's transport accident and workers compensation schemes.

Contracts awarded for traffic cameras and enforcement

The contract to provide outsourced administrative support for the Traffic Camera Office and Enforcement Management Unit has been awarded to the LMT Australia Pty Ltd consortium comprising Lockheed Martin IMS (IMS) and the Tenix group of companies (formerly Transfield Defence Systems).

Driving Instructors to be registered

The Road Safety (Driving Instructors) Bill will require professional driving instructors to possess stipulated minimum skills and knowledge and be of ‘good character.’

New Compliance Certification Regime for Electrical Work

Following the introduction of the Electricity Safety Act 1998, a mandatory compliance certifications scheme for electrical wiring work conducted by qualified electricians will be introduced this year.

2001

The annual reports of rural and regional hospitals show many have been hit with big increases in their WorkCover bills. (14 Nov)

The Victorian WorkCover Authority's annual report for 2000-01 shows a $387 million increase in unfunded liabilities. (30 Oct)

The Minister for Energy and Resources has launched Managing Health and Safety in Quarries guidelines. (28 Aug)

The Minister for WorkCover has launched a guide for the shearing industry, Health and Safety in Shearing. (14 Aug)

The Minister for WorkCover has announced that Worksafe will be conducting a blitz on tower assisted cranes, following  recent workplace deaths including one involving a tower assisted crane. (6 Aug)

The VWA proceeded with health and safety charges against 210 defendants  in the financial year ending June 2001, compared with 105 defendants charged in the previous financial year.  (30 July)

The Minister for WorkCover has supported the Victorian Injury Surveillance and Applied Research system, a scientific research program that targets and evaluates injury prevention measures, including injuries in the home. (26 July)

The Minister for WorkCover has announced a new safety campaign, under the VWA's new "WorkSafe" banner, on work-related muscle and soft tissue injuries, which the Minister says account for more than 60 per cent of work place injuries and cost the community up to half a billion dollars each year. (28 May)

The 65th meeting of the Workplace Relations Ministerial Council has reached agreement on a phase out date of 2003 for chrysotile asbestos. (18 May)

The Opposition has criticised Government placement of an advertising supplement in the Ballarat Courier calling for expressions of interest from people interested in conducting an event as part of Health and Safety Week with a closing date two weeks before the advertisement appeared. (4 May)

The Minister for WorkCover has launched a CD-ROM package, "Attack of the Killer Farms", to promote farm safety. (6 Apr)

The Victorian and NSW WorkCover Ministers have announced the results of a compliance and enforcement "blitz" on housing construction sites carried out in Albury and Wodonga in late February. (30 Mar)

The Minister for WorkCover has launched the K.I.D.S. Safety Education program targeting primary school aged children. (19 Mar)

The Minister for WorkCover says he will meet with representatives from the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) and the WorkCover Authority to discuss strategies aimed at improving workplace safety on Victorian farms. (12 Jan)

The Minister for WorkCover has pleaded for greater farm safety and says statistics showed that nearly fifty per-cent of all workplace deaths in Victoria during the year 2000 occurred on farms. (4 Jan)

2000

The Minister for WorkCover has claimed the State Opposition deliberately covered-up a drop in the City of Geelong's WorkCover bill. (14 Dec)

The Minister for Local Government has written to the CEO of the City of Greater Geelong, Mr Geoff Whitbread, alleging that the council administration mislead a parliamentary committee hearing in Geelong over its WorkCover premium bill, and seeking an explanation. The State Opposition says that the Minister, who is also Minister for WorkCover, is wrong in his claim, is abusing his position, and should apologise to the Council. (12 Dec)

The Minister for WorkCover has claimed that a decision by the Kennett Government to "artificially lower" WorkCover premiums lead to the blow-out in unfunded liabilities. (12 Dec)

James MacKenzie has been appointed the new Chairperson of the Victorian WorkCover Authority. (11 Dec)

The Government has launched a $2 million Small Business Safety Program which it says will provide grants, advice, free checklists and kits, and subsidies for small business safety advisers to help small businesses evaluate and minimize the risk of workplace injury. (6 Dec)

The Minister for WorkCover says that a meeting of Australian Workplace Relations Ministers has reached agreement on the phase out of chrysotile asbestos, agreeing to withdraw an earlier agreement to phase out the use of asbestos by 2005 and replace it with a proposal to phase out the use of asbestos in manufacturing by 2003. (1 Dec)

The Minister for WorkCover says a hearing of Parliament's Economic Development Committee has been told that unfunded WorkCover liabilities as at June 30 1999 were $771 million. This is a retrospective re-estimate taking into account the number of old "common law" claims lodged prior to the Government's new cut-off date of 31 August.  The Minister has said that there will be no increase in premiums. The Minister has not released the estimated figure for June 2000. (28 Nov)

The Minister for WorkCover has told Pacific Textiles - the company highlighted in parliament over its WorkCover Premium this week - that it could slash its Workcover premium by lifting its safety record. (17 Nov)

The State Opposition says that the Auditor-General's report on the State's finances, which as been tabled in Parliament, has reinforced the need for WorkCover Minister to immediately make public the latest actuarial assessment of WorkCover's finances. (14 Nov)

The Minister for WorkCover has said that the Annual Report of the Victorian WorkCover Authority shows that Victoria now had the lowest workplace injury rates of any Australian jurisdiction. (31 Oct)

The Minister for WorkCover has announced that the Government will move to develop a code of practice on workplace violence and bullying. (18 Oct)

The Government will introduce legislation in the next session of Parliament  to amend the Transport Accident Act to allow relatives to claim the travelling and accommodation expenses associated with visiting their spouse, mother or father in hospital following an accident. (26 Sep)

The Government has adopted a "blame the victim" response to concerns about WorkCover premiums raised in Parliament, according to the Opposition. (18 Aug)

The Opposition has pursued the issue of WorkCover premium rises during the grievance debate and question time in Parliament. (16 Aug)

The Opposition claims that the Government has failed to increase income benefits received by transport accident victims through the TAC-operated compensation scheme to offset the cost of living increases resulting from the Goods and Services Tax implementation. (14 Aug)

The State Opposition has called on the Government to make public full details of its research and costings of WorkCover premium increases and their impact and to come up with a more equitable and affordable premium increase method. (7 Aug)

The Opposition has called on employers and chambers of commerce across rural and regional Victoria to notify the Opposition of the impact of rises in WorkCover premiums. (2 Aug)

WorkCover premium increases will compromise the level of care in nursing homes, according to the Opposition. (16 July)

Noel Laidlaw has been appointed as Victoria's new mining warden. (26 June)

The Government says it is providing $3 million through the Environment Protection Authority for the ChemCollect Victoria progam to help Victoria's agricultural community get rid of unwanted and de-registered farm chemicals. (14 June)

The Government will provide an additional $1 million a year to care for people with Acquired Brain Injury (ABI), the Aged Care Minister has announced. (13 June)

The Transport Minister and the Police Minister have launched a discussion paper on Victoria's Road Safety Strategy 2000-2005. (13 June)

The Minister for WorkCover says three new workplace safety inspectors have been appointed to WorkCover's Geelong office. (5 June)

The Minister for Environment and Conservation, Ms Sherryl Garbutt, has said that the use of fire retardants for bushfire control in Victoria will continue, after the use of the retardant Phos-chek in the Gippsland Caledonia fire of 1998 was raised in the media. (2 June)

The Minister for WorkCover says the 43 newest recruits would bring the total number of WorkCover inspectors in Victoria to 199, with another 100 officers in specialist areas such as technology, ergonomics and investigations, all of which have inspectorial powers. (1 June)

The Government says it is providing a $4.2 million funding boost to provide Victorians with disabilities, the frail, chronically ill and people getting over traumatic injury greater access to community rehabilitation clinics. (30 May)

The Minister for WorkCover has launched the Transport Accident Commission's latest youth safety campaign, which the Minister says is based on international research showing that if learners gain a minimum of 120 of driving practice, they can reduce their risk of crashing by up to 33 per cent. (16 May)

The Minister for WorkCover has claimed the Opposition has supported the Government's "common law" legislation. (9 May)

The Minister for WorkCover has launched the regional program for Health and Safety Week. (2 May)

The Minister for WorkCover has spoken at a memorial service to launch Health and Safety Week. (30 Apr)

The Minister for WorkCover has launched a new campaign aimed at reducing the number of deaths and injuries on Victorian farms through real-life stories of farmers, their families and rural doctors recounting their personal experiences of farming tragedies. (14 Apr)

The Minister for WorkCover has announced some Government funding for two programs developed by the Victorian Farmers Federation - a nationally accredited training course, the Managing Farm Safety Program, and an community-based farm safety program, Farm Safety Aides Program, which would encourage farm safety volunteers to provide advice about farm safety to their local community. (7 Apr)

The State Opposition says the success of Health and Safety Week in raising awareness and reducing accidents shows the folly of theGovernment's decision to require the VWA to cut its advertising budget by 25% and its policy to strip the VWA of its role in occupational health and safety. (6 Apr)

The Minister for WorkCover has released an issues paper which outlines proposed new regulations and industry specific codes of practice aimed at reducing the number of falls from heights in Victorian workplaces. (5 Apr)

The Minister for WorkCover has supported the "No Go Zones" campaign for working near powerlines. (30 Mar)

The Shadow Minister for WorkCover says that Trades Hall union leaders should have used a WorkCover rally to explain why they want to force injured workers to risk cost, uncertainty and delay through the legal system and the courts in order to obtain "common law" compensation. (23 Mar)

The Government has released figures from a continuing two year survey by doctors and hospitals in the north of the state which the Government says has shown that farmers and farm workers in that region are being injured at a rate of almost two a day. (22 Mar)

The Government claims the latest The latest half-yearly report of the Victorian WorkCover Authority shows the Government inherited additional liabilities of $162 million on top of the previously reported $176 million loss for 1998/99. (14 Mar)

The Minister for WorkCover has launched a new safety program targeting primary school aged children - the K.I.D.S. Safety Education program. (9 Mar)

The Government has received the report of its Common Law Working Party, which is also available via the internet (7 Mar)

The Minister for WorkCover has made various claims about the "Masel Report" which compares the management of legal actions by the Victorian WorkCover Authority and the Transport Accident Commission. (1 Mar)

The Government has announced funding for 10 accident blackspots as part of a $240 million program funded under a one-off 'safety dividend' from the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) as part of the Linking Victoria program. (29 Feb)

Mr James MacKenzie has been appointed to the Board of the Victorian WorkCover Authority. (25 Feb)

The Minister for WorkCover says the Government has increased the number of workplace safety inspectors to nearly 200 - up from less than 150 at the end of 1998, that these new inspectors will "assist with a concerted effort to have members of the public report breaches of Occupational Health and Safety" and that the fining of Shell for safety breaches at its Geelong refinery "vindicated the Government's decision to increase the resources in the major hazards unit within the WorkCover Authority". (17 Feb)

The Minister for Transport has launched a strategy for the management and development of the Western Highway corridor. (25 Jan)

The Minister for WorkCover has asked the Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC), to undertake a study into forklift safety. The project is being funded by WorkCover and is expected to start in March. (24 Jan)

1999

The Victorian Minister for Finance, Roger Hallam and South Australia’s Minister for Government Enterprises, Dr Michael Armitage, have announced that the Victorian WorkCover Authority and the SA WorkCover Corporation are to host the Fifth International Congress on Medical-Legal Aspects of Work Injuries Prevention, Rehabilitation and Compensation to take place partly in Melbourne and partly in Adelaide from March 14 to 20, 2001. (20 Aug)

The State Government will provide $5.6 million to fund the School Crossing Supervisor Subsidy Scheme during 1999-2000, increasing the number of "lollypop" people by 43 to 2326 eligible supervisors. (16 June)

The Minister for Roads and Ports, Geoff Craige, has issued a reminder that all driving instructors must be registered from 1 March 1999.   (25 Feb)

1998

The Government has announced changes to eradicate alleged abuse of payroll tax and WorkCover exemptions offered for apprentices and trainees. (31 Dec)

Page last changed Sunday, 01-Jun-2003 06:03:53 EDT

News Releases prior to the October 1999 change of Government, by the Treasurer (including about TAC) and Minister Responsible for WorkCover

Victorian WorkCover Authority, has news releases, reports and  publications including Comparison of Workers' Compensation Arrangements in Australia

Transport Accident Commision has claims and background information, accident statistics and links.

Victorian Trades Hall Council, including WorkCover Campaign, Occupational Health and Safety and news releases

Industrial Deaths Support and Advocacy

National

Workplace Relations Ministers Council has several very useful interjurisdictional comparison reports of workers compensation and OHS arrangements

Heads of Workers' Compensation Authorities

National Occupational Health and Safety Commission

National Safety Council of Australia, including Safety News and free-by-email Safety Bulletin - this site spreads lots of news and features over many different pages

Workers' Compensation and OHS Authorities - C'wealth (Comcare, SeaCare), NSW, Qld (WorkCover, WHS), WA (WorkCover, WorkSafe), SA, Tas, ACT, NT

1998 Parliamentary Joint Select Committee Report on the Tasmanian Workers' Compensation System

Overseas

ABPnews.com is a US site dedicated to crime and safety news, including news on Business Safety.

Safeguard, an NZ magazine on OHS.