Source: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2004A00920
Timestamp: 2019-01-22 18:23:01
Document Index: 636385252

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 2', 'art 3', 'art 4', 'art 5', 'art 6', 'art 7', 'art 8', 'art 9', 'art 10', 'art 12', 'art 2', 'art 3', 'art 4', 'art 5', 'art 6', 'art 7', 'art 8', 'art 9', 'art 10']

Details: C2004A00920
- C2004A00920
Act No. 144 of 2001 as made
Originating Bill: Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2000
C2004A00920
Schedule 1—Amendment of the Industrial Chemicals (Notification and Assessment) Act 1989 4
Schedule 2—Amendment of the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 17
Part 2—Amendments relating to indexation of normal weekly earnings 17
Part 3—Amendments relating to amount of compensation 19
Part 4—Amendment relating to compensation for non‑economic loss in relation to certain injuries 24
Part 5—Amendments relating to payment of compensation to persons aged over 63 25
Part 6—Amendments concerning rehabilitation program providers 27
Part 7—Amendment relating to common law remedies for dependants of deceased employees 38
Part 8—Amendments concerning licences to enable Commonwealth authorities and certain corporations to accept liability for, and determine, claims 39
Part 9—Amendments concerning compensation payable for hearing loss 58
Part 10—Amendments relating to premiums, special premiums and regulatory contributions 60
Part 12—Other amendments 85
Schedule 3—Amendment of other Acts 89
Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Act 1999 89
Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 89
National Occupational Health and Safety Commission Act 1985 89
Occupational Health and Safety (Commonwealth Employment) Act 1991 90
This Act may be cited as the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2001.
Note: The short title of the Act that establishes the Administrative Review Tribunal is either the Administrative Review Tribunal Act 2000 or the Administrative Review Tribunal Act 2001.
1 Section 5 (definition of assessment report)
2 Section 5 (definition of Director)
4 Section 5 (definition of new synthetic polymer)
prescribed reactant, in relation to a polyester, means a substance listed in the regulations as a prescribed reactant.
6 Section 5 (paragraph (a) of the definition of synthetic polymer of low concern)
decision not to transfer, in respect of a chemical in the confidential section, means:
(a) a decision by the Director not to transfer that chemical to the non‑confidential section of the Inventory; or
(i) the Director decides to transfer the chemical to the non‑confidential section of the Inventory; and
inclusion date, in respect of a chemical in the confidential section means:
(2) An industrial chemical in the confidential section must be transferred to the non‑confidential section on the fifth anniversary of its inclusion date unless a decision not to transfer the chemical is made before that fifth anniversary.
(a) that the chemical will be transferred to the non‑confidential section unless a decision not to transfer the chemical is made; and
(4) A holder of a confidence about a chemical may, within 28 days after being given a notice under subsection (3), give the Director a written statement setting out the reasons why the chemical should not be transferred to the non‑confidential section.
(5) If a statement is given under subsection (4), the Director must, not later than the fifth anniversary of the inclusion date in respect of the chemical, make a decision whether or not to transfer the chemical to the non‑confidential section.
(c) must decide not to transfer the chemical to the non‑confidential section; and
(a) the Director has, under subsection 65(1) of the Industrial Chemicals (Notification and Assessment) Act 1989, required the secondary notification of a chemical by persons to whom the notice applied; and
Note: The heading to section 68 is altered by inserting “new industrial” after “Assessment of”.
(1) For the purpose of assessing a new industrial chemical under section 68, or an existing chemical under section 68A, the Director may, by notice in the Chemical Gazette, require:
(1) There is to be a Director, National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme, who is to be appointed by the Governor‑General.
Omit “$30,000”, substitute “300 penalty units”
Part 2—Amendments relating to indexation of normal weekly earnings
(9C) For the purpose of subsection (9B), the indexation date, in relation to a cessation of employment, is:
Part 3—Amendments relating to amount of compensation
(b) the amount per week (if any) that the employee earns from any employment (including self‑employment) that is undertaken by the employee during that week.
(2A) For the purposes of subsection (2), a week is a maximum rate compensation week, in relation to an employee to whom this section applies, if:
After “employment” (first occurring), insert “(including self‑employment”).
Note: The heading to section 132A is replaced by the heading “Former employees under 65 who are capable of engaging in any work”.
(ii) the amount per week (if any) that the employee earns from any employment (including self‑employment) that is undertaken by the employee during that week; or
Part 4—Amendment relating to compensation for non‑economic loss in relation to certain injuries
(3) This section does not apply in relation to a permanent impairment commencing before 1 December 1988 unless an application for compensation for non‑economic loss in relation to that impairment has been made before the date of introduction of the Bill for the Act that inserted this subsection.
Part 5—Amendments relating to payment of compensation to persons aged over 63
24 Subsection 30(3) (definition of n)
Part 6—Amendments concerning rehabilitation program providers
25A Subsection 4(1) (definition of approved program provider)
principal, in relation to an applicant for approval as a rehabilitation program provider or for renewal of such an approval, means:
(4) If, under this Part, a document is given, in accordance with section 28A of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901, to a partner of a partnership in relation to its application for approval or renewal of approval as, or its operation as, a rehabilitation program provider, the document is taken to have been given to the partnership.
(3) Criteria determined under subsection (1), and any variation of those criteria that is made from time to time, must be published in the Gazette.
(3) Standards established under subsection (2), and any variation of those standards that is made from time to time, must be published in the Gazette.
(a) comes into force on the date (the starting date) on which the application is determined or any such later date as is specified in the determination; and
(2) The instrument is a disallowable instrument for the purposes of section 46A of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901.
Part 7—Amendment relating to common law remedies for dependants of deceased employees
subsection (1) does not prevent a dependant of that employee bringing an action against the Commonwealth, a Commonwealth authority, a licensed corporation or another employee in respect of the death of the first‑mentioned employee.
Part 8—Amendments concerning licences to enable Commonwealth authorities and certain corporations to accept liability for, and determine, claims
30 Subsection 4(1) (definition of corporation)
31 Subsection 4(1) (definition of eligible corporation)
eligible corporation, in Part VIII, means a corporation in respect of which a declaration is in force under section 100.
32 Subsection 4(1) (definition of licence)
33 Subsection 4(1) (definition of licensed corporation)
35 Subsection 4(1) (paragraphs (a) and (aa) of the definition of relevant authority)
(1A) In this section, responsible authority, in relation to a determination, means:
47 Subsection 96A(2) (paragraph (a) of the definition of Estimated liability)
48 Subsection 96A(2) (paragraph (a) of the definition of Estimated administrative costs)
Part VIII—Licences to enable Commonwealth authorities and certain corporations to accept liability for, and/or manage, claims
manage, in relation to a claim for payment of compensation or other amounts under this Act, includes determination of the claim, reconsideration of the determination, and any subsequent administrative action in relation to the claim as so determined.
variation, in relation to the conditions to which a licence is subject, includes the addition of a new condition, an alteration to an existing condition or the omission of an existing condition.
(c) are disallowable instruments for the purposes of section 46A of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901.
(b) so far as concerns a licensee who is covered by the Occupational Health and Safety (Commonwealth Employment) Act 1991—that part of the cost incurred by the Commission and by Comcare in carrying out their respective functions under that Act during the relevant period that is reasonably referrable to the licensee.
(1) Subject to subitems (2) and (3), if, immediately before the day this Part commences, a Commonwealth authority or corporation held a licence under Part VIIIA or VIIIB of the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988, the provisions of that Act as in force immediately before that day continue to apply in relation to the authority or corporation in its capacity as licence holder under Part VIIIA or VIIIB, as the case requires, as if the items of this Part had not been enacted.
Part 9—Amendments concerning compensation payable for hearing loss
Part 10—Amendments relating to premiums, special premiums and regulatory contributions
action for non‑economic loss means any action (whether or not it involves the formal institution of a proceeding) to recover an amount for damages for non‑economic loss sustained by an employee as a result of an injury suffered by that employee:
(b) that follows an election made by the first‑mentioned employee under subsection 45(1).
58 Subsection 4(1) (definition of premium)
premium, in respect of an Entity or Commonwealth authority and a financial year, means:
(b) if the financial year ended before 1 July 1991, any contribution so paid or payable under section 98 of the Commonwealth Employees (Rehabilitation and Compensation) Act 1988, as that Act applied in respect of that year.
special premium, in respect of an Entity or Commonwealth authority and the financial year starting on 1 July 1999, 1 July 2000 or 1 July 2001, means the amount paid or payable as a result of a determination under section 97B as a special premium in respect of that Entity or authority and that financial year.
(5) The election by an employee under this section to institute an action or proceeding against the Commonwealth, a Commonwealth authority, a licensed corporation or another employee does not prevent the employee, before, or instead of, formally instituting such action or proceeding, doing any other thing that constitutes an action for non‑economic loss.
Note: The heading to section 46 is altered by omitting “proceeding” and substituting “common law claims”.
(4A) Subsection (3) does not apply if the damages were recovered in an action for non‑economic loss or by way of a settlement of such an action.
(c) as a result of an action for non‑economic loss; or
Note: The heading to section 50 is altered by omitting “Proceedings” and substituting “Common law claims”.
52A Comcare’s rights and obligations in respect of certain action for non‑economic loss
(a) an employer has paid Comcare an amount to cover liability for actions for non‑economic loss brought by its employees; and
(b) an employee takes action for non‑economic loss against the employer or another employee of the employer (the party claimed against);
(ea) in respect of actions for non‑economic loss—to take over the conduct of such actions under section 52A on behalf of the Commonwealth, Commonwealth authorities or employees against whom such actions were taken;
(ii) Comcare’s liability under this Act for payment, on behalf of such Entities, authorities and employees, of damages or costs awarded under, or of amounts agreed to be paid in settlement of, actions for non‑economic loss in respect of such injuries or for costs in proceedings against third parties; and
(iii) the cost incurred by Comcare in managing such claims for compensation and in conducting such actions for non‑economic loss and claims against third parties;
(ii) the cost incurred by the Commission and Comcare in carrying out their respective functions under the Occupational Health and Safety (Commonwealth Employment) Act 1991.
(1) Subject to this section, Comcare must pay, from Comcare‑retained funds, the money required by Comcare:
(i) any damages or costs awarded under, or any amount agreed to be paid in settlement of, an action for non‑economic loss, that Comcare or the previous Commission was liable to pay but that had not been paid before 1 July 2002; and
(ii) any damages awarded under, or amount agreed to be paid in settlement of, an action for non‑economic loss, that Comcare becomes liable to pay on and after that date; and
(2) If there is insufficient money in Comcare‑retained funds to make a particular payment under subsection (1), there is payable by the Commonwealth to Comcare such an amount as is necessary to enable Comcare to make that payment.
(3) A payment (the relevant payment) is not to be made to Comcare under subsection (2) if the amount of the relevant payment exceeds an amount worked out at the time of the payment using the formula:
Comcare‑retained funds means so much of the funds from time to time standing to Comcare’s credit in the bank account maintained in accordance with section 18 of the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997 as is attributable to:
(3) For the purposes of the operation of section 90C of the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 as substituted by item 72 of this Schedule (the substituted section), any determination of notional interest under subsection (2), and any determination under subsection (3), of section 90C of that Act as continued in force under subitem (1), continue to have effect as if they were determinations made under the substituted section.
After “its powers”, insert “under this Act and under the Occupational Health and Safety (Commonwealth Employment) Act 1991”.
bonus amount, in relation to an Entity or a Commonwealth authority and a financial year, means the amount (if any) determined by Comcare to be an appropriate amount to be deducted from the prescribed amount in relation to the Entity or authority and that year, having regard to:
penalty amount, in relation to an Entity or Commonwealth authority and a financial year, means the amount if any, determined by Comcare to be an appropriate amount to be added to the prescribed amount in relation to the Entity or authority and that year, having regard to:
prescribed amount, in relation to an Entity or Commonwealth authority and a financial year, means the amount worked out in accordance with subsection (3) in relation to that Entity or authority and that year.
estimated liability component, in respect of an Entity or a Commonwealth authority and a financial year, means the estimated amount of Comcare’s liability (if any) under this Act (including liability under actions for non‑economic loss), in that financial year and in subsequent financial years, in respect of the number of injuries that Comcare estimates will be suffered during that financial year:
estimated management component, in respect of an Entity or a Commonwealth authority and a financial year, means the estimated cost (if any) to Comcare, in that financial year and in subsequent financial years, of all claims management (including the cost of taking over the conduct of actions for non‑economic loss) reasonably attributable to the Entity or authority, having regard to the number of injuries that Comcare estimates will be suffered during that financial year:
97B Determination of special premiums for non‑economic loss in respect of injuries suffered after 30 June 1999 and before 1 July 2002
(1) Comcare must, in respect of each Entity and Commonwealth authority that did not make arrangements for insurance cover in respect of possible liability under actions for non‑economic loss in respect of injuries suffered by its employees at any time during:
(b) it may be applied by Comcare under section 90C to pay, on behalf of an Entity or Commonwealth authority, any damages or costs awarded under, or any amount agreed to be paid in settlement of, an action for non‑economic loss.
(c) that part of the estimated cost incurred by the Commission and Comcare in carrying out their respective functions under this Act (other than excluded functions) that Comcare determines, in accordance with guidelines under section 97E, to be referrable to that Entity or authority; and
(3) For the purposes of subsection (2), excluded functions, in relation to an Entity or Commonwealth authority, means functions of Comcare under this Act the cost of which would count towards the estimated management component under subsection 97A(3) in relation to the Entity or authority.
prescribed day, in relation to a year, means 30 April in that year, or if the regulations specify another day for the purposes of this definition, the day so specified in that year.
(3) Interest is payable on the difference, at such rate as is from time to time specified by the Minister by notice in the Gazette, in respect of each day of the overpayment period. However, interest is not payable under this section if it is less than $100.
(7) Interest on the excess is payable at such rate as is from time to time specified by the Minister by notice in the Gazette, in respect of each day after the overpayment and before the excess is repaid. However, interest is not payable on the excess if it is less than $100.
(1) Comcare must make the payments required under section 97L or 97M from Comcare‑retained funds within the meaning of subsection 90C(5).
(2) If there is insufficient money in Comcare‑retained funds to make a particular payment under subsection (1) there is payable to Comcare, out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund, which is appropriated accordingly, such an amount as is necessary to enable Comcare to make that payment.
whichever is the later, interest is payable on the amount, at such rate as is from time to time specified by the Minister by notice in the Gazette, in respect of each day on which the amount is not so paid. However, interest is not payable under this section if it is less than $100.
(a) if, before 1 July 2002, it had commenced but not completed a review, under section 96D of the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988, of the estimate of a premium determined to be payable by an Entity or Commonwealth authority in respect of a financial year starting before 1 July 2002—complete that review; or
80 Validation of certain acts or things done in relation to actions for non‑economic loss
(b) liability for any amount payable as a result of an action for non‑economic loss in respect of an injury suffered by an employee during the period to which the premium related.
(2) Any act or thing that was done (including any payment that was made) by the Commonwealth, Comcare or the Commission under the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 as in force at any time before the commencement of this item, in relation to an action for non‑economic loss in respect of an injury suffered by an employee before 1 July 1999, is not invalid simply because there was no capacity, at the time of the injury, to collect a contribution or premium to cover liability for amounts payable as a result of such an action.
(3) Any act or thing that is done (including any payment that is made) by the Commonwealth, Comcare or the Commission under the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 as in force at any time after the commencement of this item, in relation to an action for non‑economic loss in respect of an injury suffered by an employee before 1 July 1999, is not invalid simply because there was no capacity, at the time of the injury, to collect a contribution or premium to cover liability for amounts payable as a result of such an action.
84 Subsection 4(1) (at the end of paragraphs (a) to (f) of the definition of medical treatment)
85 Subsection 4(1) (at the end of the definition of medical treatment)
86 Subsection 4(1) (at the end of the definition of rehabilitation authority)
(2) Despite paragraph 34AB(b) of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901, the Chief Executive Officer may, by writing signed by him or her, delegate to the Deputy Chief Executive Officer or a member of the staff of Comcare any functions or powers that the Commission delegates to the Chief Executive Officer.
(3) Despite paragraph 34AB(b) of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901, a member may, by writing signed by him or her, delegate to the Chief Executive Officer, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer or a member of the staff of Comcare any functions or powers that the Commission delegates to the member.
Note: The heading to section 89R is altered by adding at the end “and sub‑delegation”.
(b) the Northern Territory would have been liable to pay compensation in relation to the claim under section 7A or 7B of the Compensation (Commonwealth Government Employees) Act 1971, had that Act not been repealed.
1 Subsection 17(1)
Omit “the 3 months”, substitute “the 2 months”.
2 Subsection 32(1) (penalty)
3 Paragraph 16(4)(g)
(fd) Comcare, established by section 68 of the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988, for purposes consistent with the functions of that body under that Act;
(g) the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission, established by section 89A of the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988, for purposes consistent with the functions of that body under that Act;
4 Section 3 (paragraph (b) of the definition of nominating authority)
Omit “the Confederation of Australian Industry”, substitute “the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry”.
5 Paragraphs 10(1)(c) and 21(6)(b)
6 Section 46 (penalty)
7 Subsection 47(1) (penalty)
8 Section 48 (penalty)
Penalty: 20 penalty units or imprisonment for 1 year, or both.
9 Section 49 (penalty)
10 Subsection 62(2) (penalty)
(a) if the offender is a natural person—10 penalty units or imprisonment for 6 months, or both; or
(b) if the offender is a body corporate—50 penalty units.
11 Subsection 62(3) (penalty)
(a) if the offender is a natural person—20 penalty units or imprisonment for 1 year, or both; or
12 Subsection 67B(5)
After “each subsequent financial year”, insert “before the financial year starting on 1 July 2002”.
House of Representatives on 7 December 2000
Senate on 24 May 2001]
(202/00)