{"id":37229,"date":"2026-02-05T14:21:26","date_gmt":"2026-02-05T03:21:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/?p=37229"},"modified":"2026-02-05T14:21:26","modified_gmt":"2026-02-05T03:21:26","slug":"workers-compensation-reforms-pass-parliament","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/2026\/02\/05\/workers-compensation-reforms-pass-parliament\/","title":{"rendered":"Workers compensation reforms pass parliament"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Reforms&nbsp;to&nbsp;repair&nbsp;the NSW workers compensation&nbsp;system&nbsp;have passed state parliament.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Businesses and community sector providers will be spared significant increases to their workers compensation premiums as a result, and workers will have a much stronger pathway to recovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The resolution was based on a breakthrough compromise put forward by crossbench members in the lower house last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It won endorsement in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday after passing the Legislative Council on Tuesday night. It includes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A legislated 18-month restriction on average premium increases.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Retaining the Whole Person Impairment (WPI) thresholds moved by Lower House crossbenchers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A new \u201cReturn to Work\u201d intensive program that provides an additional year of medical benefits and income replacement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>New powers enabling the Treasurer to lower the WPI threshold, if in the public interest.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A replacement program to Business Connect.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Changes to terminology surrounding the reasonable management action defence.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>It is the most significant reform to workers compensation in a generation. It stabilises the system and puts it on a path to financial stability. It prioritises prevention and improves return to work rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Without the reform, premiums for employers facing no claims against them were expected to rise by at least 36 per cent over three years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The result follows extensive consultation over the past year with business and unions, as well as the community and not-for-profit sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Treasurer Daniel Mookhey:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThese reforms finally allow us to stabilise the workers compensation system and return it to a secure footing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe scheme has been failing injured workers, employers, the non-profit sector and taxpayers for too long. That has now come to an end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI want to acknowledge Business NSW and the state\u2019s major business organisations, as well as NCOSS and charities and not-for-profits for their advocacy. I also thank the Labor caucus and the union movement for its engagement through many difficult but necessary conversations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Minister for Work Health and Safety Sophie Cotsis:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThese reforms ensure early support to injured workers, a road to recovery and return to work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt puts the scheme on the path to sustainability so that it can continue to care for injured workers and be affordable for business to fund.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe reforms will help small businesses and not-for-profits, especially in regional areas, retain staff and create jobs.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government, Jihad Dib:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThese changes are about protecting the workers compensation scheme for the long term, so it remains strong, fair and able to support the people who rely on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWorkers now have the certainty they need and the confidence to get on with their recovery and their working lives, knowing the system will be there when they need it.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Reforms&nbsp;to&nbsp;repair&nbsp;the NSW workers compensation&nbsp;system&nbsp;have passed state parliament.&nbsp; Businesses and community sector providers will be spared significant increases to their workers compensation premiums as a result, and workers will have a much stronger pathway to recovery. The resolution was based on a breakthrough compromise put forward by crossbench members in the lower house last year. It &hellip; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/2026\/02\/05\/workers-compensation-reforms-pass-parliament\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Workers compensation reforms pass parliament&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-37229","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nswnews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37229","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37229"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37229\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37230,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37229\/revisions\/37230"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37229"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37229"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37229"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}