Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

We should not be going to this lesser scheme, with all respect to those people covered by the Commonwealth scheme. Queensland has set the standards and we should be maintaining that current process. I take that interjection from the member for Griffith. She worked in this area as a lawyer and saw the horrors that can be visited on workers if they are not treated appropriately.

Decisions which are the subject of appeal as to the choice of workers compensation scheme are made by the employer, based on financial savings, and employees are not consulted about what this means to them if they are injured. I know from my time working for unions that if you do not look after the employee, you can create extra heartache and it will also mean that you have a less productive employee.

This bill did not form any part of the coalition government's election policy. Therefore, there is no mandate at all for this bill. It is not like those rolled-gold promises such as 'no cuts to education, no new taxes, no cuts to health, no cuts to the ABC and SBS'—those things that are sacrosanct to those opposite! This was not mentioned during the election at all. It is not in the glossy brochure, with a picture of the ministers on the front page. Real Promises, I think it was called.

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