Page 1724 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 7 June 2016

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The government recognises that there is a cost that must be borne in order to increase compensation and in modernising the scheme as it applies to asbestos disease. The levy paid by employers to cover the cost of uninsured claims administered by the default insurance fund will increase once these changes commence next year.

Under the current scheme, the default insurance fund can only seek recovery of the cost of meeting compensation claims from other ACT employers. Recovery may be sought in situations where a worker may have been exposed to asbestos while working for multiple employers or on a building site controlled by a third party. However, this contribution can only be obtained from parties other than ACT employers such as a product manufacturer or interstate employers through the common law process, which can be time consuming and expensive.

To ensure that the impact of funding imminently fatal asbestos-related disease claims through the default insurance fund is kept to an absolute minimum, these legislative changes will allow the default insurance fund to seek contribution or recovery from all other parties without having to pursue common law action. All moneys that are recovered by the default insurance fund will be offset against any further liability.

In considering the implications of the passage of this bill, I implore the members of this Assembly to be guided by the interests of equity and the importance of ensuring the prompt and timely provision of statutory support for injured workers. Madam Speaker, I strongly support the passage of this bill.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Bill agreed to in principle.

Leave granted to dispense with the detail stage.

Bill agreed to.

ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal Amendment Bill 2016 (No 2)

Debate resumed from 5 May 2016, on motion by Mr Corbell:

That this bill be agreed to in principle.

MR HANSON (Molonglo—Leader of the Opposition) (10.49): Madam Speaker, we will be supporting this bill in principle. It makes a number of amendments resulting from the 2015 restructure of the presidential positions at the ACAT. Any action the government takes that is reasonable to increase justice for the ACT community we will support and, indeed, have supported. This bill certainly appears to make sense and has an intent that hopefully will result in increased access to justice.

In summary, the bill makes a number of amendments: it changes the requirements of appointment as president of ACAT; it requires that a person appointed as the president


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