After a decade of mismanagement by the NSW Liberal National Government, the NSW Workers Compensation system is barely functional. It serves as an ongoing nightmare for workers who are forced to navigate a complicated bureaucratic structure, which often does not enable them to return to health and work. The system has the added impact of stigmatising workers unlucky enough to end up in the system, often resulting in secondary psychological injuries. Adding insult to injury, iCare has underpaid thousands of workers while awarding themselves exorbitant bonuses. To understand these impacts and what the path to reform looks like join representatives from Unions NSW, the NSW Injured Workers Campaign Network, the NSW Union Movement and the McKell Institute.
When: Saturday 15th October, 2:45–3:30pm
Where: Lower Town Hall 2
Speakers
Injured Workers from Injured Workers Campaign Network
Michael, Jill, Fred and Grisel are injured workers and members of the Injured Workers Campaign Network which is supported by Unions NSW. They will share their experiences within the injured workers system and campaigning for justice.
Sophie Cotsis
Sophie MP is the State Member for Canterbury, and NSW Labor’s Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations and Work Health and Safety. Sophie has been working closely with the union movement and stakeholders in key areas including protecting COVID-19 workers compensation for workers, extending portable Long Service Leave, fighting Modern Slavery, improving working conditions, as well as health and safety of workers.
Michael Buckland
Michael is the CEO of the McKell Institute. As a former Chief of Staff and Policy Director to NSW Labor Opposition Leaders he brings extensive experience in policy development and government. Michael has a diverse background, having worked for derivatives trading firm, First Prudential Markets, and extensively with trade unions and advocacy campaigns.
Tegan Cone
Tegan is the Director of Industrial Services and Bargaining at the Australian Services Union NSW/ACT. Tegan has been supporting members of the ASU, the majority of who are women working in the community and disability sector, for 8 years. Tegan supports ASU members will all manner of industrial concerns but is passionate about workplace health and safety and supporting injured workers navigate the worker’s compensation and safely return to work. Tegan has just finished three years as an executive member of ULIO (Union Lawyers and Industrial Officers) and has been an active member of the Unions NSW WHS and WC committee for 4 years. Tegan has recently joined the State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA) Tripartite Consultation Committee, as a Union representative, working to improve the workers compensation system for injured workers
