Assistant General Secretary Troy Wright fronted a parliamentary enquiry into plans by Treasurer Daniel Mookhey to cut eligibility to workers’ compensation for psychological injury.

Mr Wright’s appearance at the inquiry, and at a press conference behind Parliament House, follow the submission of a report outlining the PSA CPSU NSW’s opposition to the proposed changes.

The report criticised the changes, pointing out, “None of the proposed actions reflect a shift towards early resolution of workplace psychological issues”.

“The dominant effect would be to significantly hinder workers seeking and being able to obtain compensation for psychological injuries.

“Proposed changes to defining a psychological injury will effectively carve out a substantial class of workers and create uncertainty.”

The report demanded the State Government do more to regulate the performance of the State Government insurance body icare and regulator SafeWork NSW. It also demanded changes to the State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA).

“It appears that the Government does not seem to have the appetite to address these systemic issues,” read the PSA CPSU NSW submission.

The Treasurer’s proposed changes require psychological injury to result in at least 30 per cent impairment. The PSA CPSU NSW report includes a case where a Prison Officer was held hostage for several hours and brutally tortured, “which left him with permanent loss of feeling in his feet and hands, partial blindness, and major burns on his body”. Yet under the new rules, the member would not be eligible for a payment.

The report found that the “adversarial” approach of bodies such as icare often exacerbated the psychological injuries of those making claims.

“Unions such as ours campaigned hard to change the State Government in 2023, so it is disappointing to read the Premier’s proposed restrictions on vital protections for frontline workers such as our members,” said Mr Wright. “We are meeting with Ministers to see if we can address the Treasurer’s concerns about the long-term future of workers’ compensation in NSW without eroding the rights of our members, who do so much for the people of our state.

“Our members are Champions of the State. They deserve better.”

Information correct at time of print.