The Queensland Government will increase workers’ compensation premiums by 13% to save the troubled scheme from collapse.

The rise is one of a number of measures to be introduced, with Industrial Relations Minister Cameron Dick saying premiums will increase from $1.15 to $1.30 per $100 of wages to cover future liabilities.

Injury payments will be also capped at $300,000, and at $176,607 for economic losses.

The changes maintain Queensland’s workers’ compensation scheme as the cheapest in the country, ahead of Victoria on $1.38 per $100 of wages.

“This suite of changes is fair to both employers and employees,” Mr Dick said. “There will be no restrictions on workers’ access to common law compensation claims, while employers will still have the lowest average premium of any Australian state or territory.

“Workers will still have unchanged access to their benefits under the statutory scheme.

But he says claims through court actions will be subject to the new cap, as well as liability provisions. In addition, a court will be able to award costs against a worker where a claim is not successful.

The Queensland WorkCover Authority has come under fire recently for approving claims with little investigation and a reliance on investment returns.

Earlier this year, Deloitte warned the body would accumulate $8.6 billion in debt by 2018 following an $800 million loss on investments last year and an overall operating deficit of $1.3 billion over two years.