The South Australian Government has proposed some major changes to its occupational health and safety (OHS) regime.

In a bid to deliver safer workplaces and focus on a better outcome for people entitled to workers’ compensation payouts, Industrial Relations Minister Michael Wright is drafting a bill he says will reduce duplication and cut down on administration. He says it will ensure WorkCover SA is more focused on efficiently administrating the workers’ compensation system and “delivering the best possible rehabilitation and return to work outcomes”. 

If the proposal goes ahead, all OHS administration will be merged into one organisation known as SafeWork SA and all existing resources and functions performed by WorkCover will be transferred to SafeWork.

No matter how real the changes might be, there’s no substantial change for the insurance industry. Insurers will maintain their role as heavily regulated, uncompetitive agents of the government agency.