The National Injury Insurance Scheme (NIIS) Advisory Group has produced a series of principles covering the design and introduction of the program, which follows reforms recommended by a Productivity Commission report on disability care and support.

The principles were revealed at a meeting in Sydney on Friday, when John Walsh was appointed Chairman of the Advisory Group, replacing David Bowen, who remains in the group and is also CEO of the related National Disability Insurance Scheme Launch Transition Agency.

Andrew Pesce is now Chairman of the NIIS working group on medical indemnity.

The advisory group says the NIIS will begin operations in the motor vehicle accident area, developing a no-fault accident model for lifetime care and support to replace state schemes that vary in design and equity.

The principles state the scheme will deliver reasonable and necessary lifetime care and support to sufferers of catastrophic injury on a no-fault basis that disregards the possibility of suing for compensation.

Cover will be comprehensive, leaving no gaps across areas such as car, medical and workplace accidents, criminal injury and accidents in the home or community.

The NIIS also aims to provide greater choice and control of service delivery, access to early intervention for the injured and the use of best-practice data and information-sharing principles.

It will be built on insurance principles and provide incentives for appropriate behaviour and increased risk management.

The scheme’s design will take into account the experience of successful programs such as Victoria’s Transport Accident Commission and NSW’s Lifetime Care and Support Authority.