The NSW Government has introduced a bill in Parliament to set up a new one-stop tribunal – the Personal Injury Commission (PIC) – to handle compensation claim disputes by workers and motorists.

Currently the State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA) manages compulsory third party (CTP) claims and the Workers Compensation Commission (WCC) oversees workers’ claims.

The PIC will consolidate the WCC and SIRA’s dedicated dispute resolution services into a single, independent tribunal.

Minister for Customer Service Victor Dominello says a single tribunal will result in greater efficiencies and a better claimant experience.

“We have consulted widely with scheme providers and industry stakeholders to ensure the customer is at the centre of the process,” he said.

“Two divisions will be created, with an independent judicial head, enabling the retention of subject matter expertise and personnel in the new body.

“The reforms could benefit individuals injured at work or on the road in up to 17,000 cases lodged annually.”

In 2019 about 7000 applications were lodged with the WCC and 10,000 CTP applications with SIRA.