The NT Government will adopt the Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Advisory Council’s 58 recommendations for amendments to its workers’ compensation scheme.

Changes to the Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act will include a new name, the Return to Work Act.

Among the amendments, “presumptive legislation” will make it easier for firefighters to claim workers’ compensation if diagnosed with one of 12 cancers.

“This change recognises that firefighters are at greater risk of developing certain types of cancers as a result of exposure to hazardous substances while performing firefighting activities,” NT WorkSafe says in its latest information bulletin.

To reflect the fact people are staying in the workforce beyond the pension age, the Government will increase the period of compensation from 26 weeks to 104 weeks for injured workers aged 67 or more.

The increase provides older workers with a more reasonable level of protection, NT WorkSafe says.

Most states have a limit on how long a worker can receive workers’ compensation payments, but there is no limit in the NT and workers can receive compensation until the retirement age.

Under a proposed change, territory workers with less serious injuries will be limited to five years of compensation, with a maximum additional year for medical and other costs.

Another significant change will be increases in death and funeral benefits.

The death benefit for dependants will increase from 260 times average weekly earnings ($368,472) to 364 times ($515,861), bringing the NT into line with other jurisdictions.

Compensation will no longer be provided for strokes or heart attacks caused by degenerative diseases or lifestyle choices. Compensation will be paid if it is proved that a person’s employment is the “real, proximate or effective cause of the disease”.

NT WorkSafe says the proposed amendments will improve outcomes and efficiencies in returning injured people to work, and will ensure the viability of the scheme.

“The changes to the scheme are designed to stabilise insurance premiums while providing one of the more generous workers’ compensation schemes in Australia.”