Changes to the Northern Territory’s workers’ compensation law will take effect on July 1.

NT WorkSafe says amendments to the Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act will clarify whether a person is a worker or an independent contractor for the purposes of the scheme.

It will also allow workers injured in Australia but who live overseas access to the scheme, change how older workers can gain compensation, and provide certainty of the types of benefits that can be taken into account when calculating a person’s normal weekly earnings.

The changes relating to older workers bring WorkSafe benefits into line with the rise in the qualifying age for the age pension to 67 years. NT WorkSafe says they provide better compensation for people who work past the age of 63.

The changes will also bring the interest rate on late compensation payments into line with that of Supreme Court judgements on debts and give the court the power to remit matters back to the Work Health Court.