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Qld lawyer speaks out ahead of state election
A Queensland lawyer has challenged the state’s Liberal National Party to declare any “secret plans” they may have to implement to the compulsory third party insurance scheme, should they win this weekend’s state election.
Emma Musgrave
Bennett & Philp Lawyers director Mark O’Connor said that Queensland voters need to be informed if the LNP has any plans to change the state’s CTP scheme, after it avoided an Australian Lawyers Alliance request for a commitment not to change the scheme.
“Although in response to an enquiry by the Australian Lawyers Alliance, the LNP has indicated that it has no plans to change the workers compensation scheme in Queensland, it declined to give a similar commitment in regard to the CTP scheme,” Mr O’Connor said.
“This is worrying considering the LNP’s track record for attacking the rights of injured Queenslanders, particularly during the Newman government.”
Mr O’Connor explained that the “incoming Labor government reversed the LNP’s measures but it has meant people are nervous that their compensation rights could be jeopardised again by any undeclared agendas”.
“The last two state government elections saw some of the biggest changes to personal injury law in Queensland. Campbell Newman’s LNP government tried to deny common law rights to the majority of injured workers in the state,” he added.
“Going against the advice of stakeholders and a government inquiry, they imposed claims thresholds with legislation that effectively deprived 60 per cent of injured workers the right to recover damages including future lost wages and medical expenses sustained as a result of their injuries.”
Mr O’Connor reiterated that the LNP’s refusal to state its intentions for CTP changes, should it win the 25 November election, raised fears of undisclosed secret plans.
“It comes down to trust and right now we know the insurance industry is forcefully lobbying for restrictive changes to Queensland’s Compulsory Third Party insurance scheme.”
He noted that Queensland’s CTP scheme is the “best run and best structured CTP scheme in Australia and premiums in Queensland are quite fair”.
“Despite the insurers making high profits, they want to severely restrict and remove the entitlement to damages to Queenslanders injured in motor vehicle accidents,” he said.
Emma Musgrave
Emma Musgrave (née Ryan) is the managing editor, professional services at Momentum Media.
Emma has worked for Momentum Media since 2015, including five years spent as the editor of the company's legal brand - Lawyers Weekly. Throughout her time at Momentum, she has been responsible for breaking some of the biggest stories in corporate Australia. In addition, she has produced exclusive multimedia and event content related to the company's respective brands and audiences.
Prior to joining Momentum Media, Emma worked in breakfast radio, delivering news to the Central West region of NSW, before taking on a radio journalist role at Southern Cross Austereo, based in Townsville, North Queensland.
She holds a Bachelor of Communications (Journalism) degree from Charles Sturt University.
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