The NSW Legislative Assembly has passed a bill to repeal Section 19B of the Workers Compensation Act 1987, to save more than 800,000 small businesses from bearing the brunt of massive insurance premium increases over the next 12 months.
The NSW Government now calls on the Labor Opposition and members of the crossbench in the Legislative Council to support small businesses in their hour of need and to provide them certainty and confidence as we reopen our economy.
Minister for Digital and Customer Service Victor Dominello said now is not the time for the Labor Opposition to block sensible legislation designed to help mum and dad businesses.
“Failure to pass this legislation will put small businesses across NSW at risk of being hit with insurance premium increases of up to $950. This would be as a direct result of the failure of NSW Labor to stand up for mum and dad businesses,” Mr Dominello said.
“Changes to the Act were made in May 2020, when very little was known about COVID-19 and its transmission and are no longer appropriate.
“The amendments included a presumption that workers who contracted COVID-19 had done so at work.
“Workers will still be entitled to make a workers compensation claim if they contract COVID-19 in their workplace when the legislation is repealed.
“The legislation before the Legislative Council simply returns the Workers Compensation scheme to the way it was before the pandemic, treating Covid-19 in exactly the same way as every other workplace injury or acquired illness.”
