Our thoughts go to the legal profession and the broader community in Victoria dealing with the tough new restrictions and the economic consequences of the lockdown. Melburnians had little chance to prepare for the Stage 4 restrictions and I know that many legal practitioners are grappling with both business and personal priorities as result of the State of Disaster declaration.

As we wait to see how the case numbers develop here in NSW, I would urge members of the NSW profession to make sure their practice is COVID-ready should the NSW situation escalate, and the Government impose more restrictions. In the meantime, we will continue to keep you up to date with information to support, guide and keep you connected during the pandemic via our weekly COVID-19 Update and our COVID-19 portal.

I would also like to take this opportunity to extend my deepest condolences to the people of Beirut and the Australian Lebanese community following last Tuesday’s devastating explosion which killed more than 150 people, including a two-year-old Australian boy, and injured thousands more. It is a terrible tragedy for a country already facing great challenges and our hearts go out to all impacted by this disaster.

Last Monday, I appeared as a witness before the Legislative Council’s Standing Committee on Law and Justice, in relation to its 2020 Review of the Workers Compensation Scheme, along with Tim Concannon, the Deputy Chair of the Law Society’s Injury Compensation Committee.

The Standing Committee is enabled under legislation to supervise the operation of the NSW workers compensation scheme to ensure it works effectively and provides appropriate support to injured workers. The Committee conducts a formal inquiry every two years.

In the wake of allegations about Insurance and Care NSW (icare), the NSW Government has announced that a separate statutory review of the overarching legislation will be brought forward and expanded to include a root and branch examination of icare to ensure public confidence in workers compensation in NSW. The review will be headed by retired Supreme Court Judge the Hon Robert McDougall QC, who will be assisted by NSW Treasury and the NSW Department of Customer Service. The Law Society looks forward to engaging in this expanded review as part of our ongoing advocacy work relating to personal injury matters, to ensure compensation schemes deliver just outcomes. 

In other developments, the NSW Government has passed legislation that establishes a new tribunal that merges the dispute resolution systems of the workers compensation and CTP insurance schemes into a single, independent tribunal. From March 2021, the Personal Injury Commission (PIC) will form a single, independent tribunal with specialist motor accidents and workers compensation divisions.

Richard Harvey, President, Law Society of NSW

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