It stresses need to abide by parliamentary processes, good public administration
The Law Society of New South Wales has said the state government’s introduction of the Workers Compensation Legislation Amendment (Reform and Modernisation) Bill 2025 is an effort to undermine democratic processes and bypass proper parliamentary and public scrutiny.
In a media release, the law society said the second worker compensation reform bill’s referral to two distinct inquiry processes, including the Public Accountability and Works Committee’s ongoing inquiry, shows the planned changes’ significance to the economy and injured workers and the necessity for scrutiny and consultation.
The law society accepted that the current worker compensation scheme could benefit from amendments, but emphasised the importance of observing proper parliamentary processes and respecting good public administration.
“[B]y introducing this second bill without comprehensive consultation, and without the benefit of the report and recommendations of the Public Accountability and Works Committee, the Government is compounding the inadequacy of the consultation process relating to these reforms from their inception,” the law society said in the media release.
The law society expressed concerns about the NSW government’s disregard for the Legislative Council’s vote to initiate the inquiry, the Public Accountability and Works Committee’s work, and the submissions and evidence of the law society and other witnesses during the inquiry’s public hearing.
The law society urged the state government to return the legislation to the design stage to create a nuanced, improved scheme for meritorious claims. The law society also encouraged NSW to consult meaningfully and inclusively with diverse experts and stakeholders to ensure relevant and publicly accessible data supports any future bill, rather than resorting to a rushed bill.
In another media release, the law society shared that it wrote to members of the opposition and the Greens NSW in the Legislative Council ahead of the chamber’s consideration of the new legislation.
According to the law society, in its current state, the Workers Compensation Legislation Amendment (Reform and Modernisation) Bill 2025 will needlessly affect the liability and entitlements for psychological injuries and the operation and processes of the broader worker compensation scheme.
In its media release, the law society asked the Legislative Council to consider the following concerns, outlined in its submission to the inquiry, when weighing the new bill:
The law society urged the NSW government to ensure injured workers and other worker compensation scheme parties could keep accessing high-quality legal representation.
In its media release, the law society said it anticipated continuing to communicate with the state government regarding this issue.
