Compensation

• Comprehensive Review of the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 (Cth)

  19th Dec 2024

• Mid-term review of the National Return to Work Strategy 2020–2030

  12th Dec 2024

• 2024 Review of the Dust Diseases Scheme

  29th Oct 2024

• Aviation Industry Ombuds Scheme

  29th Oct 2024

• Reproductive, maternal and paediatric health services in Tasmania, Parliament of Tasmania

  10th Oct 2024

• Current factors and trends influencing the cost of insurance under the statutory insurance scheme

  1st Oct 2024

• Restricting the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in workplace sexual harassment cases

  17th Sep 2024

• Administrative Review Tribunal Rules 2024 (Cth)

  12th Sep 2024

• Use of e-scooters, e-bikes and related mobility options

  10th Sep 2024

• Aviation White Paper is a missed opportunity to secure important rights for passengers

  26th Aug 2024

  The Aviation White Paper released today is a missed opportunity to bring Australian passenger rights in line with other countries internationally, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance.

• National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No. 1) Bill 2024 (Cth)

  13th Aug 2024

• Veterans’ Entitlements, Treatment and Support (Simplification and Harmonisation) Bill 2024 (Cth)

  7th Aug 2024

• Veterans' Legislation Reform – Exposure Draft: Veterans’ Entitlements, Treatment and Support (Simplification and Harmonisation) Bill 2024 (Cth)

  4th Jul 2024

• Airline Passenger Protections (Pay on Delay) Bill 2024 (Cth)

  26th Jun 2024

• SQ321 passengers may never receive compensation for psychological injury

  14th Jun 2024

  Despite Singapore Airlines’ recent compensation offer, passengers who have been traumatised by their experience of severe turbulence on flight SQ321 might never be compensated for their psychological scars, say lawyers calling for law reform in Australia.

• National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No. 1) Bill 2024 (Cth)

  11th Jun 2024

• Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024 (Qld)

  14th May 2024

• Consultation Draft: Guide for Arranging Rehabilitation Assessments and Requiring Examinations

  1st May 2024

• Improving consumer experiences, choice, and outcomes in Australia’s retirement system

  6th Mar 2024

• Inquiry into the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Vic)

  27th Feb 2024

• Injured motorists will pay the price of proposed WA law changes

  22nd Feb 2024

  Proposed new state laws will cut compensation to West Australians injured in a motor vehicle accident, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance.

• Services Australia resources boost welcome but overdue

  16th Feb 2024

  The 3000 extra staff appointed recently at Services Australia are welcome and should provide much needed support to this critical service provider, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• Use of genetic testing results in life insurance underwriting

  8th Feb 2024

• Reproductive, maternal and paediatric health services in Tasmania

  7th Feb 2024

• Unmasking the injustice: Inadequate compensation for road accident acquired brain injuries in Victoria

  25th Jan 2024

  Jeremy King of Robinson Gill Lawyers examines Victoria’s Transport Accident Commission's compensation structure, weighing its shortfalls against the multi-faceted impact of acquired brain injuries on sufferers and their families.

• Inquiry into the Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Amendment (WorkCover Scheme Modernisation) Bill 2023

  19th Jan 2024

• Aviation Green Paper

  29th Nov 2023

• Recommendations arising from Stakeholder Reference Group meetings 1, 2 and 3

  28th Nov 2023

• High Court decision may lead to redress for falsely imprisoned refugees

  10th Nov 2023

  Following the High Court decision this week, compensation for false imprisonment is now possible for refugees who have been detained indefinitely because they do not have a visa but have no prospect of removal to another country.

• Lawyers call for e-scooter safety and insurance reform

  9th Nov 2023

  E-scooters are an increasingly popular form of transport but can currently fall through the gaps in regulatory and insurance systems, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.

• Three-Year Review of the Motor Accident Injuries Act 2019 (ACT)

  1st Nov 2023

• Victims of Crime Assistance and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2023

  26th Oct 2023

• 2023 Review of the Workers Compensation Scheme

  18th Sep 2023

• Psychological injury claims after employer-implemented vaccine mandates

  14th Sep 2023

  Two recent decisions by the NSW Personal Injury Commission (PIC) have awarded compensation to workers who suffered a psychological injury as a result of their employer’s implementation of the public health orders that established mandatory vaccinations for education and care workers in 2021. Craig Joshua of Hall Payne Lawyers discusses the details. 

• Lawyers support calls to give Victorian Charter of Human Rights ‘more bite’

  11th Sep 2023

  The Yoorrook Justice Commission’s calls for people to be able to seek compensation for human rights abuses by taking their complaints to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) will make the state’s Charter of Human Rights more effective and powerful.

• Birth trauma

  6th Sep 2023

• The National Disability Insurance Scheme: Recommendations in response to the What we have heard report

  5th Sep 2023

• An inquiry into the options available to survivors of institutional child sexual abuse in Western Australia who are seeking justice

  24th Aug 2023

• Workers' Compensation and Injury Management Bill 2023

  30th Jun 2023

• Administrative Review Reform

  24th May 2023

• Access to offenders’ superannuation for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse

  17th May 2023

• Why wage underpayments should concern personal injury lawyers

  23rd Feb 2023

  Sharing a slice of Queensland Conference, learned speaker Stephen Hughes of Travis Schultz & Partners calls out an alarming trend – the underpayment of workers – highlighting the impact of this injustice on the determination of economic loss in personal injury claims. 

• Flight delay compensation - Australia lags behind much of the world - change needed

  23rd Nov 2022

  The lack of compensation for flight delays and cancellations in Australia puts us behind much of the world when it comes to protecting traveller’s rights, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance.  

• Australia needs flight delay and cancellation compensation

  20th Oct 2022

  It is time for Australia to have its own flight delay and cancellation compensation regime to protect the rights of passengers, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• Helping lawyers inform clients about NDIS compensation reduction amounts

  29th Sep 2022

  Financial adviser Jane Campbell provides a succinct explanation of the NDIS CRA in Q&A form to help lawyers advise clients who are currently receiving NDIS funding and also those who will or may receive funding in the future.

• NZ refugee resettlement deal welcome but long overdue

  24th Mar 2022

  The agreement between Australia and New Zealand to resettle refugees and asylum seekers is welcome but the physical and mental harm done by the Australian government to those who can now start new lives is unconscionable, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• Victorian forced adoption redress scheme welcome but should be nation-wide

  10th Mar 2022

  A redress scheme in Victoria to support those affected by historical forced adoption practices is welcome, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA), but it should be nation-wide.

• Vaccine compensation scheme falls short

  30th Jun 2021

  A vaccination compensation scheme is a step in the right direction but falls short of a comprehensive plan to overcome vaccine hesitancy, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• Urgent action needed to ensure fair redress for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

  30th Jun 2021

  Urgent changes must be made to the National Redress Scheme legislation to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people receive fair and equal access to compensation, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance.

• Compensation, risk and the NDIS

  29th Apr 2021

  Pursuing compensation can be expensive and stressful. Might injured Australians decide it’s better to just receive full Centrelink and NDIS? Jane Campbell explains the issues at play, including repayments and reductions, and highlights the enduring importance of securing proper compensation.

• Millions in compensation payments delayed due to slow Centrelink processing

  1st Sep 2020

   Millions of dollars which should be assisting families in need remains locked in insurers’ trust accounts due to Centrelink processing delays, according to the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

   

• Call for NSW workers’ compensation scheme to be scrapped

  13th Aug 2020

  In light of concerns raised in the recent media investigation of the NSW workers' compensation scheme, Jeremy Roche compares NSW’s scheme with that of Queensland. He claims that NSW should copy the Queensland workers’ compensation scheme as it is more profitable, fair, efficient and sustainable and injured claimants, along with insurers and employers, are far better off.

• High Court Don Dale ruling: timely reminder that police & prison officers need to follow the law

  3rd Jun 2020

  Today’s High Court decision, which found that the tear-gassing of four teenagers in Darwin's Don Dale Youth Detention Centre was unlawful, holds the prison system to account for the inhumane treatment of the teenagers in their care.

• Death sentence for poverty? Why the over-representation of First Nations women prisoners matters during the pandemic

  27th May 2020

  ALA member and a leading advocate for the protection of criminalised women's human rights, Debbie Kilroy OAM, has had her own frightening encounter with the COVID-19 virus. Debbie is desperately worried about the threat to lives if there is an outbreak of the virus in an Australian women’s prison, particularly for over-represented First Nations women, many of whom have chronic health conditions. In this article, Debbie explains the key issues and provides a compelling list of immediate action priorities. 

• Figuring out who the ‘relevant insurer’ is under the Motor Accident Injuries Act in NSW

  30th Apr 2020

  With the introduction of the concept of a 'relevant insurer' in the Motor Accident Injuries Act 2017 (NSW), a claimant must lodge one claim form with one insurer only when claiming statutory benefits. In this article, Belinda Cassidy, Special Counsel at Stacks Goudkamp, explores the difficulties that arise in working out who the 'relevant insurer' is in multi-vehicle accidents and their effect on the flow of statutory benefits to injured persons, particularly self-represented claimants. Belinda urges SIRA to publish arrangements it has approved between insurers for the determination of which insurer will accept a claim for statutory benefits and be the relevant insurer in respect of the claim.

• What solicitors should tell their personal injury clients about surveillance

  19th Mar 2020

  Tom Goudkamp OAM explains what legal advisors should tell their personal injury clients about insurer surveillance. If clients are truthful with doctors, medico-legal experts and their lawyers, surveillance will not harm them, and may even help their cases. Tom explains that the opportunity for insurers to ambush clients in court is now limited.

• Veterans let down by claims scheme

  27th Feb 2020

  Tim White, the President of the Law Society of SA, highlights the mental health crisis in our armed forces and the hurdles veterans face pursuing injury claims. He refers to reports of ADF personnel who have taken their lives while waiting for a final decision from the DVA or in the course of disputing a DVA decision. Tim is hopeful that the recent announcement of the appointment of a full-time Commissioner to investigate veteran suicides will be a positive step.

• Insurance coverage slashed for people innocently injured on Canberra’s roads: New MAI Act

  3rd Feb 2020

  People injured on Canberra’s roads are likely to face a ‘David and Goliath’ battle to receive adequate compensation, now that the new Motor Accident Injuries Act 2019 is in force, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA). 

• Disputed statutory benefit matters – questions to ask your client

  16th Jan 2020

  Although all disputed statutory benefit matters are different, as Margarita Fudim explains, there are some questions you should be asking your client in every case. 

• Acting for clients who have suffered a traumatic brain injury

  31st Oct 2019

  Tom Goudkamp provides invaluable guidance for lawyers who are acting for clients with brain injury to ensure they recover the compensation they are entitled to.

• Driverless dangers are here – and we need to be ready

  26th Sep 2019

  Katie Minogue calls for national reform of existing motor accident injury insurance schemes to ensure that road users are adequately covered if they are injured by vehicles utilising ‘autonomous features’ such as adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist and road-departure mitigation.

• Solitary confinement report shows alarming breach of duty of care: State liable for compensation

  6th Sep 2019

  The state has breached its duty of care and could be liable for millions of dollars in compensation, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) in response to the alarming findings disclosed in the recent Victorian Ombudsman’s report into the use of solitary confinement in youth detention facilities.

• How social media affects compensation claims

  5th Sep 2019

  Stephen Firth provides some valuable insights into the 'dos and don'ts' of social media use by clients in compensation cases.

• The high cost of preventable farm accidents

  4th Jul 2019

  Justin Stack details some recent cases involving preventable farm accidents and emphasises the importance of farm owners and workers understanding their workplace safety rights and obligations.

• Victoria must now act on Pell's Melbourne Response compensation scheme

  7th Mar 2019

  Dimi Ioannou calls for reform of the Victorian sexual abuse compensation scheme, particularly in light of George Pell's recent conviction. 

• Gig economy decision – Fair Work Commission finds delivery riders are employees

  24th Jan 2019

  Sam Vasaiwalla explores the implications of the Fair Work Commission's decision in Joshua Klooger v Foodora Australia Pty Ltd [2018] FWC 6836.

• Institutions will be held liable for abuse ‘on their watch’, thanks to new civil litigation laws

  26th Sep 2018

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has welcomed the new NSW civil litigation laws which will remove barriers that have prevented child sexual abuse survivors receiving justice.

• How are compensation claims calculated in Queensland?

  26th Jul 2018

  An exploration of the factors that are considered when calculating the total sum of a compensation claim.

• Workers’ compensation system improves with access to free legal help

  12th Jul 2018

  Justin Stack explores the proposed changes to the NSW workers' compensation scheme, changes that will improve access to legal representation for injured workers.

• Risk of death is more than a ‘blemish’

  28th Jun 2018

  Queensland's workers’ compensation legislation supports workers who have been injured at work to get back on their feet, regardless of the cause of their injury. The exception to this is in relation to psychiatric injuries, in which case support can be denied in the event that an injury is caused by ‘reasonable management action’. Michelle Wright explores a recent case in which Industrial Commissioner Black has acted to limit the 'reasonable management action' exception.

• The NDIS and compensation

  15th Mar 2018

  Tom Ballantyne gives an overview of the compensation claims process under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

• Many NSW, VIC survivors of institutional child abuse blocked from just

  9th Mar 2018

  Unnecessarily strict eligibility requirements mean that many of the most vulnerable survivors of institutional child abuse in New South Wales and Victoria will miss out on accessing the Commonwealth’s Redress Scheme, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• Implications of the NDIS on personal injury compensation

  14th Sep 2017

  The purpose of this article is to alert lawyers practising in the personal injury field to the implications of the introduction of the NDIS on clients entitled to receive compensation for their injuries. 

• QLD CTP proposal slammed by lawyer group as insurer greed

  27th Aug 2017

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has strongly criticised calls from Suncorp and RACQ for changes to Queensland’s Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance scheme that would see less benefits for injured motorists.

• Lawyers welcome amendments to introduce tougher penalties and offences

  23rd Aug 2017

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has today welcomed legislative changes introduced into the Queensland Parliament to strengthen the State’s work, health and safety laws, including tougher penalties and offences for workplace fatalities.

• Superannuation disability insurance: tips and traps

  17th Aug 2017

  This article offers ten tips for successful total and permanent disablement (TPD) claims under insurance held through superannuation.
   

• The language of the law

  20th Jul 2017

  Lawyers are very analytical and very specific in their use of terminology. They choose their terms carefully and interpret them precisely. While such precision may seem to be a curious and even humorous idiosyncrasy to the lay-person, it can have a devastating effect on those seeking access to justice.

   

• Linton Sayer v Melsteel in the Supreme Court of Victoria, June 2017

  6th Jul 2017

  The plaintiff had been in continuous employment since the age of 16. He commenced employment with the defendant, as a boilermaker, in 2006. As and from 2008, Mr Savage became his supervisor and problems started to occur.

• TAC's new client app: MyTAC

  22nd Jun 2017

  The Victorian Transport Accident Commission has produced an app specifically designed for people injured in transport accidents.

• Connellan v Murphy [2017] VSCA 116

  15th Jun 2017

  This recent Supreme Court of Victoria Court of Appeal decision permanently stayed proceedings relating to the alleged sexual assault of a minor in 1968.

• Compensation for Manus detainees is welcome but they still need a home

  14th Jun 2017

  The implicit admission by the Commonwealth that it is responsible for the unlawful suffering of nearly 2000 asylum seekers on Manus Island means that they must be evacuated from the island as soon as possible, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• How to protect your client's TPD money

  8th Jun 2017

  There are simple strategies that can be implemented to make the most of any TPD claim, particularly minimising tax payments and maximising other benefit entitlements.

• TAC’s new rapid payment scheme

  11th May 2017

  A most welcome and far-sighted scheme is about to be rolled-out by Victoria’s Transport Accident Commission (TAC).

• ‘Special Financial Assistance’ for Victorian victims halved

  4th May 2017

  The VOCAT can only offer victims of the worst crimes, with the worst outcomes, up to $10,000 for any grief, distress, trauma or injury.

• The slippery grape strikes again

  6th Apr 2017

  The recent New South Wales District Court decision in Guru v Coles Supermarkets Australia Pty Ltd (2016) NSWDC 349 further illustrates the duty owed by supermarkets to lawful entrants to their stores.

• Nervous shock & psychiatric claims after the loss of a child

  16th Feb 2017

  The law in Australia as it currently stands has the capacity to compound a parent’s grief in such circumstances and generate more than justified contempt towards the legal system. Particularly given the widely accepted view across the community would be that entitlement to compensation in such horrific circumstances would be considered both reasonable and appropriate.

• Interim ban on ethanol burners after a spate of accidents & injuries

  9th Feb 2017

  In late 2016 there were a number of announcements about the interim, 60-day, banning of ethanol burners in Queensland, and across other states and territories. The bans followed 38 incidents in Queensland and 117 in total across Australia since 2010.

• Teen burn victim claims against party host

  25th Jan 2017

  In 2013, a 16-year-old girl suffered third degree burns to 42% of her body at a house party when a teenage boy poured an accelerant on to an open fire at a house party. In July 2016, the Brisbane Times reported that the young woman is attempting to claim almost $12m in compensation for her ordeal.

• The first interview with injured clients

  19th Jan 2017

  I’ve interviewed thousands of injured clients, some with minor injuries, and others with the worst injuries imaginable. Every interview is different.

• How is the PI compensation process affecting your client’s recovery?

  12th Jan 2017

  The experience of a long, complex and at times adversarial legal process pursuing personal injury (PI) compensation with the need for multiple health assessments and delays in receiving funds has been shown to increase stress and recovery time for injured people.

• Expert reports in comp claims: tips to avoid evidentiary traps P2

  9th Nov 2016

  Benjamin Whitten writes part two of his expert report in compensation claims - giving tips to avoid evidentiary traps.

• Expert reports in comp claims: tips to avoid evidentiary traps P1

  2nd Nov 2016

  Ben Whitten writes an expert report in compensation claims and gives tips to avoid evidentiary traps.

• ALA supports Montara class action

  3rd Aug 2016

  A Federal Court class action today seeks to finally bring justice for thousands of Indonesians affected by an Australian oil spill in 2009.

• Lawyers welcome removal of time limits for Qld child abuse claims

  2nd Aug 2016

  ALA Queensland President Michelle James has welcomed new Queensland legislation to remove time limits on institutional abuse claims, saying it will give survivors renewed hope that they can access justice.

• Police PTSD claims show insurers cannot be trusted - lawyers

  2nd Aug 2016

  The experience of police officers claiming compensation for PTSD shows insurance companies need to be held to account, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• Time limits must be removed on Qld abuse claims: ALA

  25th Jul 2016

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has today supported calls for the removal of time limits on institutionalised abuse claims in Queensland.

• CTP reform gives all power to insurers

  29th Jun 2016

  The NSW Government has announced the intention to radically reform the NSW Green Slip scheme to limit benefits, ignore those with moderate-severity injuries, and exclude lawyers from representing 90% of the injured

• Lawyers call for independent inquiry into SA chemotherapy under-dosing

  10th Jun 2016

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) have today called for an independent inquiry into incidents of chemotherapy under-dosing at the Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH).

• Queensland now have Australia's fairest injury insurance scheme

  26th May 2016

  Queenslanders will now have access to the best injury insurance scheme in the country, with a Bill passed today by State Parliament that will cover a current gap in coverage whilst also protecting rights.

• VIC transport-injury law changes restore rights of MVA victims

  15th Apr 2016

  Legislation restoring compensation rights for people in Victoria who suffer serious psychological injuries as a result of motor vehicle accidents is a worthy amendment which will protect the rights of the vulnerable, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• MH370 families should get more time to claim

  15th Apr 2016

  How much is a life worth? This is a difficult question, especially in the aftermath of the loss of a loved one but the law demands that it be answered.

• ALA joins NSW CTP Taskforce

  7th Mar 2016

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance has been invited to participate in the establishment of a New South Wales Comprehensive Third Party (CTP) Taskforce, to investigate aberrant claim behaviour and an unusual increase in personal injury claims in the CTP Scheme.

• Vic ombudsman to investigate workers comp claims

  26th Nov 2015

  Bring on the Victorian Ombudsman’s investigation into workers compensation claims, writes Liberty Sanger, Principal at Maurice Blackburn. 

• NSW govt applauded for plan to abolish child abuse limitation periods

  5th Nov 2015

  A commitment by the New South Wales government to abolish limitation periods for victims of child sexual abuse to seek compensation for personal injury is a welcome development in the fight to bring justice and closure for victims, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• New hope for justice for victims of institutional child abuse

  16th Oct 2015

  A Bill proposing to abolish limitation periods for victims of institutional child abuse to seek justice in New South Wales is a welcome development in the fight to bring closure for victims, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• NSW Bill removing time limits for child abuse litigation is welcome

  18th Sep 2015

  Amendments introduced into the NSW Parliament by NSW MP David Shoebridge would remove a significant barrier obstructing access to justice for survivors of institutional child sexual abuse, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• New film proves Montara oil spill reached Indonesian shores

  4th Sep 2015

  A new film released today has shown for the first time the effects that Australia’s worst offshore oil spill has had on our Indonesian neighbours, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• Money and injury – big changes afoot

  27th Aug 2015

  Changes are being made to the way that injured people can access financial support. Are the changes being made to government support, compensation and disability insurance a step in the right direction for injured Australians? Jane Campbell assesses the issues. 

• Vic Govt applauded: historic day for institutional child abuse victims

  1st Jul 2015

  The Victorian Parliament is to be congratulated for leading the nation in its response to institutional child abuse by introducing legislation removing limitation periods for victims to seek justice, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• ICA workers comp report looks after insurers, hurts injured workers

  15th Jun 2015

  State and Territory Governments should reject outright a self-interested report that seeks to hand operational control of workers’ compensation schemes to private insurers and cut the right to compensation of injured workers in every jurisdiction, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• NT case highlights Comcare’s poor record on workplace safety

  28th May 2015

  Comcare’s bungled attempts at legal action over a fatal accident which occurred in the Northern Territory five years ago have further highlighted significant flaws in the agency’s ability to properly manage and respond to workplace deaths, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• Church’s bid to block child-abuse compensation is a disgrace

  18th May 2015

  The Catholic Church should be utterly ashamed of revelations that it has not abandoned the controversial Ellis Defence to avoid paying compensation to victims of clerical child abuse, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• Levelling up the WA CTP road map

  16th Apr 2015

  With the WA government soon to make decisions on CTP, it is important that people do not lose important rights. 

• Commonwealth is failing victims of institutional child abuse

  25th Mar 2015

  The federal government is abdicating its responsibility to victims of institutional child abuse by failing to support a national redress scheme, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.

• Victims of crime compensation changes do not go far enough

  20th Mar 2015

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has welcomed the NSW Government’s partial backdown over unfair legislation which slashed compensation for victims of crime, but has said that recent and future victims will also be treated unfairly unless further changes are made to the compensation scheme.

• Moss Review shows Nauru asylum seekers are our responsibility

  20th Mar 2015

  The Federal Government’s own review of asylum seekers held in offshore detention centres on Nauru shows that it does have a non-delegable duty of care to people detained and may leave the Commonwealth liable for a swathe of future compensation claims, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• Urgent need for review of NSW workers compensation scheme

  6th Mar 2015

  A report which revealed thousands of injured employees who lost workers compensation benefits following changes to the scheme has highlighted the need for an urgent review of these amendments, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• ACT’s new compensation scheme can heal Comcare’s damage

  27th Feb 2015

  Arbitrary time limits and cuts to injury and rehabilitation entitlements have no place in a genuine workers compensation scheme which protects workers’ rights, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• ACT govt pulling out of Comcare is a step in the right direction

  26th Feb 2015

  The ACT government is to be commended for pulling its support from the fundamentally flawed Comcare workplace insurance scheme, demonstrating strong leadership and supporting workers’ rights, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• Two dollars a week a small price to pay for no-fault insurance

  25th Feb 2015

  An extra two dollars a week to insure the average family car is all it would take to give Western Australia the best motor vehicle accident compensation scheme in Australia, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• Royal Commission findings show overwhelming need for law reform

  12th Feb 2015

  The scathing findings by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse about the conduct of the Catholic Church and Cardinal Pell in the Ellis matter demonstrate the overwhelming need for law reform, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• MH370 victim compensation deadline looms

  10th Feb 2015

  Families of victims of the MH370 disaster only have one more year in which to bring compensation claims against Malaysia Airlines before time runs out, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• Govt plan to strip legal rights from families with cerebral palsy

  16th Jan 2015

  Children who are born with cerebral palsy due to medical malpractice may have their rights to sue for their lifetime care and support eliminated under plans being considered by governments, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• Changes to Wrongs Act do not go far enough

  30th Oct 2014

  Proposed Victoria State government changes to laws on personal injury compensation are good but do not go far enough to correct anomalies and inconsistencies in the legislation, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• FOI Maps prove Montara oil spill investigation is vital

  24th Oct 2014

  Maps released under freedom of information laws indicate oil from the Montara oil spill was located much closer to the Indonesian coast than previously thought, proving the need for an immediate independent study into the disaster, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.​

• Negligent no longer to be liable under new compensation scheme

  26th Sep 2014

  The rights of people catastrophically injured as the direct result of negligence are under threat if the Commonwealth succeeds in introducing a National Injury Insurance Scheme (NIIS), the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• Sexual harassment in the workplace - when enough is enough

  25th Sep 2014

  Two recent cases have seen women being awarded with significant damages following sexual harassment in the workplace.

• Good result for Horvath but more needed to secure justice

  23rd Sep 2014

  An apology and ex-gratia payment to police assault victim Corinna Horvath is a welcome development but much more needs to be done by the Victorian Government to prevent similar situations happening again, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• Parliamentary Committee says heal damaged workers compensation scheme

  18th Sep 2014

  Recommendations by a bipartisan NSW Parliamentary Committee to restore medical benefits to workers have been welcomed by the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• State Govts must match Fed commitment to child abuse victims

  8th Sep 2014

  State, territory and federal governments need to provide certainty of adequate compensation for victims of institutional child sexual abuse, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• ALA welcomes Royal Commission extension

  3rd Sep 2014

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) welcomes the government’s commitment to the extension of the Royal Commission on Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

• Redress schemes are not the answer for victims of child abuse

  22nd Aug 2014

  A statutory redress scheme for victims of child sexual abuse would be no substitute for common law rights to seek compensation for institutional abuse, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• Examining calls for an institutional abuse redress scheme

  15th Aug 2014

  This week, the Truth, Justice and Healing Council recommended that a national redress scheme be established to compensate survivors of institutional abuse. The devil is always in the detail, writes the Australian Lawyers Alliance’s Emily Mitchell.

• Look cautiously at the Catholic Church’s compensation proposal

  14th Aug 2014

  The Catholic Church’s proposal for a national compensation scheme for victims of institutional abuse may not prevent additional bullying of victims of child abuse, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• Victorian Government must take Horvath case seriously

  1st Aug 2014

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has supported a call for the Victorian Government to take its international obligations seriously, following the Government’s inaction to rectify breaches of the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

• Asylum seeker cover-up allegations constitute abuse in care

  31st Jul 2014

  Allegations that the Department of Immigration tried to cover up mental health problems amongst child-aged asylum seekers constitutes abuse in care and may leave the Commonwealth liable for a swathe of future compensation claims, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• MH17 victim compensation likely to be inadequate

  25th Jul 2014

  Compensation from Malaysia Airlines which may be available to families of the victims of Flight MH17 is likely to be inadequate, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• Senate should reject proposed changes to Comcare scheme

  24th Jul 2014

  The Senate’s Education and Employment Standing Committee recently released its report dealing with proposed legislative changes to the Comcare workers compensation scheme. The Senate should reject the proposed changes, writes Geoff Wilson.

• Govt should compensate industrial contamination zone victims

  18th Jul 2014

  State authorities should compensate residents and property owners who have been adversely affected by the industrial contamination testing zone in Adelaide, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• The bitter taste of WorkCover SA

  17th Jul 2014

  Renowned nationally for its battered financial status, inadequate benefits to workers and long delays, it’s time to consider a new scheme for injured workers in South Australia, writes Patrick Boylen, SA President of the Australian Lawyers Alliance. 

• Comcare changes to gut state workers’ compensation schemes

  9th Jul 2014

  State and territory-based workers’ compensation schemes risk being gutted as a result of changes to the Comcare scheme which have been examined by a Senate committee report, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today.

• UN condemns inadequate response to police violence

  3rd Jul 2014

  A powerful condemnation of the inadequacy of Victoria’s laws to compensate victims of police violence has been delivered by the United Nations Human Rights Committee.
  
  Hovarth v Australia marks a new opportunity for the Australian and Victorian governments to ensure our laws conform with international human rights obligations, writes Sophie Ellis, solicitor at Flemington and Kensington Legal Centre. 

• Media coverage, July 2014

  1st Jul 2014

  Just some of the media coverage generated by the Australian Lawyers Alliance or its members during the month of July 2014.

• South Australian conference highlights workers comp

  20th Jun 2014

  The ALA's South Australian conference will take place at the Intercontinental Hotel, Adelaide on Friday. Featuring Deputy Premier John Rau as keynote, Mr Rau will address the failings of South Australia's workers compensation scheme. The ALA continues to call for a fundamental overhaul of the scheme.

• Changes to Motor Accident Commission at cost to SA rights

  20th Jun 2014

  Changes to the Motor Accident Commission may rob South Australians injured in motor accidents of adequate support, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.

• Injured workers still burnt by compo changes in NSW

  12th Jun 2014

  The stark reality is that the 2012 amendments to the NSW Workers' Compensation Scheme have slashed injured workers' entitlements and their ability to make an early, safe and durable return to work, writes Anthony Scarcella, NSW Director of the Australian Lawyers Alliance.

• Opening Comcare gates will trade off workers' rights

  11th Jun 2014

  The Federal government is planning to trade off the rights of Australian workers via opening the gates to its Comcare scheme, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today

• ALA submits on NSW workers compensation changes

  3rd Jun 2014

  This week, the Australian Lawyers Alliance NSW Committee provided our submission to the Centre for International Economics in its statutory review of the 2012 NSW workers compensation legislative amendments on behalf of the Office of Finance and Services.

• ALA announces winner of Victorian Civil Justice Award 2014

  16th May 2014

  The Victorian Civil Justice Award 2014 has been awarded to the Flemington and Kensington CLC for their advocacy against police brutality in Victoria.

• Budget overview: How are the injured placed?

  15th May 2014

  With the Federal budget cuts targeting $80 billion from health and education over the next decade, the young, unemployed and injured are likely to carry the weight of the burden. Here, we provide for our readers a short overview of some of the cuts that may affect injured people and people living with a disability.

• A Q&A on QLD workers compensation changes

  8th May 2014

  ALA QLD President Michelle James answers questions about Queensland's workers compensation scheme, which removed workers' rights following amendments passed into law this year.

• Ageing workforce at risk of injury

  6th May 2014

  Any discussion about working life ought to include workplace injury and its consequences, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.

• Injured to bear burden of rising healthcare costs

  2nd May 2014

  Injured workers, people with disability, and people living with chronic illness will bear the burden of rising healthcare costs proposed by the Commission of Audit, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.

• Sexual abuse of minors by Royal Australian Navy should be investigated

  17th Apr 2014

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance calls on the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse to hold an open hearing into the allegations of decades of sexual abuse of minors at HMAS Leeuwin.

• Future patients in the dark

  14th Apr 2014

  Future patients are currently in the dark when it comes to knowing if health practitioners have had complaints lodged about them or conditions placed upon their practice, writes Ngaire Watson.

• Red tape and the injured worker

  7th Apr 2014

  One person’s red tape may be another’s safety regulation when it comes to the Comcare scheme, writes Bill Redpath.

• Justice and compassion come second best

  25th Mar 2014

  In evidence at the Royal Commission yesterday, Cardinal Pell conceded that justice required that a legal entity be created for victims of clergy abuse to sue.

• Breaches have gone further than Defence Customs Review suggests

  21st Mar 2014

  Breaches into Indonesian waters could be more common than recorded by the Defence and Customs Review, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.

• The money or the drip: lump sum vs no-fault benefits?

  21st Mar 2014

  No-fault compensation is all the rage, but at what cost to people’s rights? President-Elect Andrew Stone writes of its shortcomings.

• Catholic church concession on Ellis defence is inadequate

  11th Mar 2014

  A historic concession made yesterday only goes halfway to according justice for thousands of victims of sexual abuse, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.

• Napthine Government erodes separation of powers

  3rd Mar 2014

  Individuals injured in a road accident in Victoria may be worse off following legislative changes which will impede access to appeals, writes Geraldine Collins, National President of the Australian Lawyers Alliance.

   

• Australia cannot outsource legal duty on asylum seekers

  18th Feb 2014

  Australia continues to have a non-delegable duty to people seeking asylum in Australia, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.

• Undercompensation fund not the answer for victims of abuse

  13th Feb 2014

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance notes the calls from the Roman Catholic Church and other churches for a national compensation fund in response to the ongoing suffering of victims of institutional abuse.

• South Barwon voters say no to TAC changes – ALA

  7th Nov 2013

  Voters in the Liberal-held seat of South Barwon have overwhelmingly voiced their disapproval for planned cuts to the Transport Accident Commission scheme as part of a poll commissioned by the Australian Lawyers Alliance.

• Seymour voters say no to TAC changes – ALA

  7th Nov 2013

  Voters in the Liberal-held seat of Seymour have overwhelmingly voiced their disapproval for planned cuts to the Transport Accident Commission scheme as part of a poll commissioned by the Australian Lawyers Alliance.

• Frankston voters say no to TAC changes – ALA

  7th Nov 2013

  Voters in the Independent seat of Frankston have overwhelmingly voiced their disapproval for planned cuts to the Transport Accident Commission scheme as part of a poll commissioned by the Australian Lawyers Alliance.

• Bentleigh voters say no to TAC changes – ALA

  7th Nov 2013

  Voters in the Liberal-held seat of Bentleigh have overwhelmingly voiced their disapproval for planned cuts to the Transport Accident Commission scheme as part of a poll commissioned by the Australian Lawyers Alliance.

• Marginal electorate poll says ‘no’ to TAC changes

  30th Oct 2013

  Victorian voters are overwhelmingly rejecting planned cuts to the Transport Accident Commission scheme.

• Lack of injury law consultation by Vic Gov

  28th Oct 2013

  “Lack of stakeholder engagement prior to altering long standing Victorian transport accident injury laws, is likely to lead to a costly increase in mental illness in the community,” the Australia Lawyers Alliance National President, Geraldine Collins, warned today.

• Vic's accident victims will suffer if new bill passes – ALA

  17th Oct 2013

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance is concerned that a Bill, before the Victorian Parliament, is changing the definition of what it means to have suffered a serious psychiatric injury. It appears the intent is to save the Transport Accident Commission money at the expense of injured people.

• Investigation of abuse by priests must be done by the courts – ALA

  3rd Oct 2013

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance welcomes today’s concession from the Catholic Church’s Truth, Justice and Healing Council on the failure of the Church’s Towards Healing process.

• Concern for asylum seekers wellbeing – ALA

  13th Sep 2013

  Almost $28 million has been spent by Australia on asylum seekers compensation claims since 2000. Of this, $21.1 million was for unlawful detention in 299 matters and $6.9 million for breaches of duty-of-care and statutory duties towards 150 others, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.

• Common law rights must be retained for WA victims of MVA – ALA

  11th Sep 2013

  “The fundamental right of Western Australians to be able to afford lifetime medical care following motor vehicle injury must be retained along side any new no-fault scheme or the quality of life for injury victims will be eroded,” Australian Lawyers Alliance personal injury spokesman Asanka Gunasekera said today.

• Rudd’s continuing hard line on asylum seekers - ALA

  24th Jul 2013

  Harsh and unjust asylum seeker policy, which is continuing under the new Rudd Government leadership, puts asylum seekers at risk of further trauma and, as a consequence, Australian taxpayers under increasing financial burden to compensate for the afflictions that such policies create, The Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.

• ALA calls for immediate removal of boy in Tas detention centre

  9th Jul 2013

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance is calling for the immediate removal of an 11-year-old child from Pontville detention centre in Tasmania.

• SA victims’ rights sacrificed for road works

  6th Jun 2013

  “Since March 2012 the SA government has led the public to believe that the CTP scheme needed to be reformed to ensure its financial viability into the future. The 2013 SA Budget has shown that the Motor Accident Commission (MAC) has a healthy surplus and the SA government has wasted no time in helping itself to the surplus,” ALA SA President Patrick Boylen said today.

• Pell’s apology must be backed up with compensation – ALA

  28th May 2013

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance is calling on the Roman Catholic Church to put its money where its mouth is and use the vast wealth of assets at its disposal to properly compensate victims who fell and continue to fall prey to paedophile priests.

• Vulnerable NSW children likely to suffer if victim comp law is passed

  24th May 2013

  Vulnerable children removed from their natural parents because of drugs, mental illness, violence and neglect, will be made even more vulnerable if new NSW compensation legislation is passed through parliament next week, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said.

• Bad legislation likely in NSW if push to gag CLCs goes ahead – ALA

  24th May 2013

  Badly formed laws, which have the potential to destroy many vulnerable people’s lives, are more likely to pass through NSW Parliament, if a push by the O’Farrell government to gag community legal centres from speaking out against injustice is allowed to go ahead.

• NSW time limits will wipe sexual assault victims rights to comp - ALA

  14th May 2013

  “The Anglican Survey of Child Sexual Abuse by clergy in the Brisbane area showed an average time from abuse to first complaint of 19.5 years,” Australian Lawyers Alliance spokesman Dr Andrew Morrison SC said today.

• NSW green slip changes must put injured first – ALA

  10th May 2013

  NSW Compulsory Third Party insurance changes, introduced into parliament this week, and said by the government to be ‘fairer and more affordable’, are actually harming the very people they are designed to protect, reducing benefits and payment periods, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.

• Orphan must be taken from Christmas Island to his family - ALA

  10th May 2013

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance today called on the federal government to remove a nine-year-old Sri Lankan boy, recently orphaned, from Christmas Island, to save him from exacerbated psychological trauma.

• Changes to NSW victim comp laws to impact battered women – ALA

  10th May 2013

  Victims of sexual abuse and domestic violence, some abused for many years and who have debilitating physical and psychological injuries, as well as dependent children, will face an uncertain future under a Bill before NSW Parliament, the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.

• Reopening detention centre will increase compensation claims – ALA

  24th Apr 2013

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance today called on the federal government to stop detaining children and families as part of its asylum seeker policy.

• New super tax changes will hurt the injured

  8th Apr 2013

  “The catastrophically injured and their carers are having their futures thrown into doubt after the federal government announced changes to superannuation laws on Friday that are likely to mean that their compensation payments will run out early,” the Australian Lawyers Alliance said today.

• NDIS recovery rights fall short

  15th Mar 2013

  People with disabilities can be pressured into legal action under provisions in the National Disability Scheme legislation passed in the House of Representatives yesterday.

• ALA concerned over Finance Minister's comments on green slip reform

  19th Feb 2013

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) has expressed serious concern about the latest media release from the Minister for Finance and Services today regarding green slip reform.

• Green slip reforms could increase costs and risks to family

  18th Feb 2013

  Proposed changes to the NSW green slip scheme, announced by the NSW Government on Sunday, could increase insurance costs for families and put them at risk of losing their homes if the main breadwinner is involved in a serious accident.

• Vital legal rights at risk under NDIS Bill - ALA

  10th Feb 2013

  Vitally important legal rights could be lost and some people with disabilities potentially left worse off under current draft NDIS legislation, according to peak legal body the Australian Lawyers Alliance.

• ALA applauds rejection of Police Costs Bill (SA)

  29th Nov 2012

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance applauds the Upper House Independent Members and the Liberal Party for standing up, yet again, for the rights of the innocent.

• Legal community welcomes review of SA CTP scheme

  26th Nov 2012

  Australian and state peak legal bodies, the Australian Lawyers Alliance and the SA Law Society, are welcoming the SA CTP insurance White Paper report by SA Treasurer Jack Snelling, but warned administrative review was crucial to success of any such scheme.

• Royal Commission into child sex abuse is first stage of justice

  13th Nov 2012

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance is calling on the federal government to draw knowledge from Ireland’s victim restitution methods of 2009 when it comes time to consider how best to help compensate Australian institutional abuse victims as part of the Federal Royal Commission just announced.

• No-fault insurance schemes will lead to an unsafe Australia - ALA

  30th Oct 2012

  "No-fault schemes contribute to death and injury in New Zealand as the removal of liability reduces incentive to optimise safety standards and to act with care towards fellow community members,” Australian Lawyers Alliance National President, Tony Kerin said today.

• Pendulum swinging back to rights for injured to seek redress

  26th Oct 2012

  For the first time since the media announced a “public liability crisis” in 2002, the pendulum is starting to swing back towards the rights of the injured to redress within our courts, lawyer Travis Schultz told the Australian Lawyers Alliance National Conference in Glenelg today.

• Nauru’s tent city shames Australia - ALA

  11th Sep 2012

  The ALA reiterates its opposition to offshore processing, following reports of tents being erected to house asylum seekers for up to six months during the wet season on Nauru.

• Slavery and exploitation in Australia needs addressing - ALA

  29th Aug 2012

  Victims of trafficking and slavery within Australia need better assistance under Australian law to ensure greater opportunities to heal from their traumatic experiences, the Australian Lawyers Alliance told a federal Inquiry into the issue in Canberra today.

• ALA welcomes end to mandatory sentencing for people smuggling crews

  25th Aug 2012

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance is welcoming yesterday’s announcement by the Gillard Government of an end to mandatory sentencing for those crewing people smuggling vessels, but says those wrongly sentenced, under such laws, should now have their situations addressed.

• Better treatment of asylum seekers will lead to less legal claims

  23rd Aug 2012

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance today welcomed the AMA’s call for independent medical assessments of asylum seekers.

• Injured to suffer if ACT's 2011 CTP Bill is passed - ALA

  20th Aug 2012

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance is expressing concern that the ACT Government’s 2011 CTP Amendment Bill, due for parliamentary debate on Wednesday, will leave many traffic accident victims with an inability to financially sustain themselves throughout their lives.

• ALA labels Gillard asylum seeker measures 'cruel and outrageous'

  15th Aug 2012

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance is labelling as ‘cruel and outrageous’ rushed Federal Government plans to process asylum seekers in both Nauru and Manus Island by Friday.

• Aust Gov must compensate children illegally detained - ALA

  27th Jul 2012

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance is calling on the Australian Government to pay compensation to children who have been illegally detained in this country on suspicion of people smuggling following the release of a damning Human Rights Commission report on the matter today.

• Call for inquiry into impact of no-fault insurance schemes

  16th Jun 2012

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance is calling for a Parliamentary Inquiry into no fault schemes and the impact of such schemes on the lives of injury victims, following the presentations of keynote speakers and panel experts at its SA Conference in Glenelg yesterday.

• Government using 'smoke and mirrors' policy to retain power

  13th Apr 2012

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance is concerned the federal government is misleading vulnerable Australians in a bid to bolster re-election prospects and that the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) will not live up to its potential benefit to the community.

• ALA concerned about erosion of rights

  27th Feb 2012

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance, SA President, Tony Kerin, today commented on Treasurer Jack Snelling’s remarks at a Committee for Economic Development of Australia conference held in Adelaide on February 24, 2012. 

• ALA Civil Justice Award recipient recognised for flood assistance

  17th Feb 2012

  A man who went beyond the call of duty to assist Queensland’s flood-ravaged and destitute communities, in December 2010, has been recognised with The Australian Lawyers Alliance Civil Justice Award.

• The future of government services