Under the vehicle of the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation
Legislation Amendment Bill 2014, the Commonwealth Government plans
to widen access to the Comcare system for companies doing business
interstate.
Until the freeze on access to Comcare by the Rudd government in
2007, a number of national corporations had considered
participation in the Comcare scheme to be financially and
administratively advantageous.
The Commonwealth Government's current initiative into this
area is subject to the progress of the current bill and has been
met with strong opposition by unions, the Opposition and the
Australian Lawyers Alliance.
The scheme could have limited impact, in that it applies to
companies operating across State borders who may choose to leave
State workers' compensation schemes and join the Federal
scheme. In reality, the range and demographic of companies that may
be eligible to enter into the current scheme or a modified version
of the scheme is large and
