Compensation act changes

Press, 26 July 1978, Page 6

Compensation act changes

PA Wellington Substantial changes could be made to the Accident Compensation Act next year, the Minister of Labour (Mr Gordon) told Parliament yesterday.

Both the Government and the Accident Compensation Commission had made studies of the act and the working parties were expected to report later this year, he said. Mr Gordon was speaking

during introduction of the Accident Compensation Amendment Bill, which, among a number of machinery changes, provides for the commission to pay bonuses or impose penalties on employers and self-employed people according to their accident experience. The bill also provides for the commission to pay the necessary transport of an in-

necessary tranpsrot of an injured person by ambulance. This clause is backdated to April 1, last year. Mr Gordon said the changes proposed in the bill were necessary before the substantial amendments next year to correct some of the anomalies which had become apparent and to improve the application and effect of the act.

Other amendments proposed in the bill would enable self-employed people to file a combined tax-and-levy return at the same time as terminal tax, and for weekly compensation to be paid to those who now cannot get it because their continued earnings during the period off work exceed $3OO. This is subject to a maximum compensation of $240 a week.