South Australian Consolidated Acts

WORKERS REHABILITATION AND COMPENSATION ACT 1986 - SECT 2

2—Objects of Act

        (1)         The objects of this Act are—

            (a)         to establish a workers rehabilitation and compensation scheme—

                  (i)         that achieves a reasonable balance between the interests of employers and the interests of workers; and

                  (ii)         that provides for the effective rehabilitation of disabled workers and their early return to work; and

                  (iii)         that provides fair compensation for employment-related disabilities; and

                  (iv)         that reduces the overall social and economic cost to the community of employment-related disabilities; and

                  (v)         that ensures that employers' costs are contained within reasonable limits so that the impact of employment-related disabilities on South Australian businesses is minimised; and

            (b)         to provide for the efficient and effective administration of the scheme; and

            (c)         to establish incentives to encourage efficiency and discourage abuses; and

            (d)         to ensure that the scheme is fully funded on a fair basis; and

            (e)         to reduce the incidence of employment-related accidents and disabilities; and

            (f)         to reduce litigation and adversarial contests to the greatest possible extent.

        (2)         A person exercising judicial, quasi-judicial or administrative powers must interpret this Act in the light of its objects without bias towards the interests of employers on the one hand, or workers on the other.

        (3)         The Corporation, and the employer from whose employment a compensable disability arises, must seek to achieve a disabled worker's return to work (taking into account the objects and requirements of this Act).