Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Bill Shorten today congratulated Cameron Dick on his appointment as the new Chair of Australia’s workers’ compensation and occupational health and safety regulator.

Mr Dick has been appointed to chair the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission (SRCC) for three years.

“Mr Dick has considerable experience in workers’ compensation and occupational health and safety matters through his work as the Queensland Minister for Industrial Relations from 2009 to 2012. Mr Dick also served as the Queensland Attorney-General from 2009 to 2011 and as Minister for Education from 2011 to 2012. He is currently a respected barrister-at-law in a private practice in Queensland,” Mr Shorten said.

“He will replace the current SRCC chair, Mr Peter Henneken, who has shown great commitment as head of the commission since 2009.”

The SRCC administers regulatory functions of the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988, which establishes the workers’ compensation scheme covering Commonwealth employees, ACT Government employees and the employees of licensed entities. The Safety Rehabilitation and Compensation Act is currently being reviewed to ensure that injured employees are given every opportunity to return to health, independence and work as quickly as possible. The review finding will be considered by the Government and will help inform the work of the SRCC. 

“Mr Dick brings a wealth of experience in workers’ compensation and workplace health and safety which will be invaluable to the work of the Commission.”

The commission also provides a consultative forum between Comcare and the jurisdiction for the Commonwealth Work Health and Safety Act and advises and makes recommendations to the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations.

The SRCC is an inclusive, tripartite body comprised of 11 members with different representative responsibilities including the Commonwealth, the interests of workers, self-insured licensees, current and former Defence Force members and the ACT’s public sector employers.

Mr Dick’s appointment is effective immediately.

Further information on the SRCC is available at www.srcc.gov.au