New South Wales Consolidated Acts New South Wales Consolidated Acts(cf 1989 s 13)
(1) The Authority has, in particular, the following functions:(a) to initiate and encourage research to identify efficient and effective strategies for the prevention and management of occupational injury and for the rehabilitation of injured workers,(b) to ensure the availability of high quality education and training in such prevention, management and rehabilitation,(c) to develop equitable and effective programs to identify areas of unnecessarily high costs in or for schemes to which the workers compensation legislation or the occupational health and safety legislation relates,(d) to foster a co-operative relationship between management and labour in relation to the health, safety and welfare of persons at work,(e) to encourage liaison between employers, insurers, accredited rehabilitation providers, medical practitioners and other health professionals in the interests of early and effective injury management and rehabilitation of injured workers,(f) to identify (and facilitate or promote the development of programs that minimise or remove) disincentives for injured workers to return to work or for employers to employ injured workers, or both,(g) to assist in the provision of measures to deter and detect fraudulent workers compensation claims,(h) to develop programs to meet the special needs of target groups, including:• workers who suffer severe injuries• injured workers who are unable to return to their pre-injury occupation• injured workers who are unemployed• persons who live in remote areas• women• persons of non-English speaking background• persons who have a disability,(i) to facilitate and promote the establishment and operation of:• occupational health and safety committees at places of work• return-to-work programs• occupational health and safety representatives or other agreed arrangements for consultation at places of work,(j) to investigate workplace accidents,(k) to develop policies for injury management, worker rehabilitation, and assistance to injured workers,(l) to monitor the operation of requirements and arrangements imposed or made by or under the workers compensation legislation or the occupational health and safety legislation, including requirements and arrangements for all or any of the following:• injury management• worker rehabilitation• workers compensation insurance• workers compensation insurer licensing,and to commence and conduct prosecutions for offences in connection with any such requirements and arrangements,(m) to collect, analyse and publish data and statistics, as the Authority considers appropriate,(n) to provide advisory services to workers, employers, insurers and the general community (including information in languages other than English),(o) to provide funds for or in relation to:• measures for the prevention or minimisation of occupational injuries or diseases• occupational health and safety education,(p) to arrange, or facilitate the provision of, interpreter services to assist injured workers,(q) to provide and administer (subject to the regulations) a legal aid service for persons who are parties to proceedings relating to workers compensation,(r) to provide administrative and other support to the Council and Industry Reference Groups.
(2) The Authority is not prevented from exercising any function that is the same as or similar to a function being exercised or capable of being exercised by the Council.