BFA: Raw Deal for Commuters

Bicycle Federation of Australia: Media Release - Raw Deal for Commuters
Employees of the Federal Government, its agencies and statutory authorities; Australia Post, and some private companies including Telstra will be dealt a reduction to their conditions of employment if amendments to the Comcare workers compensation scheme go through Federal Parliament.

The proposals would remove benefits for injuries sustained on a trip to or from work or at lunch-time. It would mean that employees covered by Comcare or self-insured under the Comcare scheme would receive no payment for loss of wages or medical expenses that they have been entitled to for many years.

“No commuter, whether they walk, catch a bus, drive or ride a bike, will be covered. A motorist who walks from a car park, trips, and fractures a wrist will not be covered. Motorists will be on their own if their injuries are not another driver’s fault. Nor will a person who comes off her bike and breaks a collar bone on her way to work,” said Peter Strang, spokesperson for the Bicycle Federation of Australia.

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A bit of local background, Kennet(t) removed workcover on work trips here in Victoria in the 1990's, now Federal Government employees covered by Comcare are facing a similar issue.

With the bleeding obvious increase in public interest with cycling for transport & health, why this retrogressive step right now? So do the Feds now prefer their employees to be in private cover and no financial onus on them? And isn't Ride to Work Day going national this year?

Then cynically, what should we expect from a government lead by a 'climate change realist', who believes that carbon horse trading and nuclear energy is the longterm method to go to curb scientifically proven global warming? Why does a colloquial expression that includes the words "arse, elbow, hole in the ground" spring to mind?

Funny that.