Save our CTP

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The NSW government is proposing radical changes to our Compulsory Third Party (Green Slip) insurance scheme.

The current scheme isn’t perfect or cheap. But it ensures that everyone injured in a motor vehicle accident (not just drivers – but passengers, pedestrians and cyclists too) have reasonable access to justice and compensation for their loss.  The NSW scheme goes further than the schemes of other Australian states by providing lifetime care and support for catastrophically injured people, no-fault benefits for children, “blameless” accident coverage, up to $5,000 payments for all accident victims regardless of fault, and refunding of the public hospital system for treatment of motor accident injuries.

NSW Premier, Mike Baird wants to change the scheme in a way which will mean that many people injured at no fault of their own will be much worse off.

Every day, I deal with people in our community who have had their lives turned upside down through motor vehicle accidents.  I know how important our CTP scheme is in protecting these people – and how much could be lost if the proposed changes occur.

Under the Government’s proposed scheme, if you’re injured at a moderate level:

  • You’ll no longer be able to claim for lost future income if you’re unable to return to your old career because of the injury.
  • You’ll have to get agreement from your insurer for payment of every single medical bill. Your doctor won’t determine what treatment gets paid for.  And you’ll be cut-off after an arbitrary period of time.
  • You’ll be banned from seeking assistance from a lawyer if you don’t agree with your insurance company’s assessment. You’ll be left to fight the insurance company alone.
  • You’ll not be treated as an individual. Instead, a ‘one size fits all’ approach will be taken to your injury.

I believe these proposed changes are unfair and will fundamentally change the rights of injured people for the worse. It’s not the way things should happen in Australia.

But the changes haven’t gone to Parliament yet. It’s not too late to stop them and I will be doing everything in my power to fight against them.  Mike Baird has announced that he has “paused” the proposed changes.  In view of all the recent policy backflips, I think we can take that as meaning his government still intends to do this, they are just waiting for the political heat to die down a bit before they do.

If you would like to add your voice of concern, visit www.saveourctp.com, sign the petition and find out what you can do to help save our CTP.