Qld compo changes to be rushed through

The Queensland government says changes to the workers compensation scheme will protect employers. Source: AAP

SOME Queenslanders injured at work will no longer be able to sue their employers under reforms to be rushed through state parliament.

Bosses will also be able to access job applicants' workers compensation history.

Unions, the opposition and lawyers say parts of the shake-up are unjustified and unfair, especially when the state's workers compensation scheme, WorkCover, made half a billion dollars profit last financial year.

Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie unveiled the changes on Tuesday and declared the legislation "urgent" so it bypasses scrutiny by a parliamentary committee and is passed this week.

The most controversial changes would give employers access to the claims history of job applicants.

Critics say the move could lead to discrimination, but the government says it will red flag those who've rorted the system.

Penalties for those who make fraudulent compensation claims will increase.

And a worker would no longer be able to sue their employer if their injury causes just five per cent or less impairment.

A bipartisan parliamentary committee recommended against a threshold, but the former WorkCover chairman wanted a 10-15 per cent cap.

In defending the changes, Mr Bleijie said Queensland would have the lowest threshold to access common law damages in Australia, with the exception of the ACT.

"The changes aim to strike a better balance between providing appropriate benefits for injured workers and ensuring the costs incurred by employers are reasonable," he said.

"Having a competitive premium will encourage more investment into our great state."

Lower-end common law claims accounted for around half the payouts in the scheme.

Queensland Council of Unions president John Battams says half of all injured workers will now be denied the right to sue an negligent employer.

"Even a small degree of permanent impairment can have a devastating effect on a worker's future employment prospects," he said.

"Without an appropriate, independently adjudicated payout many of these workers and their families face a life of poverty."

The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said WorkCover's annual report, released late on Monday, proved the changes were unjustified.

"WorkCover profits are up, common law claims are down and Queensland has the second lowest premiums in Australia," the ALA's Queensland president Michelle James said in a statement.

"The total cost of common law claims was also down more than $50 million compared with the previous year.

"That's not a scheme rife with unworthy claims."

Shadow treasurer Curtis Pitt said the changes were yet another rush job by a government intent on avoiding the usual scrutiny.

"No wonder they are getting to be known as the know-it-all Newman government," Mr Pitt said.

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