Glossary
AAT |
Administrative Appeals Tribunal—The AAT can, on request, review administrative decisions by most Australian and Australian Capital Territory Government departments and authorities. This includes reviewing reconsideration decisions made by Comcare. Either an employee or an employer may request a review of a decision. |
ACC |
New Zealand Accident Compensation Corporation |
ACT |
Australian Capital Territory |
ACTU |
Australian Council of Trade Unions |
Affirmation rate |
Affirmation rate is the percentage of original decisions which were upheld following a request for reconsideration. |
AGIGRP |
Australian Government Indigenous Graduate Recruitment Program |
AGILE |
Australian Government Indigenous Lateral Entry |
ANAO |
Australian National Audit Office |
APS |
Australian Public Service |
APSC |
Australian Public Service Commission |
APS Values |
Principles, standards and qualities in accordance with which the Australian Public Service operates. |
ARC Act |
Asbestos-related Claims (Management of Commonwealth Liabilities) Act 2005 |
ATO |
Australian Taxation Office |
Australian WHS Strategy |
Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy 2012–2022 |
Bankwest |
BWA Group Services Pty Limited |
CALD |
Culturally and Linguistically Diverse |
Case manager |
Responsible for workplace-based management of an injured employee’s return to work plan, as well as for initiating, coordinating and monitoring the rehabilitation process. The employer is responsible for providing case managers, who are usually employees of the agency. |
CEO |
Chief Executive Officer |
Claim |
Any claim for compensation, for example, the initial injury claim, claim for payment of medical expenses, or claim for incapacity benefits. |
Claims Manager (CM) |
Claims Managers are employees with a role in managing claims for workers’ compensation—formerly known as Claims Services Officers (CSOs). |
Comcare Portfolio Budget Statements (PBS) |
Departmental portfolio budget statements provide information on the proposed allocation of funds to achieve government outcomes. They include budget statements for the department as well as agencies working under the department. The statements provide information to assist parliament to understand the purpose of each proposed outcome. The Comcare Portfolio Budget Statements are contained within the Portfolio Budget Statements for the Department of Jobs and Small Business. |
Comcare’s Enterprise Agreement 2016–19 |
Principle instrument that sets out the terms and conditions of employment for non-SES employees |
Corporate governance |
The process by which agencies are directed and controlled. It is generally understood to encompass authority, accountability, stewardship, leadership, direction and control. |
Corporate Plan |
Comcare Corporate Plan 2018–2022 |
CRIS |
Cost Recovery Implementation Statement |
CSC |
Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation |
Date of Injury |
Date of occurrence (injury), date first sought medical treatment, or first resulted in incapacity or impairment (disease). |
Delegation |
The written assignment of authority and responsibility to another person to carry out specific activities. |
Determination |
A decision to accept or reject a claim. |
Disease |
From 13 April 2007 any ailment suffered by an employee, or the aggravation of such an ailment, that is contributed to, to a significant degree, by the employee’s employment. |
EAP |
Employee assistance program |
EL |
Executive Level |
EPBC Act |
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 |
ESD |
Ecologically sustainable development |
FOI |
Freedom of information |
FOI Act |
Freedom of Information Act 1982 |
FTE |
Full-time equivalent, in the context of staffing levels |
GP |
General practitioner |
GST |
Goods and services tax |
HWCA |
Heads of Workers’ Compensation Authorities |
IAGDP |
Indigenous Australian Government Development Program |
IAP |
Indigenous Entry Level Apprenticeships Program |
ICT |
Information communication technology |
IHF |
In-house facilitation |
Impairment |
The loss, the loss of use, or the damage or malfunction, of any bodily system or function or part of such system or function. A permanent impairment is one that is likely to continue indefinitely. |
Incapacity |
A diminished ability to earn. |
Incapacity benefit |
A payment made directly or indirectly, by way of income maintenance. |
Injury |
Refers to either an injury or disease. An injury can be a physical or mental injury and includes aggravation of a pre-existing ailment. |
IPS |
Information Publication Scheme |
KPI |
Key performance indicator |
LCPI |
Licensee Compliance and Performance Improvement |
LCPM |
Licence Compliance and Performance Model. The LCPM provides the regulatory framework under which the SRCC monitors and assesses licensee performance and replaced the previous Licensee Improvement Program and Tier Model. |
Liability |
The effect of a determination, creating a legal obligation to pay compensation under the SRC Act. |
LiCBT |
Low intensity cognitive behavioural therapy |
Licensed self‑insurers |
A Commonwealth authority or a corporation that is a holder of a licence under Part VIII of the SRC Act. |
Licensees |
Licensed self-insurers |
LKPIs |
Licensee Key Performance Indicators |
MHFA |
Mental health first aid |
NABERS |
National Australian Built Environment Ratings Scheme |
NBN |
National Broadband Network |
OAIC |
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner |
OH&S |
Occupational health and safety |
PDP |
Performance Development Plan |
People Plan |
Comcare’s People Plan |
PGPA Act |
Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 |
PGPA Rule |
Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Rule 2014 |
PICS |
Parliamentary Injury Compensation Scheme |
Premium |
A contribution made to Comcare in respect of the estimated costs of a customer agency’s workers’ compensation costs for a given financial year. It is based on fully funded principles and is designed to be responsive to the employing agency’s claims experience. |
Premium claim |
Claim with a date of injury after the introduction of Comcare’s premium system on l July 1989. Also referred to as an ‘insured’ claim. |
Premium paying employers |
Commonwealth departments, agencies and the ACT Government who pay a workers’ compensation premium under the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988. |
Premium rate |
The rate, expressed as a percentage of wage/salary dollar, which, when multiplied by the estimate of wage/salary, will provide the premium payable by that agency. |
Pre-premium claim |
Claim with a date of injury before the introduction of Comcare’s premium system on l July 1989. These claims and the resultant expenditure may also be called ‘uninsured’. |
Privacy Act |
Privacy Act 1988 |
Provider |
Person or organisation providing medical, rehabilitation or health services in relation to a work-related injury or disease. |
Public Service Act |
Public Service Act 1999 |
RAP |
Comcare’s Reconciliation Action Plan |
Reconsideration |
An employee or employer, who is dissatisfied with a decision made under the SRC Act, may ask for that decision to be reviewed by an officer not involved in the making of the decision in question. The result of such a review is called a reviewable decision. |
Rehabilitation |
A managed process involving early intervention with appropriate, adequate and timely services based on injured worker’s assessed needs. |
RPF |
Regulator Performance Framework |
RTW |
Return to work |
Seacare Authority |
The Seafarers Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Authority |
Seafarers Act |
Seafarers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1992 |
Serious claims |
Those claims that reach one week or more of time lost during the reporting period |
SES |
Senior Executive Service |
SRC Act |
Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988—the legislation which established Comcare and defines how the workers’ compensation function is to be administered for the Australian and ACT Governments and a corporation that is a holder of a licence under Part VIII of the SRC Act. |
SRCC |
Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission. See also ‘The Commission’. |
SRC Directions |
Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Directions 2019 |
TASC |
Telecommunications Asbestos Safety Compliance |
The Commission |
Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission—responsible for issuing licences for self-insurance and claims management, and for various regulatory functions under the OHS legislation. Until 1992 it was referred to as the Commission for the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation of Commonwealth Employees. It reports to the Minister for Employment. |
The scheme |
The Comcare scheme |
WHS |
Work health and safety |
WHS Act |
Work Health and Safety Act 2011 |
Visit
https://www.transparency.gov.au/annual-reports/comcare/reporting-year/2018-2019-20