Claims Manager Forum
These free online events provide an opportunity for claims managers and other scheme stakeholders to discuss matters of common interest under the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 (SRC Act).
Forums are open to all claims managers and decision makers administering the SRC Act as well as other interested parties.
To receive invitations for future forums, please contact SchemePolicyandDesign@comcare.gov.au.
Upcoming forum
The next forum will be scheduled soon.
Past forums
Thursday 5 June 2025
Participants heard:
- a presentation from the Australian Community Industry Alliance (ACIA) on attendant care
- an update on recent cases with claims management learnings
- a discussion of early learnings on the Guide for Arranging Rehabilitation Assessments and Requiring Examinations
- a Department of Employment and Workplace Relations update
- a Comcare scheme update.
Thursday 13 March 2025
Participants heard:
- an applied example of household and attendant care services under section 29(1) of the SRC Act
- a scheme significant litigation update
- an overview of the findings of the Commonwealth Ombudsman’s report Learning from Merits Review
- a presentation on the ability to earn provisions of the SRC Act
- an overview of scheme performance in relation to the statutory timeframes for decision-making, including a discussion about learnings and opportunities for improvement
- a Department of Employment and Workplace Relations update
- a Comcare scheme update.
Thursday 5 December 2024
Participants heard:
- a discussion of the relevant period for calculating normal weekly earnings in light of recent findings from the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (now Administrative Review Tribunal), including a practical overview for claims managers
- a recap of the amendments to the SRC Act and SRC Regulations from 2023-24
- an SRC Act Review update
- a Comcare scheme update.
Monday 23 September 2024
Overview of the Guide for Arranging Rehabilitation Assessments and Requiring Examinations
This forum provided an opportunity for claims managers and other scheme stakeholders to gain an understanding of the Guide for Arranging Rehabilitation Assessments and Requiring Examinations 2024 that was registered as a legislative instrument on 17 September 2024.
The forum was open to all claims managers and decision makers administering the SRC Act as well as other interested parties.
Participants were presented with a detailed discussion on how the Guide for Arranging Rehabilitation Assessments and Requiring Examinations applies to section 57 medical examination determinations.
The forum was recorded and can be made available, along with a copy of the presentation slides, via email request to SchemePolicyandDesign@comcare.gov.au.
Thursday 5 September 2024
Participants heard:
- an update on scheme significant litigation
- a discussion of the Claims Management implications of recent workers’ compensation cases
- an update on the SRC Act review
- a review of Help-Desk queries received in 2023–24
- a Comcare scheme update.
Thursday 14 March 2024
Participants heard:
Thursday 7 December 2023
Participants heard:
- updates on scheme significant litigation.
- a discussion to help claims managers identify indicators of potential fraud within our workers’ compensation scheme.
- a Department of Employment and Workplace Relations and Comcare scheme update.
Thursday 7 September 2023
Participants heard:
- updates on scheme significant litigation.
- a discussion of Comcare’s new scheme guidance on claims for injuries sustained at the boundary of a place of work and claims for injuries and disease arising from home-based work.
- a Department of Employment and Workplace Relations and Comcare scheme update.
Thursday 8 June 2023
Participants heard:
- a presentation from Beyond Blue on financial wellbeing resources for front line employees, such as claims managers, whose clients may be experiencing financial hardship
- updates on scheme significant litigation and claims management implications
- a Department of Employment and Workplace Relations and Comcare scheme update.
Thursday 2 March 2023
Participants heard:
- updates on scheme significant litigation and claims management implications
- information about the new Guide to the Assessment of the Degree of Permanent Impairment (Edition 3.0)
- a Comcare scheme update.
Thursday 8 December 2022
Participants heard about:
- stakeholder perspectives in RTW - key messages from the Comcare-Mental Health Professionals' Network webinar
- a Comcare Scheme Update
- the results of the 2021–2022 Claims Manager Forum evaluation
- updates on scheme significant litigation and claims management implications.
Thursday 22 September 2022
Participants heard about:
- an update on recent developments in rehabilitation management
- a discussion of the difference between ‘injury’ and ‘disease’
- updates on scheme significant litigation matters and claims management implications.
Thursday 23 June 2022
- an update on Medicinal Cannabis including recent or emerging evidence and Comcare learnings
- an overview of results from the National Return to Work Survey
- updates on scheme significant litigation matters, with a focus on the recent decision of the Full Federal Court in Wuth v Comcare and its operational impacts.
Thursday 17 March 2022
The main topics were:
- Significant litigation matters update
- Operational discussion of litigation matters
- COVID-19 vaccine claims scheme – FAQs
- Scheme update
Thursday 2 December 2021
The main topics were:
- Significant litigation matters update
- Operational discussion of litigation matters
- Education presentation – release of on-line SRC Act training courses
- Scheme update
Thursday 30 September 2021
This forum provided an opportunity for claims managers and other scheme stakeholders to hear updates from Comcare's Legal Advice and Strategy team on scheme significant litigation matters, with a particular focus on the operational effects for decision makers.
Thursday 24 June 2021
This forum provided an opportunity for claims managers and other scheme stakeholders to discuss matters of common interest under the Safety Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 (SRC Act).
Thursday 18 March 2021
Claims managers in the Comcare scheme virtually attended the first forum for 2021. Scheme Policy and Design provided an overview on initiatives and legislative updates including applying the interval and interlude test, and the application of Reasonable Administrative Action exclusions.
Thursday 3 December 2020
Claims managers in the Comcare scheme virtually attended the final forum for 2020.
Attendees heard from Comcare's Legal Advice and Strategy team with updates on significant litigation matters, with a particular focus on determining the work boundary when considering journey claims.
For past forum enquiries, email forums@comcare.gov.au.
