Workers Compensation Tribunal
The Workers Compensation Tribunal deals with disputes about claims for workers compensation under the Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1986 . The focus of the Tribunal is on early intervention in a dispute and structured conciliation by both Conciliation Officers and judicial officers and in some cases determination by a judicial officer. The Tribunal was established under the Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1986.
The Tribunal is made up of Conciliation Officers and Presidential Members (judicial officers). See our page on contacts .
The resolution of workers compensation disputes was initially undertaken by the Industrial Court under the Workers Compensation Act 1971. It was then undertaken by the Workers Compensation Review Panel (which was independent of the Industrial Tribunals) with a right to appeal to the Workers Compensation Appeal Tribunal and thereafter to the Supreme Court of South Australia. Since 3 June 1996 the Tribunal has been the sole forum for the resolution of workers compensation disputes. See our page on history for more information.
The Full Bench of the Workers Compensation Tribunal hears the difficult issues of law and statutory interpretation that arise on appeal; the Full Bench may refer a question of law for the opinion of the Full Supreme Court and a question of law against a decision of the Full Bench of the Tribunal can go to the Full Supreme Court with the permission of a Judge of the Supreme Court.
The Registry is where you can lodge forms and claims or applications.
More detailed information and statistics can be found in the Annual Report.
