At a glance

WorkCover WA is a statutory authority accountable to the Minister for Industrial Relations, and the government agency responsible for the regulation and administration of the workers compensation scheme in Western Australia.

WorkCover WA is constituted under the Workers Compensation and Injury Management Act 2023 (the Act).

This section describes the Western Australian scheme, defines our role and commitment to scheme improvement. It also shows our strategic direction and organisation structure.

The scheme

The scheme is designed to ensure workers suffering a work-related injury or illness are compensated for lost wages, medical expenses and other associated costs.

As the scheme regulator, our primary objective is to ensure work-related injuries are actively managed while assisting injured workers to achieve a safe and sustainable return to work.

The scheme is based on a ‘no-fault’ principle, meaning an injured worker does not need to establish anyone was at fault or negligent to make a claim. The Western Australian scheme is the largest privately underwritten workers compensation scheme in Australia.

The Act requires employers to maintain current workers compensation insurance coverage for full-time, part-time and casual employees, and in some circumstances, contractors and subcontractors.

The scheme includes entitlements for injured workers and dependants of deceased workers, as well as processes for noise induced hearing loss, assessment of permanent impairment and claims finalised through settlement by lump sum payment.

Our role

WorkCover WA’s role is to lead a contemporary, sustainable and integrated workers compensation scheme that is fair, accessible and cost effective for all participants.

WorkCover WA achieves this through the effective regulation and administration of the Workers Compensation and Injury Management Act 2023 (the Act), resolution of disputes, provision of quality policy advice to government and maintenance of excellent stakeholder relationships.

Watch the short ‘Who is WorkCover WA?’ video below for an overview of our role in the scheme, or see our ‘Who is WorkCover WA?’ Fact Sheet.

Enabling legislation

WorkCover WA is constituted under the Workers Compensation and Injury Management Act 2023.

The following subsidiary instruments support the enabling legislation:

WorkCover WA complies with all state and federal legislation impacting its activities.

National partnerships
Heads of Workers Compensation Authorities (HWCA)

The Heads of Workers Compensation Authorities (HWCA) brings together the Chief Executives (or their representatives) of all bodies that oversee workers compensation regulation across Australia and New Zealand. Established in 1994, HWCA is a high-level forum for the discussion, promotion, and implementation of best practice workers compensation arrangements.

The current Chair of HWCA is Michael Francis, Chief Executive, Return to Work South Australia.

Current member organisations include:

HWCA meets biannually to discuss existing and emerging trends and areas of change in the workers compensation space, how each authority has been responding to this and how any learnings may be applied by other member organisations to their own workers compensation scheme.

Please contact the Secretariat for HWCA at HWCAsecretariat@sira.nsw.gov.au for further information.

Comparison of workers compensation arrangements in Australia and New Zealand

Each year, Safe Work Australia updates and publishes the Comparison of Workers Compensation Arrangements in Australia and New Zealand.  This publication aims to provide all stakeholders with information to assist them in understanding workers’ compensation arrangements in Australia and New Zealand.

Please note the Comparison captures information as at 30 September of the previous year. Readers wanting up-to-the-minute information should check with the relevant authority.