Draft amendments to the Personal Injury Commission Rules 2021 to introduce a new 500-page limit on supporting documents have now been published but will not commence until late 2024 or early 2025.

The 500-page limit will apply to supporting documents accompanying initiating applications and replies in certain dispute types. Anyone wishing to submit more than 500 pages of supporting material must explain how it relates to the real issues in dispute between the parties.

The changes will help the Commission meet its statutory mandate to deal with the real issues in a dispute justly, quickly, cost effectively and with little formality. By focusing the parties’ attention on the matters that are truly in dispute, the amendments will streamline the resolution of dispute proceedings by reducing the volume of unnecessary material, including documents irrelevant to the real issues in dispute and document duplicates.

This will benefit injured claimants and workers by reducing process trauma while also strengthening the Commission’s approach to cyber security and privacy.

The new rule will not commence until Pathway has been implemented for workers compensation users and they have had time to become familiar with it. This will also provide time for related enhancements to be made to Pathway and for all Commission users to prepare for the change.

The resolution and draft rule as well as a fact sheet and explanatory video from the President of the Personal Injury Commission are available on our website at the following links:

• Resolution and Personal Injury Commission Rule 67
• Fact sheet: Understanding the new 500-page limit
• A video message from the President

Please note that the Personal Injury Commission Rules 2021 will not be updated until the new rule commences.