Workers compensation reform update

Tribunal users are reminded that amendments to workers compensation legislation relating to commutations commence on 1 October 2026.

Latest news
Show more

Workers compensation reform update

29 Sep 2026

Tribunal users are reminded that amendments to workers compensation legislation relating to commutations commence on 1 October 2026.

Tribunal users are reminded that amendments to workers compensation legislation relating to commutations commence on 1 October 2026.

It is anticipated that relevant updates to the Personal Injury Commission Rules will be published soon. The supporting PD WC8 – Commutations is available now on the Commission’s website.

An updated Form 5A will not be available in the Pathway Portal until late October. In the interim, tribunal users should use the existing Form 5A – Application to Register a Commutation Agreement and provide the required information in their supporting material.

For more information on commutations, please refer to the workers compensation reform article published in edition 102 of the Personal Injury Commission News.

Updates to the rules will also support the Commission’s new power to decide on a compromised lump sum for a death benefit for deaths that occurred on or after 1 July 2026.

PD WC1 – Compensation payable on death has been updated to reflect the process and the evidence required for parties wishing to apply for a settlement of a lump sum death benefit.

For a proposed settlement agreement to be lodged, a Form 2D and a reply must have been lodged with the Commission and liability must be in dispute. All dependents must be a party to the dispute and have legal representation. 

A new death benefits form and agreement template will be made available in the Pathway Portal later this year. Until then, a temporary PIC Death Settlement Agreement template is available to download on the Commission’s website. It must be lodged in the Pathway Portal together with the relevant evidence so it can be allocated to a member to determine. 

If the matter is already on foot, a second member will consider the application while the substantive proceedings regarding the death dispute are held in abeyance. 

If the settlement is approved, that finalises the matter. If it is not approved, the matter will be returned to the substantive member to determine the case if the matter is already on foot, or to another member. 

Webinar for legal practitioners
To assist practitioners to understand these and other workers compensation reform changes, a webinar will be held on 11 November. Invitations will be sent closer to the event.

Visit our legislative reform page

Print