***Monday, 26 May 2025, 8:00AM Martin Place (between Macquarie and Philip Streets), Sydney***
WHAT: Hundreds of essential workers from across NSW will rally outside 52 Martin Place to oppose the government's proposed cuts to workers compensation, which would devastate mental health support for injured workers following a damning parliamentary inquiry.
WHO: Teachers, health workers, emergency service workers, domestic violence caseworkers, and other essential staff from across the state
WHY: A parliamentary inquiry tabled Friday confirms the NSW government's proposed changes would:
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Implement a 31% Whole Person Impairment threshold that would exclude 99% of current psychological injury claimants from support
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Cut weekly payments after 130 weeks for most injured workers, down from 260 weeks
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Force victims of sexual or racial harassment to win court or tribunal findings before they can even lodge compensation claims
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Require applications within six months of legal decisions - or workers receive nothing
PHOTO/INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES:
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Hundreds of essential workers with campaign signage demanding government backdown
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Workers sharing personal stories about workplace psychological injuries and trauma
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Unions NSW Secretary Mark Morey available for interviews on parliamentary inquiry findings
UNIONS NSW SECRETARY MARK MOREY:
"This threshold isn't a safety net it's a trapdoor. The government's own data shows only 27 people would have qualified last year. That's 27 out of over 2,000. It's not reform, it's a shutout."
"This entire process has been driven by cost-cutting, not care. No expert justified the threshold. And yet the government wants to rush this through by July."
MEDIA CONTACT: Nick Lucchinelli 0422 229 032
