Increase to the fee for reconsideration assistance under the Seafarers Act (News)

An increase to the fee for reconsideration assistance provided by Comcare under Section 78 of the Seafarers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1992 (Seafarers Act) came into effect from 8 February 2020.

In February and March of 2019, consultation was undertaken on a proposed increase to the fee for reconsideration assistance, noting that:

• where there is no industry panel under section 78(4)(a) of the Seafarers Act, an employer must seek Comcare’s assistance to reconsider a determination under section 78(4)(b) of that Act
• Section 141 of the Seafarers Act allows for Comcare to charge an employer a prescribed fee for the provision of its services under section 78
• the Seafarers Rehabilitation and Compensation Regulations 1993, which had set the prescribed fee, expired on 1 October 2018 and as such Comcare has not charged a prescribed fee since that time.

From 8 February 2020, the Seafarers Rehabilitation and Compensation (Cost Recovery) Regulations 2020 have come into effect, reinstituting a fee and increasing it from $85 (plus GST) per hour to $188 (plus GST) per hour.

If you have any questions about this, please contact the Seacare Authority Secretariat at seacare@comcare.gov.au.