David Shoebridge visits Bathurst to push for workers compensation reform

Mr Shoebridge met with members of a workplace injury support group, which operates on a monthly basis out of McIntosh, McPhillamy and Co.

Hearing their experiences, Mr Shoebridge agreed changes to legislation regarding work place injury back in 2012 essentially "threw injured workers to the dogs" and said he has spent the last seven years fighting to have the benefits of injured workers reinstated.

Among the horror stories shared by members of the group included one man, who had a whole person impairment of 75 per cent, yet had to wait nine months for the insurer to replace a pair of broken crutches, which cost $65. He needed the crutches to be able to walk.

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Stories from the other 20 plus people who filled the room told how the current system doesn't work, and leaves injured workers isolated, damaged, broke and hurting.

Workers spoke about how they not only lost out financially after being injured at work, but also psychologically.

One woman spoke about her love of work and the friends she had there, but said she was cut off from former work colleagues, who were told "not to speak to her" by management, because she was "on compo."

Speaking with the workers, Mr Shoebridge said that injured workers living in regional areas face even greater hurdles then their city counterparts when it comes to rehabilitation, retraining and basically returning to life post injury.

"Both [situations] are awful, but there are definitely distinct hurdles for people living in regional areas," he said.

He said change is urgently needed, though he doesn't see it happening under the present government.

He commended the work of support groups like the one in Bathurst, and said more are needed so injured workers have a voice.

Mr Shoebridge said he will meet with the Law and Justice Committee, which will be reviewing workers compensation legislation next year, and ask they come to Bathurst to meet with workers.