Hundreds of people rallied at Queensland parliament to protest reforms to workers' compensation. Source: AAP
ATTORNEY-GENERAL Jarrod Bleijie may have won the battle to water down Queensland's workers' compensation rights, but unions say the war is far from over.
Parliament was asked to pass controversial laws on Thursday, just two days after they were introduced.
Under the laws workers won't be able to seek compensation if they're injured on the job and their impairment is less than five per cent.
Bosses will also have access to a job applicant's injury history and workers who lodge fraudulent compensation claims face tougher penalties.
The government says the changes are designed to crack down on "ambulance-chasing lawyers" and protect businesses from outlandish claims and skyrocketing premiums.
But the Queensland Council of Unions says the government is pandering to big businesses, which could see their insurance premiums drop by 15 per cent.
"It's a few extra dollars out of the pockets of employers, but it will be at the expense of workers who will lose tens of thousands of dollars," QCU president John Battams says.
About 500 workers protested loudly outside parliament waving banners and calling the attorney-general a liar: "Bleiar, Bleiar, Bleiar."
Unions say they'll campaign in Mr Bleijie's Sunshine Coast electorate to unseat him at the next state election.
A new poll commissioned by the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) shows the government's plans are out of step with community expectations and Premier Campbell Newman risks losing his seat.
Lawyers vowed to campaign against the changes at the next election.
The amendments would see Shine Lawyers' profits slip $2.5 million this financial year as the number of common law claims dramatically drop.
ALA spokesman Rod Hodgson said WorkCover is profitable and there's no reason for change.
"Lawyers who are members of the LNP themselves and have been lifelong LNP voters are deeply concerned," he said.
"I expect that lawyers individually and collectively will be expressing concerns on an ongoing basis including though to the next election campaign."
The Australian Industry Group, Master Builders, Queensland Trucking Association, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland (CCIQ) say the current system is too costly, and is open to double-dipping and rorts.
About 81 per cent of the state's businesses support the new injury threshold, the CCIQ says.
Spokesman Nick Behrens says employer premiums would be reduced on average by 15 per cent, which would save businesses $290 million a year.
"Queensland will restore its status as having the lowest compensation premiums in Australia," he said.
Queensland Trucking Association CEO Peter Garske said his industry was crippled by premiums, which have increased by 34 per cent in the last three years.
"An impairment to continued and future employment is employees who are prepared to shop and see, with the help of their lawyers, to see how much they can screw out of the system," he said.
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