Workers compensation – Permanent impairment compensation – Injured worker claimed compensation – Subsequent specific claim for permanent impairment compensation under s 66 of Workers Compensation Act 1987 (NSW) ("WCA") – Amendments to WCA limited entitlement to permanent impairment compensation – Savings and transitional provisions of amending Act protected worker's entitlement – Employer claimed protection displaced by transitional regulation made pursuant to amending Act – Whether transitional regulation extinguished worker's entitlement – Whether transitional regulation valid.
Statutory interpretation – Retrospectivity – Henry VIII clause – Savings and transitional provisions.
Words and phrases – "accrued rights", "Henry VIII clause", "permanent impairment compensation", "retrospectivity", "savings and transitional provisions".
Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW) – ss 5(2), 30(1)(c).
Workers Compensation Act 1987 (NSW) – ss 66, 280, Sched 6, Pts 19H, 20.
Workers Compensation Regulation 2010 (NSW) – Sched 8, Pt 1, cl 11.
Judgment date
Case number
S201/2013
Before
French CJ, Crennan, Kiefel, Gageler, Keane JJ
Catchwords