News

SitRep 14/2025

May 9, 2025

PROPOSED REFORMS TO NSW WORKERS COMPENSATION

Facilitated by Unions NSW, the Minns Government recently begun discussions with the FBEU and other Unions concerning proposed changes to NSW Workers Compensation. As identified in this public Ministerial Statement, the Government had flagged an intention to present a bill to Parliament aimed at curbing an apparent rise in work-related psychological injuries claimed to be jeopardising the sustainability of our Workers Comp scheme.

Members who lived through the O’Farrell Liberal Government and their savage attacks on workers’ rights know too well that any such ‘reform’ demands scrutiny and healthy scepticism. The devil is in the detail and this week FBEU Officials have continued to liaise with all key players to make that ‘detail’ clear. With that said, it remains the expectation of the FBEU that the Workers Comp exemptions – previously won by the Union during the 2012 O’Farrell cuts – remain in place, ensuring members are exempt from any detrimental change.

A full briefing will be provided to members in due course. In the meantime, members are encouraged to contribute to this Unions NSW survey reminding the Minns Government that urgent improvements to Presumptive Cancer Legislation remains the key focus of FBEU members.

UPDATE: 2025 SUB-BRANCH EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ELECTIONS

The ballots for the contested positions in the Country Sub-Branch Executive Committee and Retained Sub-Branch Executive Committee have been conducted and concluded as of Thursday 1 May in accordance with the Union’s Registered Rules.

The results of the 2025 Sub-Branch Executive Committee Elections are as follows:

Central Coast Sub-Branch	Sydney Central Sub-Branch
No nominations received	John Casey (City of Sydney)
Country Sub-Branch	Sydney Central West Sub-Branch
John Luc Eddy (South Tamworth)	Nathan Napper (Parramatta)
Matthew Pridham (Dubbo)
Brett Bond (Katoomba)	Sydney Inner West Sub-Branch
	Joel Edwards (Newtown)
Illawarra Sub-Branch	Craig Harris (Newtown)
No Nominations Received	Ben McGowan (Marrickville)
Newcastle Sub-Branch	Sydney North Sub-Branch
Andrew Fraser (Newcastle Comms)	Scott Drew (Berowra)
	Brett Farmer (Forrestville)
Retained Sub-Branch	Sam Wall (Neutral Bay)
Daniel Finney (Bellingen)
Lyle Condon (Bellingen)	Sydney Outer West Sub-Branch
Jeremy Hurst (Wyong)	No nominations received
Senior Officers’ Sub-Branch	Sydney South Sub-Branch
Ray Buchanan	No nominations received
Daryl Mason
	Sydney South-West Sub-Branch
	No nominations received

In Unity,

Leighton Drury
State Secretary

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