The CEO of icare has defended his record after resigning from the troubled NSW workers compensation scheme which has recently found itself embroiled in allegations of mismanagement and failure.
John Nagle said he never stopped focussing on improving outcomes for customers and was proud of having the opportunity to serve the NSW community while at the state-run scheme.
“Leading the transformation of icare was one of the most challenging and rewarding times of my career, and I am glad to see the benefits now starting to be realised,” he said in a statement on Tuesday.
“While I am saddened to leave, I’m also proud of the people at icare who every day approach their work with passion, dedication and focus to give more for our customers and the broader NSW community.
In statement late last night Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the chair of the independent icare board Michael Carapiet had informed him that Mr Nagle had resigned from his position as CEO and managing director.
“I understand Mr Nagle has informed the board that his decision to leave icare was a difficult one, but he felt the ongoing focus on a range of issues concerning the organisation was adversely impacting the important role it plays in administering the workers’ compensation scheme in NSW,” Mr Perrottet said .
He said the NSW government wished Mr Nagle all the best and would announce a replacement in due course.
Mr Nagle’s resignation came after he appeared before an NSW parliamentary inquiry into the scheme on Monday.
It also follow the departure last week of NSW Labor President Mark Lennon.
A Four Corners investigation aired on the ABC last week sparked calls for Mr Perrottet to sack the entire board.
Among the claims were that the agency had under-payed more than 50,000 injured workers up to $80 million and awarded tens of millions of dollars of contracts without putting them out to tender.
Questions also surround the long-term sustainability of the organisation, which reportedly racked up underwriting losses totalling $4.54 billion in the past three years.
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Great story. However, this may only be the tip of the ice burg. An urgent investigation into the workings of companies who are self insured under the workers’ compensation scheme is required along with their Health and Safety actual practices and not policies is needed. Workers seemed to be used as a dispensable pawn this the chess game of running a business which requires a large number of manpower conducting heavy manual work under some very tough conditions.
Once injured, they are treated as criminals and often pushed into resigning, lying to continue working whilst still injured or in some cases suicidal. Many of these injured workers are pushed to the brink as any workplace injury can lead to financial disaster.
I would seriously look into the aviation industry, in particular, one of Australia’s major airline.