Seamen’s
Compensation
No. 97 of 1967
An
Act to increase certain amounts of Compensation payable to Seamen and to amend
the Seamen s Compensation Act 1911–1964
in relation to Decimal Currency.
[Assented
to 9 November 1967]
BE
it enacted by the Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of
Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:—
Short
title and citation.
1.—(1.) This Act may be cited as the Seamen’s Compensation Act 1967.
(2.) The Seamen’s
Compensation Act 1911–1964
is in this Act referred to as the Principal Act.
(3.) The Principal Act, as amended by this Act,
may be cited as the Seamen’s Compensation
Act 1911–1967.
Commencement.
2. This Act shall come into operation on the day on which it receives
the Royal Assent.
Interpretation.
3. Section 3 of the Principal Act is amended by omitting from sub-section
(1.) the definition of
“seaman”
and inserting in its stead the following definition:—
“‘seaman’
means a master, mate, engineer, radio officer, apprentice, pilot or other
person employed or engaged in any capacity on board a ship in connexion with
the navigation or working of the ship;”.
Medical
benefits.
4. Section 5a of the Principal Act is amended by
omitting from sub-section (1.) the words “Five hundred pounds” (wherever
occurring) and inserting in their stead the words “One thousand dollars”.
Compensation
for certain injuries.
5. Section 5b of the
Principal Act is amended by omitting sub-section (1.) and inserting in its
stead the following sub-sections:—
“(1.) Subject to this Act, where a seaman sustains,
by accident arising out of or in the course of his employment, any of the
injuries specified in Part I. of the Third Schedule to this Act, the
compensation payable under this Act shall, when the injury results in
incapacity other than total and permanent incapacity for work, be the amount of
Ten thousand dollars.
“(1aa.) Subject to this Act, where a seaman sustains,
by accident arising out of or in the course of his employment, any of the
injuries specified in the first column of Part II. of the Third Schedule to
this Act, the compensation payable under this Act shall, when the injury
results in incapacity other than total and permanent incapacity for work, be
the amount equal to such percentage of the amount specified in the last
preceding sub-section as is specified in the second column of that Part
opposite the specification of the injury in the first column.”.
Maximum
compensation.
6. Section 5d of the
Principal Act is amended by omitting from sub-section (1.) the words “Four
thousand three hundred pounds” and inserting in their stead the words “Ten
thousand dollars”.
Detention
of ship.
7. Section 13 of the Principal Act is amended—
(a)by omitting from sub-section (5.) the words “One hundred pounds” and
inserting in their stead the words “Two hundred dollars”; and
(b)by omitting from sub-section (6.) the words “Ten pounds” and inserting in
their stead the words “Twenty dollars”.
Returns
as to compensation.
8. Section 16 of the
Principal Act is amended by omitting the words “Five pounds” and inserting in
their stead the words “Ten dollars”.
First
Schedule.
9. The First Schedule to the Principal Act is amended as set out in
the following table:—
Provision amended | Omit— | Insert— |
Paragraph (1.) (a) (i) ................. | Four thousand three hundred pounds | Ten thousand dollars |
Paragraph (1.) (a) (iii)............... | Sixty pounds | One hundred and twenty dollars |
Paragraph (1.) (b)...................... | Eleven pounds eleven shillings | Twenty-five dollars thirty-five cents |
Paragraph (1.) (b) (i) ................. | Two pounds fourteen shillings and sixpence | Six dollars |
Paragraph (1.) (a) (ii)................ | One pound two shillings and sixpence | Two dollars forty-five cents |
Paragraph (1.) (c) (i) ................. | Eleven pounds eleven shillings | Twenty-five dollars thirty-five cents |
Paragraph (2.) (a) (ii)................ | Seven hundred pounds | One thousand six hundred and fifty dollars |
Paragraph (2.) (b) (iii)............... | Eight pounds thirteen shillings and threepence | Nineteen dollars |
Eleven pounds eleven shillings | Twenty-five dollars thirty-five cents |
Paragraph (3.) (a)(i) ................. | Forty-five shillings | Four dollars fifty cents |
Paragraph (10a.)....................... | than One hundred pounds and One hundred pounds | than Two hundred dollars and Two hundred dollars |
Third
Schedule.
10. The Third Schedule to the Principal Act is repealed and the
Schedule set out in the Schedule to this Act inserted in its stead.
Adjustment
of weekly payments. &c., under Principal Act.
11.—(1.) Where, immediately before the date of
commencement of this Act, a person was receiving, or was entitled to receive,
weekly payments in accordance with the First Schedule to the Principal Act, he
is, from and including that date, entitled to receive weekly payments in
accordance with the Principal Act as amended by this Act.
(2.) Where, before the date of commencement of
this Act, a seaman sustained an injury or contracted a disease in respect of
which weekly payments in accordance with the First Schedule to the Principal
Act would have been payable immediately before that date but for the fact that
he was not then incapacitated for work, and on or after that date he becomes
incapacitated for work as a result of the injury or disease, weekly payments in
respect of that incapacity shall be in accordance with the Principal Act as amended
by this Act.
(3.) Where, on or after the date of commencement
of this Act, death results from an injury or a disease that was sustained or
contracted before that date and in respect of which compensation was payable
under the Principal Act, compensation shall be paid in respect of that death in
accordance with the Principal Act as amended by this Act.
(4.) Where, immediately before the date of
commencement of this Act, a seaman was receiving, or was entitled to receive,
weekly payments in accordance with the First Schedule to the Principal Act in
respect of an injury or injuries sustained or a disease contracted before that
date, the provisions of section 5d of
the Principal Act as amended by this Act apply in relation to the injury,
injuries or disease.
(5.) The amendments made by sections 5 and 10 of
this Act apply in relation to an injury sustained on or after the date of
commencement of this Act notwithstanding that the accident or disease that
caused the injury occurred before that date.
THE SCHEDULE Sections 5 and
10.
—
Schedule Inserted in the Principal Act by this Act
THIRD SCHEDULE Section 5b.
Part I.
Injuries in respect of which the Amount of
Compensation Specified in
Section 5b (1.) is Payable
Loss of
both eyes
Loss
of an only useful eye, the other being blind or absent
Loss
of both hands
Loss
of hand and foot
Loss
of both feet
Part II.
Injuries in respect of which a Percentage of the
Amount of Compensation Specified in Section 5b
(1.) is Payable
First
Column | Second
Column |
Nature
of Injury | Percentage |
Loss
of one eye, with serious diminution of the sight of the other..............................................................
| 75 |
Loss
of one eye............................................................................................................................................
| 40 |
Loss
of hearing.............................................................................................................................................
| 70 |
Complete
deafness of one ear......................................................................................................................
| 20 |
Loss
of right arm or greater part of right arm..............................................................................................
| 80 |
Loss
of left arm or greater part of left arm...................................................................................................
| 72 |
Loss
of lower part of right arm, right hand or five fingers of right hand....................................................
| 70 |
Loss
of lower part of left arm, left hand or five fingers of left hand...........................................................
| 63 |
Loss
of right thumb......................................................................................................................................
| 30 |
Loss
of left thumb........................................................................................................................................
| 27 |
Loss
of right forefinger................................................................................................................................
| 20 |
Loss
of left forefinger..................................................................................................................................
| 18 |
Loss
of right middle finger..........................................................................................................................
| 16 |
Loss
of left middle finger.............................................................................................................................
| 15 |
Loss
of right ring finger...............................................................................................................................
| 14 |
Loss
of left ring finger.................................................................................................................................
| 13 |
Loss
of right little finger..............................................................................................................................
| 13 |
Loss
of left little finger................................................................................................................................
| 12 |
Loss
of total movement of joint of right thumb...........................................................................................
| 14 |
Loss
of total movement of joint of left thumb.............................................................................................
| 13 |
Loss
of distal phalanx or joint of right thumb..............................................................................................
| 16 |
Loss
of distal phalanx or joint of left thumb................................................................................................
| 15 |
Loss
of portion of terminal segment of right thumb involving one-third of its
flexor surface without loss of distal phalanx or joint........................................................................................................................................................
| 14 |
Loss
of portion of terminal segment of left thumb involving one-third of its
flexor surface without loss of distal phalanx or joint........................................................................................................................................................
| 13 |
Loss
of two phalanges or joints of right forefinger......................................................................................
| 12 |
Loss
of two phalanges or joints of left forefinger........................................................................................
| 11 |
Loss
of two phalanges or joints of right middle or ring finger....................................................................
| 11 |
Loss
of two phalanges or joints of left middle or ring finger......................................................................
| 10 |
Loss
of two phalanges or joints of right little finger....................................................................................
| 10 |
Loss
of two phalanges or joints of left little finger......................................................................................
| 9 |
Loss
of distal phalanx or joint of right forefinger........................................................................................
| 10 |
Loss
of distal phalanx or joint of left forefinger..........................................................................................
| 9 |
Loss
of distal phalanx or joint of other finger of right hand........................................................................
| 8 |
Loss
of distal phalanx or joint of other finger of left hand..........................................................................
| 7 |
Loss
of leg above knee.................................................................................................................................
| 75 |
Loss
of leg below knee................................................................................................................................
| 65 |
Loss
of foot..................................................................................................................................................
| 60 |
Loss
of great toe...........................................................................................................................................
| 20 |
Loss
of any other toe....................................................................................................................................
| 8 |
Loss
of two phalanges or joints of any other toe.........................................................................................
| 7 |
Loss
of phalanx or joint of great toe............................................................................................................
| 10 |
Loss
of phalanx or joint of any other toe.....................................................................................................
| 6 |