CEO LGIS
[email protected]
The first quarter of the year sees a significant number of the LGIS team out on the road visiting members. Renewal declarations are due mid-March, and our account managers are travelling the length of the state to meet with members and discuss their needs for 2025/26. Those in the office are managing the mutual’s obligations and claims, with a key challenge over the last four months being the sectors ongoing rise in number and complexity of workers’ compensation claims.
Thank you to all our members for your diligence in the renewal declaration process. We know it comes at a busy time of year and answering all the questions can be time-consuming. We appreciate your efforts, and feedback indicates that our improvements to the online renewal declaration have been well received – particularly the collaborative functions allowing multiple staff to be involved in the process and the ability to import data from last year.
The information you provide is vital in allowing us to draw an accurate picture of changes across the sector compared to the previous period. We’ll analyse the information you’ve provided, consider claims performance, and negotiate with our indemnity partners to secure terms for 2025/26. Our feature this edition (pg 3) explores our local focus with a global connection pointing to some of the areas of concern for indemnity partners and the Scheme alike.
The majority of this edition’s articles expand on key issues that impact the Scheme and your 2025/26 renewal looking to some of the areas that are emerging or under the microscope. We sat down with Cameron Maclean at DLA Piper to get into the technical legal area of section 33 of the Bush Fires Act and its applications (pg 10).
We jump into a handful of common scenarios and there are lessons for all members with bushfire management responsibilities.
There’s also a couple of articles in the work, health and safety space. The first is a significant incident notification from WorkSafe following their investigation into a Shire workers death (pg 9). We also look at the common issue of working from home following a magistrate court ruling in South Australia following a worker’s injury at home (pg 7). While on workers’ compensation, we’ve also got an update from Daniel Constazo from Moray & Agnew on a recent tax office ruling that has wide ranging implications for settlement costs (pg 21).
On the protection front we answer the common question about covers for valued local government volunteers both those in the general community and bushfire fighters (pg 18).
In February we finished off our series of cyber risk workshops across the state culminating in an online seminar which was recorded and is now available to members on the LGIS website. From October 2024 to February 2025, we delivered 15 workshops from Tom Price to Kalgoorlie to Albany. Over 140 local government representatives attended these sessions ranging from CEOs to IT professionals and some third-party providers who support members. Response from members has been positive and we’re looking to provide more guidance in this space. In this edition we look at new privacy legislation and implications for members management of sensitive data (pg 14).
We love hearing from members, so please send any feedback on this edition or questions for Ask an Expert through to Risk Matters editor, Pia Duxbury at [email protected].
Congratulations to the Shire of Yilgarn who were award their Tier 3 Silver diligence in Safety Award. James Sheridan, CEO LGIS and Christ Gilmour, Risk Specialist – Regional visited the
Shire on Tuesday 26 February to meet the Yilgarn team and present the award.
In February this year the Australian Tax Office (ATO) made a private ruling on the following question: ‘Is the income compensation component of the redemption settlement payable under Workers Compensation and Injury Management Act 2023 (WA) included in your assessable income under section 6-5 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (Cth)?’ The ATO’s very short answer was ‘Yes’.
It’s a question very few people want to ask but given the current cyber risk landscape shows no signs of slowing, it’s likely an inevitable question for organisations, including local governments.
The recent WA Local Government Convention was an excellent opportunity to chat with members and talk about the issues that matter to you. LGIS also appreciated the invitation from WALGA to provide members with an update at their AGM on our 2023/24 results and achievements. For more information, our end of financial year reports, A Year in Review and Annual Financial Report, are now available on the LGIS website or you can read the article on page 18.
Even the smallest or most remote local government in Western Australia is connected to the global commercial market through their protection. Over the next few editions we’ll look at the
factors of concern and influence for each portfolio for LGIS, this edition we’re looking at LGIS Liability and Property protection.
Working from home and hybrid working is now common practice for many local governments. It offers plenty of benefits to individuals and employer alike. It can provide meaningful flexibility for employees to juggle multiple demands and is now expected by many recruits.
LGIS is the unifying name for the dedicated suite of risk financing and management services for WA local governments, established by the WA Local Government Association in conjunction with JLT Public Sector (part of the Marsh group of companies). LGIS is managed by JLT Public Sector (ABN 69 009 098 864 AFS Licence 226827).
Risk Matters, via this website, is designed to keep members, their staff and elected members informed on topical risk management and insurance issues and LGIS programs and services.
