Guide 3 to NSW State Archives relating to Responsible Government - OCR - Flipbook - Page 165
A Guide to New South Wales State Archives relating to Responsible Government
Premier's Department
Letters received — File 65/92: Insurance of Ministers and
Members of Parliament, 1950-65
CGS 12060,
[13/10800-01]
The papers in [13/10800] date from 1961 to 1965 while those in
[13/10801] date from 1950 to 1962.
This bundle relates to personal accident insurance for Ministers of
the Crown and Members of Parliament, as well as for members of
Boards and Commissions and others who were not covered by the
Workers' Compensation Act.
Ministers of the Crown and Members of Parliament fell outside of
the provisions of the Workers' Compensation Act. In 1952 it was
decided that action be taken to insure Ministers of the Crown;
personal accident insurance policies in respect of each Minister
being taken out by the Treasurer and renewed each year with the
premiums being met by the Government. Some ten years later,
following Cabinet approval in September 1962, a scheme of
insurance was introduced for Members of Parliament, again with
the cost of premiums being met by the Government.
The scheme of personal accident insurance for Ministers and
Members of the Legislative Assembly provides 24-hours' cover
against accident (not sickness) and for the payment of lump
sums in respect of death or loss of sight or limbs. It also
provides for the payment of expenses incurred for medical,
hospital and ambulance attention. ... Unlimited payments ...
are payable in cases of total and permanent disablement
directly compelling the Insured to retire from the Legislative
Assembly or the Legislative Council within 12 months from the
date of the accident and continuing and directly preventing him
from seeking election to any House of Parliament, or from
engaging in any profession, business or occupation.
Included in [13/10800] are papers relating to: the question of the
Government arranging for the insurance of Members of the
Legislative Assembly to provide for the payment of compensation
should they receive injuries while performing their duties as
Members; the outline scheme developed by the GIO for accident
insurance for Members; representations on behalf of the former
Minister for Lands, Keith C Compton, injured in a car accident on
10 May 1965 after learning about his loss of the seat of Lismore;
providing the GIO with information about ages of Members, air
travel etc; setting up the scheme for Members; amounts and types
of compensation; and the consideration of the issue of insurance
for Members by a Cabinet Sub-Committee and Cabinet.
Box [13/10801] includes papers relating to: the origins of air
travel insurance; Treasury proposals in relation to insurance
cover; increase of cover under Personal Accident Policies for
Ministers of the Crown in view of their increased remuneration
(approved by Cabinet at its meeting of 14 June 1960); premiums
payable; and, increased coverage under Personal Accident
Insurance for members of Boards etc approved by the Premier in
November 1961. Also included are: copies of Treasury circulars
relating to the "Insurance of Members of Boards, Commissions and
other bodies and Crown Employees not covered by Workers'
Compensation Act"; and, Cabinet minutes and decisions.
State Records Authority of New South Wales
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