33Appointment of medical assessors and merit reviewers

33 Appointment of medical assessors and merit reviewers

33 Appointment of medical assessors and merit reviewers

(1) The President may, in accordance with the regulations, appoint persons to be—

(a) medical assessors for the purposes of the Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1998, or

(b) medical assessors for the purposes of the Motor Accident Injuries Act 2017 or Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (or both), or

(b1) medical assessors for the purposes of the police officer support scheme, or

(c) merit reviewers for the purposes of the Motor Accident Injuries Act 2017.

(2) Without limiting subsection (1), a member or a Public Service employee may be appointed as a decision-maker.

(3) A person is qualified to be appointed as a merit reviewer only if, in the opinion of the appointor, the person has special knowledge, skill or expertise in respect of the motor accidents legislation or administrative decision-making.

(4) A merit reviewer is assigned to the Motor Accidents Division.

(5) The terms of appointment of a decision-maker may restrict a decision-maker to disputes of a specified kind (including to disputes or assessments under specified legislation).

(6) One or more medical assessors may be appointed as a senior medical assessor, either by the assessor’s instrument of appointment or by a later instrument executed by the President.

(7) The President is to ensure that, as far as reasonably practicable, there are medical assessors in the regional areas of the State.

(8) The President may remove a decision-maker from office at any time.

(9) A decision-maker who is not a member or Public Service employee is entitled to be paid the remuneration (including travelling and subsistence allowances) that the Minister may from time to time determine.

(10) Nothing in this section prevents a person being appointed as a decision-maker of more than one class.