Annual Report 2019-20

Accessibility and copyright

Print: ISSN:1837-1450

Online: ISSN: 1837-1469

The Queensland Government is committed to providing accessible services to Queenslanders from all culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. If you have difficulty in understanding the annual report, you can contact us on the enquiries line 1800 CTP QLD (1800 287 753) and we will arrange an interpreter to effectively communicate the report to you.

Motor Accident Insurance Commission
GPO Box 2203, Brisbane QLD 4001
Phone: 1800 CTP QLD (1800 287 753)
Email: maic@maic.qld.gov.au
Web: www.maic.qld.gov.au

Nominal Defendant
GPO Box 2203, Brisbane QLD 4001
Phone: 07 3035 6321
Email: nd@maic.qld.gov.au
Web: www.maic.qld.gov.au/nominal-defendant

Visit www.maic.qld.gov.au to view this annual report. Copies of the report are also available in paper format. To request a copy, please contact us using the details above.

© Motor Accident Insurance Commission 2020

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Attribution: Content from this annual report should be attributed as: The Motor Accident Insurance Commission Annual Report 2019-20.

Letter of compliance and certification of financial statements

30 August 2020

The Honourable Cameron Dick MP
Treasurer, Minister for Infrastructure and Planning GPO Box 611
BRISBANE QLD 4001

Dear Treasurer,

I am pleased to submit for presentation to the Parliament the Annual Report 2019-20 and financial statements for the Motor Accident Insurance Commission and the Nominal Defendant.

I certify that this Annual Report complies with:

• the prescribed requirements of the Financial Accountability Act 2009, the Financial and Performance Management Standard 2019, the Motor Accident Insurance Act 1994 and the National Injury Insurance Scheme (Queensland) Act 2016, and
• the detailed requirements set out in the Annual report requirements for Queensland Government agencies.

A checklist outlining the annual reporting requirements can be accessed online.

Yours sincerely
Neil Singleton
Insurance Commissioner

About us

Queensland Compulsory Third Party insurance scheme

Queensland’s Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance scheme is governed by the Motor Accident Insurance Act 1994 (MAI Act).

The scheme protects motor vehicle owners, drivers and passengers from being held financially responsible if they injure someone in a motor vehicle accident. It also enables the injured person to claim fair and timely compensation for their injuries and access prompt and reasonable medical treatment and rehabilitation.

Motor vehicle owners pay their CTP insurance premium when they pay their vehicle registration through the Department of Transport and Main Roads (DTMR). DTMR remits the applicable premium to the licensed CTP insurer nominated by the motor vehicle owner. This minimises administration costs, is convenient for motorists and reduces the incidence of uninsured vehicles.

Motor Accident Insurance Commission

The Motor Accident Insurance Commission (MAIC) regulates Queensland’s CTP insurance scheme. This involves a number of important functions:

• licensing and supervising CTP insurers and monitoring their compliance
• establishing and revising standards about the proper management of claims
• keeping the statutory insurance scheme under review and making recommendations for its amendment
• developing and maintaining a claims register and statistical database for the purpose of providing management information
• fixing the range within each insurer must file their premium and recommending to government the levies payable
• contributing funds towards research and education to reduce the number of motor vehicle crashes and facilitate rehabilitation of injured people
• maintaining a helpline service for motor vehicle owners and injured people
• administering the Nominal Defendant.

The Nominal Defendant (ND) acts as a licensed insurer in the CTP insurance scheme for claims that involve motor vehicles that are unidentified or uninsured. It also meets the claims costs associated with licensed insurers that become insolvent.

Queensland’s CTP insurance scheme is complemented by the National Injury Insurance Scheme, Queensland (NIISQ) which was established on 1 July 2016. NIISQ provides necessary and reasonable lifetime treatment, care and support to people who sustain eligible serious personal injuries in motor vehicle accidents on Queensland roads, regardless of who was at fault. MAIC also has a legislative function pursuant to Chapter 5 of the National Injury Insurance Scheme (Queensland) Act 2016 (NIISQ Act) to monitor the efficiency and effectiveness of the National Injury Insurance Agency, Queensland which administers NIISQ.

MAIC has been located in Brisbane since it commenced operations on 1 September 1994 as a statutory body reporting to the Treasurer and is located at 1 William Street. MAIC and the Nominal Defendant are positioned within the Economics, Fiscal and Commercial division of Queensland Treasury.

Our aspiration

We aspire to ensure Queensland benefits from the best CTP insurance scheme in Australia by delivering:

• financial protection for motorists
• recovery for claimants
• opportunity for service providers
• economic growth and skills building in the community.

Our purpose

Our role is to:

• regulate and improve Queensland’s CTP insurance scheme
• monitor and make recommendations on the NIISQ
• manage the Motor Accident Insurance and Nominal Defendant funds for the benefit of the Queensland community.

Our objectives

We aim to:

• deliver a financially sound CTP insurance scheme
• strengthen insurer supervision and compliance
• develop and promote best practice claims management
• embed insights-enabled decision making that delivers value to motorists, claimants and the CTP insurance market
• create a positive workplace environment where our people thrive.

To support Our Future State: Advancing Queensland’s Priorities we also:

• keep communities safe by investing in road safety initiatives to reduce the frequency of motor vehicle accidents and minimise their impact on the community
• keep Queenslanders healthy by investing in targeted research and service delivery initiatives to improve health outcomes for people injured in motor vehicle crashes.

Our strategic opportunities

We have the unique opportunity to:

• harness and support broader technological or innovative changes in road safety, trauma injury management and claims management systems and processes
• actively reduce the incidence and severity of road trauma through strategic partnerships with DTMR and the Queensland Police Service, along with investing in grants, sponsorships and research initiatives
• continually seek ways to improve MAIC
• continue to investigate regulatory changes required to introduce automated vehicles into the Australian market
• explore opportunities for MAIC and the CTP insurance scheme to manage future innovation and disruption
• strengthen supervision and regulation of insurers to mitigate potential fraud and car crash scamming (also known as ‘claim farming’).

Our strategic challenges

We meet the challenges of:

• unethical practices
• insurer non-compliance
• maintaining premium affordability
• evolving community expectations
• emerging technological innovations.

Our success measures

We measure our success with:

• strong scheme performance and claimant benefits balanced against affordable premiums
• motorist and claimant awareness and satisfaction
• effective MAIC and ND operations and sound financial management
• a robust insurer supervision regime
• a capable and well-respected team.

Insurance Commissioner’s report

In a dynamic and at times challenging year, the Queensland CTP insurance scheme remained sound and preserved its core pillars of affordability, fairness, efficiency and responsiveness. Queenslanders continue to benefit from what is still arguably the best CTP insurance scheme in Australia.

The strength of the scheme has been evident in the way it has quickly responded to a range of COVID-19 related challenges. Through collaboration with key stakeholders, we have ensured that claims continue to be processed and resolved and injured people can continue to access medical treatment and rehabilitation support.

The passage of scheme reforms by the Palaszczuk Government in December 2019 appears to have quickly curtailed the impact of car crash scammers (or ‘claim farmers’ as they are known in the insurance industry) – but we remain vigilant. We have strengthened our investigation and prosecution resources which will move swiftly should evidence of car crash scamming re-emerge. MAIC also undertook an awareness campaign to advise Queenslanders that ‘car crash scamming is now a crime’. I thank the Queensland Law Society and the Australian Lawyers Alliance for their active support in the reform process and in promoting awareness of the reforms.

During the year, premium affordability and scheme efficiency improved even further. Actions to address persistent high insurer profitability are creating a better balance between premiums paid by motorists, compensation benefits for injured people and a fair profit margin for insurers.

MAIC also commenced publication of quarterly CTP Scheme Insights reports and a scheme email newsletter to highlight the great work of our research partners and to call out key aspects of scheme performance. These publications objectively inform the community about scheme experience as well as enhancing scheme awareness. The publications are available through the MAIC website: maic.qld.gov.au/ctp-scheme-insights

Over recent months, the scheme has been highly responsive ensuring injured people have been able to progress and resolve their claims and innovatively access treatment via telehealth and telerehabilitation services. This has been enabled through positive collaboration between licensed insurers and lawyers. MAIC is focused on innovation opportunities especially around digital claim processes to be rolled out in 2020-21.

Our ongoing investment in research and initiatives to reduce the incidence and effects of road trauma aim to further improve outcomes for the benefit of all Queensland road users and the community more broadly. It has been pleasing to establish new road safety partnerships with entities such as the Queensland Trucking Association while also supporting a range of autonomous and connected vehicle initiatives.

I thank the Nominal Defendant for another year of excellent performance that saw genuinely injured claimants receive fair and timely compensation and yet again the team’s excellence has enabled the Nominal Defendant levy to be further reduced in 2020-21. I also thank everyone at MAIC for their sustained commitment to customer service and innovation in delivering a significant program of work this year.

We are well positioned through our innovation and research agenda, our enhanced analytics capability and strengthened insurer supervision regime to continue improving scheme performance for the benefit of all Queensland motorists and injured people in 2020-21 and beyond.

Insurance Commissioner
Neil Singleton

Levies and administration fee

Queensland’s CTP insurance premium contains levies and an administration fee to help cover the costs involved in delivering different components of the CTP insurance scheme. These levies and administration fee are calculated annually and include:

• the statutory insurance scheme levy
• the Nominal Defendant levy
• the hospital and emergency services levy
• the National Injury Insurance Scheme, Queensland levy
• an administration

In setting these levies, advice is sought from the receiving agencies, and the State Actuary’s Office. This year’s levies and administration fee resulted in a modest increase of $3 for most Queensland motorists compared to the 2018-19 financial year.

Statutory insurance scheme levy

The statutory insurance scheme levy covers the estimated operating costs of administering the Motor Accident Insurance Act 1994 (MAI Act) and also provides funding for research into accident prevention and injury mitigation. From 1 July 2019, the levy remained unchanged at $1.50 per policy and the levy collected $6.8 million in 2019-20. From 1 July 2020, the levy will continue to remain unchanged at $1.50.

Nominal Defendant levy

The Nominal Defendant levy varies by vehicle class and covers the estimated costs of the Nominal Defendant scheme which provides funds to pay for claims relating to uninsured or unidentified vehicles. The levy is set having regard to an actuarial assessment of claim trends. From 1 July 2019, the levy for Class 1 vehicles reduced 50 cents to $8.50 with $37.6 million collected in 2019-20. From 1 July 2020, the Nominal Defendant levy will be reduced further to $8 for a Class 1 vehicle.

Hospital and emergency services levy

The hospital and emergency services levy is designed to cover a reasonable proportion of the estimated cost of providing public hospital and public emergency services to people who are injured in motor vehicle crashes, who use such services, and who are claimants or potential claimants under the CTP insurance scheme. The levy amount calculated varies by vehicle class. From 1 July 2019, the hospital and emergency services levy was $18.30 for a Class 1 vehicle. Proceeds from this levy are then apportioned to Queensland Health, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) and the Public Safety Business Agency (PSBA). Collecting the levy in this way removes the need for hospitals and emergency services to issue invoices to CTP insurers for each treatment provided to victims of road crashes. This saves significant administration burden for service providers and licensed CTP insurers. In the year 2019-20, $80.9 million was collected. From 1 July 2020, the levy will be reduced to $18.15 for Class 1 vehicles.

National Injury Insurance Scheme, Queensland levy

The National Injury Insurance Scheme Queensland levy (NIISQ levy) varies by vehicle class and covers the estimated costs of the NIISQ which provides necessary and reasonable lifetime treatment, care and support to people who sustain eligible serious personal injuries in motor vehicle accidents in Queensland. The NIISQ levy was $90.50 for a Class 1 vehicle in 2019 -20 and collected $421.3 million.

Administration fee

The administration fee is the fee payable to the Department of Transport and Main Roads for delivering administrative support for the CTP insurance scheme. The administration fee was $8.40 for a Class 1 vehicle in 2019-20, and $37.9 million was collected. From 1 July 2020, the fee will increase by five cents to $8.45 per policy.

Premium levy and fee collection

1 July 2019 to 30 June 2020

Description	$ (‘000)
Total insurance premiums collected*	1,678,058
Nominal Defendant levy	-37,640
Statutory insurance scheme levy	-6,779
Hospital and emergency services levy^	-80,941
Administration fee (Transport fee)	-37,909
NIISQ levy+	-421,273
Insurers’ premiums#	1,093,516

 

Notes:

* Net of cancellations.
^ From 1st July 2016, emergency levies collected were remitted separately to PSBA and QFES. In the past the emergency levies were remitted as one payment.
+ National Injury Insurance Scheme Queensland levy.
# Includes GST.
Levies received for the period 1 July 2019 to 30 June 2020 are on a cash basis.

Achievements

Combating car crash scammers

Preserving the integrity of Queensland’s CTP insurance scheme and protecting Queenslanders from aggressive phone calls and privacy breaches was at the heart of legislative reforms introduced by the Palaszczuk Government in December 2019.

Car crash scammers (also known as ‘claim farmers’ in the insurance industry) pretended to help Queenslanders gain injury compensation from car crashes and then sold their personal information to third parties. They targeted over one and a half million Queenslanders with relentless phone calls, including vulnerable Queenslanders who were particularly susceptible to their aggressive tactics.

Our team worked in consultation with industry stakeholders to develop legislative reforms to stop this predatory practice. The legislative reforms prohibited people from approaching individuals to solicit or induce them to make a CTP insurance claim, or to give or receive financial incentives for referring claims or potential claims. The reforms also bolstered MAIC’s investigation and enforcement powers.

To complement the reforms, we delivered a second public awareness campaign to advise Queenslanders that car crash scamming had become illegal. The campaign prompted Queenslanders to protect themselves from car crash scammers by hanging up on scam calls and reporting them to MAIC. The campaign and its important advice on detecting and avoiding car crash scammers was seen over six million times on social media.

We have now moved into a critical period of enforcing the new legislation. Our team has investigations underway and will prosecute where appropriate. We are committed to preserving the rights of genuinely injured people and the integrity of Queensland’s CTP insurance scheme, which is widely regarded as one of the most stable and affordable in the country.

Queenslanders can play their part by hanging up and reporting car crash scammers at maic.qld.gov.au/hangup.

Preparing for cooperative and automated vehicles

Cooperative and highly automated vehicles are being trialled for use on Queensland roads. MAIC has been an active participant in many of these trials, in partnership with the Department of Transport and Main Roads and the Queensland University of Technology.

The largest cooperative vehicle trial in Australia to date will involve up to 500 privately-owned vehicles, testing connectivity between vehicles and roadside infrastructure.

A related initiative, the Cooperative and Highly Automated Driving Pilot, is trialing automated vehicles. A modified Renault Zoe, a level 4 highly automated vehicle, was first demonstrated in Shailer Park, Logan in August 2019, and remains the subject of an ongoing research program.

As this technology evolves, we need to ensure the Queensland CTP insurance scheme adapts to meet the needs of our community. This includes Queenslanders who plan to own or use an automated vehicle and those who are unfortunately injured by one. MAIC continues to meet regularly with other regulators and managers of CTP insurance schemes in Australia, guided by the key principles that no one should be worse off if they are injured by an automated vehicle than if they were injured by a non-automated vehicle – either in terms of the compensation they receive or the process of making a CTP insurance claim.

MAIC continues to work alongside its interstate counterparts and the National Transport Commission (NTC) to facilitate the continued introduction of automated vehicles.

Digitising the CTP insurance claims process

In partnership with industry stakeholders, MAIC is uncovering exciting opportunities for improving the way Queenslanders can access support through the CTP insurance scheme. In November 2019, MAIC commenced its exploratory work with significant industry consultation, including a series of large workshops and smaller stakeholder interviews involving CTP insurers and representatives of the legal industry. MAIC identified significant industry appetite for digitisation of key aspects of the CTP insurance claims process.

In January 2020, the first stream that commenced was electronic claim lodgement. A three-month investigation led to the design of a digital claim form, due for implementation in 2020-21. This new digital channel aims to improve the lodgement experience for injured people. It offers new opportunities for efficient, real-time submission of claims data to the relevant insurer. The outcome is a more streamlined claims process. With decreased time to rehabilitation, injured people are more likely to achieve better health and return-to-work outcomes.

In April 2020, a second stream of exploration was commissioned into the use of a digital platform to enhance the ongoing provision of rehabilitation. This stream seeks opportunities to make the rehabilitation process transparent for all parties involved, leading to quicker timeframes around the provision of treatment and more efficient administration. This exploratory stream will return recommendations in 2020-21.

Managing Nominal Defendant claims prudently

The Nominal Defendant continues to deliver important protection for Queensland road users who are injured by an unidentified or uninsured vehicle. Nominal Defendant claims require a particularly stringent approach to claim management, especially where the involvement of an unidentified vehicle is alleged. To ensure claims management standards are in line with what is considered best practice, the Nominal Defendant encourages a culture of continuous improvement. This was evident during the recent COVID-19 pandemic as the Nominal Defendant worked collaboratively with claimants and their legal representatives, employing an agile response to claims to deliver a seamless claims experience. Over the past decade, the Nominal Defendant levy paid by all motorists has in fact been reduced on several occasions due to the ongoing excellent performance of the Nominal Defendant team.

Monitoring the NIISQ

The National Injury Insurance Agency, Queensland (NIISQ Agency) assesses, decides and funds necessary and reasonable lifetime treatment, care and support for people who sustain an eligible serious personal injury in a motor accident in Queensland, on or after 1 July 2016.

The NIISQ Agency administers the National Injury Insurance Scheme, Queensland (NIISQ) and performs other key functions as listed in the National Injury Insurance Scheme (Queensland) Act 2016.

The cost of administering NIISQ during 2019-20  was $823.378 million. To learn more, view the NIISQ Agency’s annual report at niis.qld.gov.au.

As at 30 June 2020, NIISQ has 266 interim and lifetime participants.

Further information about NIISQ and NIISQ Agency’s operations can be found in the NIISQ Agency Annual Report at niis.qld.gov.au.

Investing in road safety and rehabilitation

MAIC supports research and education activities that contribute to an effective CTP insurance scheme.

This investment ranges from initiatives focused on decreasing the number of road crashes that occur, through to providing appropriate rehabilitation and disability support. From the third quarter of the financial year, a number of MAIC’s current research initiatives and stakeholders were impacted in various ways by COVID-19. MAIC reiterated our support to our research stakeholders to work together to overcome the challenges presented by this pandemic. Learn more about the initiatives we support on the following pages.

Rehabilitation Research

Institution	Title
University of Queensland	Recover Injury Research Centre Pilot social skills training program for children with an acquired brain injury Whiplash Clinical Pathway Healthcare utilisation after a traumatic brain injury in children Non-invasive study to treat post-concussion syndrome
Griffith University	The Hopkins Centre Spinal Injury Project BioSpine Project
Queensland University of Technology	Data Linkage Fellowship Queensland Trauma Data Warehouse Fellowship
Metro North Hospital and Health Service	Jamieson Trauma Institute Associate Professor Cliff Pollard Trauma Fellowship
Metro South Hospital and Health Service	Acquired Brain Injury Transitional Rehabilitation Service
Spinal Life Australia	Spinal Education Awareness Team Back2Work Vocational Rehabilitation Program Healthy Living Centre
Queensland Brain Institute	Senior Research Fellowship in Traumatic Brain Injury
Queensland Children’s Hospital	Chair of Paediatric Rehabilitation

 

In 2019-20, MAIC funded a range of rehabilitation related research and education activities. The activities supported by MAIC reflected the spectrum of injuries that can result from road traffic crashes, including musculoskeletal injuries, spinal cord injuries and brain injuries. MAIC funded researchers focused on improving healthcare from the point of injury, with ambulance care, through emergency department, acute, and hospital and community- based rehabilitation services.

The 2019-20 funding year saw a focus on projects to support people with a spinal cord injury. The Spinal Injury Project run by Griffith University completed phase one of their funding and demonstrated strong progress towards the development of a therapy for repairing chronic spinal cord damage using olfactory ensheathing cells taken from the nose and a 3D printed biodegradable nerve bridge. The research group developed techniques for purifying, combining and amplifying the required cells, developed the 3D nerve bridge, and transplantation devices and considered the best approach to rehabilitation post-surgery. Phase two of this project commenced in April 2020 and will see further development of the therapy in the lead-up to a potential clinical trial in the future.

Complementing the Spinal Injury Project, MAIC also chose to extend funding to the Back2Work program, an early intervention vocational rehabilitation program run by Spinal Life Australia. The program commenced in 2016 in the Spinal Injuries Unit at Princess Alexandra Hospital to ensure people have access to vocational rehabilitation at the earliest possible time post-injury. Approximately 150 clients have participated in the program between 2016 and 2019, with promising results regarding rates of employment and study for people following spinal cord damage. Further refinement of the service model and understanding of the impact of the program is needed and MAIC has extended its support for a further three years to allow for this process to be completed.

This year, MAIC further expanded its grants program to include providing funds to support infrastructure that aids in the rehabilitation of people injured in road traffic crashes. In late 2019, MAIC provided $3 million to Spinal Life Australia as a contribution towards the development of the Healthy Living Centre in Cairns, which provides an accessible gym, hydrotherapy pool and suites for therapy services alongside accessible accommodation, care and support services. The facility expands the availability of specialist services for people with spinal cord injuries and physical disabilities, particularly within Far North Queensland.

Road Safety Research

Institution	Title
University of Sunshine Coast	Road Safety Research Collaboration SAFER – Braking the Cycle SAFER – peer passenger SAFER senior drivers’ program
Queensland University of Technology	Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety Fatal and serious crash analysis by region
Griffith University	Taxi data analysis
Police Citizens and Youth Welfare Association	Support operations of Braking the Cycle learner driver mentor program
Queensland Trucking Association	Driving monitoring pilot
Department of Transport and Main Roads	Cooperative and Autonomous Vehicles Initiative
Transport New South Wales	MotoCAP motorcycle safety gear ratings
Sunshine Coast Council	Study on reducing rear-end collisions

 

MAIC’s road safety research in 2019-20 covered a broad range of topics, including investigating road safety issues for younger and older drivers, understanding driver behaviours such as tailgating and impaired driving, and examining issues that affect specific road user groups like taxis, motorcyclists and heavy vehicle operators. With the growth in vehicle and road infrastructure technology, MAIC also continued its support of research in relation to autonomous and cooperative vehicles.

MAIC’s investment in the ‘Braking the Cycle’ learner driver mentoring program has continued to reap strong outcomes in terms of providing an opportunity for disadvantaged young people to obtain the 100 hours of supervised driving necessary to be eligible to sit their driving test.

During the 2019-20 financial year, MAIC’s funding supported the operation of the program at up to 31 sites across Queensland. Through this funding 1,178 participants were engaged, with over 14,000 supervised driving hours logged and 289 participants obtaining their driver’s licence. This is a significant outcome in terms of reducing the risk of unlicensed driving, a behaviour which is associated with overrepresentation in serious crashes. Graduates from ‘Braking the Cycle’ also report the associated benefits of obtaining their drivers licence, including increased employment and opportunities to participate in further education.

MAIC looks forward to continuing our association with this PCYC program with the Insurance Commissioner approving a five-year funding extension to commence from 1 July 2020. This extension will incorporate additional funds to expand the program to service additional regions including Bundaberg, Mount Isa, Innisfail and South Burnett, whilst consolidating operations at branches already in place.

MAIC is partnering with the Queensland Trucking Association to pilot the use of driver monitoring technology for heavy vehicle drivers in terms of trialling the use of emerging driver monitoring technology in reducing the incidence of driver distraction, inattention and fatigue episodes within the industry.

Eleven transport companies of diverse freight sectors and fleet sizes are involved in this pilot, with many reporting positive initial outcomes following the installation of this equipment in their vehicles.

On-road data collection has commenced with Dr Darren Wishart from Griffith University engaged to assist in undertaking the research piece to independently measure the effectiveness of this technology from a road safety perspective.

MAIC also continued its partnership in the MotoCAP consortium led by Transport New South Wales around motorcycle protective clothing. Through a series of scientifically-based testing processes, riders are provided with information on the relative protection and comfort of a range of motorcycle protective jackets, pants and gloves available in Australia and New Zealand.

Whilst in its infancy having been established in 2018, the innovative nature of MotoCAP has already been recognised. In late 2019, MotoCAP was awarded a Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) Road Safety Award for its contribution to improving road safety for motorcycle, scooter and moped riders.

Governance

Our people

We strive to create a positive work environment where our people are engaged, committed and highly capable. Our dedicated and focused team is committed to ensuring that Queensland’s CTP insurance scheme protects motorists and supports people who are injured in motor vehicle crashes.

We rely on the commitment and capabilities of our staff to achieve sound scheme outcomes. In 2019-20, to counter risks such as car crash scamming, fraud, and issues relating to insurer monitoring, we invested in staff development focused on:

• building resilience in Nominal Defendant staff whose work involves complex claims where decisions affect the day-to-day lives of people
• developing legislative responses to mitigate risk
• effective leadership of programs and support of staff
• embracing innovation and change.

We further support our staff through active recruitment and selection strategies, strong employee performance management and development programs, regular staff check-ins through the Working for Queensland survey, other pulse surveys, and workplace health and safety strategies.

During the year, staff participated in the Working for Queensland survey. Staff engagement measures from the survey showed increased levels of safety, health and wellness. The health and wellbeing of our staff is essential, so we emphasise the importance of an appropriate work-life balance. We also conducted workplace civility training and collaborated on team agreements.

We meet our obligations under the Public Service Ethics Act 1994 by ensuring that MAIC and ND staff complete Treasury’s suite of online training modules, including modules related to the Code of Conduct.

The online training package is rolled out to all new staff. This year, the induction manual was reviewed and improved to include a module on the Human Rights Act 2019.

MAIC staff expenses and key executive management personnel and remuneration information can be found in the Financial Information (page 37 for MAIC, and page 65 for the Nominal Defendant). To see MAIC’s workforce profile, including full-time equivalent (FTE) staff and permanent separation rate, view the annual report of Queensland Treasury.

Human Rights

As part of our commitment to furthering the objectives of Queensland’s Human Rights Act 2019, we:

• conducted a self-audit of the Motor Accident Insurance Act 1994 and its subordinate legislation to assess its compatibility with human rights under the Human Rights Act 2019, which found that no provisions had a high risk of incompatibility
• completed Human Rights Certificates to accompany amendments to the Motor Accident Insurance Regulation 2018
• ensured all staff completed mandatory training on the Human Rights Act 2019
• incorporated human rights into staff induction and orientation programs
• incorporated a commitment to human rights into our strategic and operational plans
• progressed a review of all decision-making frameworks including policies, procedures, processes and complaint handling practices to incorporate human rights considerations
• updated our website to feature a Complaints and Feedback webform to include information on human rights, human rights complaints and a link to the Human Rights Commission
• commenced a human rights review of the electronic Notice of Accident Claim Form (eNOAC) project
• established Human Rights Champions within our senior leadership team
• commenced a First Peoples’ initiative to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through the CTP claims process and related road safety

To continue supporting Human Rights during the COVID-19 pandemic, we also:

• enabled employees to work effectively from home and focused on staff wellbeing
• implemented a return to office plan, aligned with Queensland Government health advice to ensure a safe and gradual return to office
• collaborated with stakeholders to implement protocols aimed at encouraging a flexible approach to claims management
• supported changes to digital signatures, telehealth and virtual settlement conferences to ensure claimants could continue to access treatment and have their claims resolved while ensuring compliance with social distancing requirements.

No human rights complaints were received during the 2019-20 reporting period.

Our values

We align our behaviour and operations with the five Queensland public service values:

Customers first

• Know your customers
• Deliver what matters
• Make decisions with empathy

Unleash potential

• Expect greatness
• Lead and set clear expectations
• Seek, provide and act on feedback

Empower people

• Lead empower and trust
• Play to everyone’s strengths
• Develop yourself and those around you

Ideas into action

• Challenge the norm and suggest solutions
• Encourage and embrace new ideas
• Work across boundaries

Be courageous

• Own your actions, successes and mistakes
• Take calculated risks
• Act with transparency

 

 

Our leadership team

The Insurance Commissioner sets the direction for MAIC and the Nominal Defendant and reports to the State Parliament through the Treasurer, Minister for Infrastructure and Planning. Our leadership team includes the Insurance Commissioner; General Manager Motor Accident Insurance Commission; Director Finance, Procurement and Systems; Director Policy, Performance and Improvement; and Director Analytics.

Our leadership team is responsible for setting the strategic direction of MAIC and the Nominal Defendant, overseeing operational performance, determining operation policy and project management.

The leadership team supports the Insurance Commissioner, as the accountable officer, to meet legislative requirements and accountabilities and the identification and management of key areas of risk. As at 30 June 2020, the leadership team comprised of:

Neil Singleton

Insurance Commissioner
Business (Insurance), MBA

Neil was appointed as Insurance Commissioner in December 2010. Neil has over 30 years of insurance experience across a broad range of management and executive positions. Neil’s responsibilities include providing strong strategic leadership to ensure a viable, affordable and equitable CTP insurance scheme in Queensland.

David Vincent

General Manager Motor Accident Insurance Commission

David has over 25 years’ insurance experience including roles in personal injury claims management and underwriting, along with positions involving insurance regulation and government policy development. David is responsible for leading the strategic management of the Nominal Defendant claims unit, the supervision of licensed insurer claims management compliance and performance and managing claims related legislative functions.

Lina Lee

Director Finance, Procurement and Systems
Commerce, CA

 Appointed to MAIC in 2006, Lina oversees the financial management and procurement of MAIC and oversight of the IT system roadmap for the organisation. Lina has an accounting and auditing background covering the chartered profession, commerce, industry and the Queensland public sector.

Vicki Vanderent

Director Policy, Performance and Improvement
Business, MBA, Grad. Cert Business (Behavioural Economics)

Appointed in 2006, Vicki oversees the policy, performance and improvement functions for MAIC. She defines and shapes strategies, policies and plans that improve the Queensland CTP insurance scheme and promotes measures that eliminate or reduce causes of motor vehicle accidents and mitigates their results. Vicki has more than 20 years’ experience across government, university and private sectors in Queensland.

Youyou Luo

Director Analytics
Actuarial Studies, PhD (Finance)

Appointed to MAIC in 2018, Youyou is responsible for leading the Insurance Commission’s data analytics, premiums and levies advice, business intelligence and scheme reporting functions. Youyou has a research background and over 10 years of public sector experience in data analytics and business intelligence across several government organisations.

Risk management

We are committed to effective risk management and have adopted Treasury’s framework for proactively identifying, assessing and managing risks. Our risk management approach ensures:

• we meet our statutory responsibilities under the MAI Act, the NIISQ Act and other legislation
• risk management is integrated into organisational activity
• corporate governance processes, including systems of internal control, are assessed and

Everyone in Treasury is responsible for managing risk. A robust risk management framework is integrated into all Treasury business activities and systems; and our leadership team is accountable for risks that may affect our ability to achieve our strategic objectives. Risks are managed through our corporate governance framework providing the foundation for effective decision-making, sound management and clear accountability.

A risk register is maintained and reviewed by the leadership team biannually. Risks are monitored with risk controls and treatment strategies assigned to risks where appropriate. Treasury’s Executive Leadership Team reviews the MAIC risk register from a consolidated Treasury perspective and MAIC has external auditors which review the register annually. Our commitment to business continuity management ensures continuity of key business services which are essential for or contribute to the achievement of our objectives.

We participate in Treasury-wide risk and accountability management through representation on the Audit and Risk Management Committee. We also have an active Internal Audit program in place provided by the Treasury Internal Audit function.

Audit and Risk Management Committee

Our Insurance Commissioner, Neil Singleton, is a representative on Treasury’s Audit and Risk Management Committee.

The Audit and Risk Management Committee helps Under Treasurer Rachel Hunter to meet her responsibilities under the Financial Accountability Act 2009, the Financial and Performance Management Standard 2019 and other prescribed requirements. It does this by carrying out a range of activities to maintain oversight of key financial, risk and performance management activities for our organisation, including:

• financial statements – reviewing the appropriateness of Treasury’s accounting policies and financial performance
• risk management – reviewing the effectiveness of our risk management framework, including processes for identifying, monitoring and managing significant business risks
• integrity oversight and misconduct prevention – monitoring any misconduct trends and prevention approaches and highlighting any issues or areas for improvement with management
• internal control – reviewing, with the assistance of internal and external audit functions, the adequacy of internal controls, including IT security
• internal and external audit – reviewing and approving Treasury’s Internal Audit Plan; consulting with External Audit on the proposed audit strategy; and considering audit findings and recommendations to ensure key risks are considered and mitigated.

The committee also performs oversight functions for select related entities which sit within Treasury’s broader portfolio but prepare independent financial statements. In 2019–20, these entities were the Motor Accident Insurance Commission and the Nominal Defendant. Through participation in this forum, the Insurance Commissioner accesses advice and assurance on the performance or discharge of functions and duties prescribed in the Financial Accountability Act 2009, the Financial and Performance Management Standard 2019, and other prescribed requirements.

2019–20 Audit and Risk Management Committee (as of June 2020)

Chair:
Executive General Manager, Corporate

Members:
Head of Budget and Financial Management
Insurance Commissioner
Commissioner, State Revenue
Independent member and finance expert

Standing invitations:
Under Treasurer
Chief Finance Officer
Queensland Audit Office (QAO) Internal Audit

Achievements in 2019–20

In 2019–20, the committee met five times and fulfilled its responsibilities in accordance with its charter and an approved work plan, which included:

• reviewing the 2019–20 Financial Statements for Queensland Treasury, Motor Accident Insurance Commission and Nominal Defendant
• reviewing the three-year strategic Internal Audit Plan and endorsing the 2019–20 Internal Audit activity
• considering issues raised by QAO including recommendations from performance audits
• considering Treasury-related QAO reports to Parliament
• monitoring progress of the implementation of internal audit recommendations.

Internal and external accountability

Our governance framework includes both internal and external accountability measures.

Treasury provides internal audit services to MAIC through an outsourced arrangement with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). PwC provides an independent and objective internal audit service in accordance with our Internal Audit Charter and ethical standards. Although independent, Internal Audit regularly liaises with QAO to ensure appropriate assurance services are provided to Treasury. In 2019–20, Internal Audit delivered a program of work for Treasury’s three-year Internal Audit Plan (approved by the Audit and Risk Management Committee). This plan is aligned to our key risk areas, operations, and strategic objectives and draws on additional specialist expertise as needed.

Externally, MAIC and the Nominal Defendant are audited by QAO in accordance with the Financial Accountability Act 2009. MAIC and the Nominal Defendant have achieved unqualified audits since the Commission commenced operations in 1994.

More information on Treasury’s Audit and Risk Management framework including information about the committee are detailed in Queensland Treasury’s annual report.

Information systems and recordkeeping

In 2019-20, our commitment to information systems and recordkeeping remained robust. We abided by the disposal freeze that was implemented by Queensland State Archives and instigated a deeper review of our files. Our records are managed throughout their lifecycle and archiving, and disposal is done in accordance with the General Retention and Disposal schedule and/or Treasury’s Retention and Disposal schedule (implementation version).

We continue to record the documents that come into the office by scanning them and saving them as soft copy files and then referring to materials electronically. All hard copies are filed and depending on the nature of the document, are either stored securely at 1 William Street, or sent to secure off-site storage, able to be retrieved at any time.

Our recordkeeping framework aligns with Treasury’s Information Management Framework. The framework aims to ensure our record management practices are consistent with other offices within the Treasury portfolio and are compliant with current legislation and best practice record keeping standards. These include Public Records Act 2002, Information Privacy Act 2009, Right to Information Act 2009, Information Standard 18: Information Security, Information Standard 31: Retention and Disposal of Government Information, Information Standard 34: Metadata, Information Standard 38: Use of ICT Facilities and Devices and Information Standard 40: Recordkeeping.

We support the Queensland Government Open Data Initiative. In 2019-20, we released 15 datasets including CTP insurance scheme statistical data and annual report data. Our Open Data sets are available at data.qld.gov.au/dataset/compulsory-third-party- ctp-statistics.