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About Us
Functions
The statutory functions of the office, are set out in section Schedule 5, Part 3, clause 6 of the Personal Injury Commission Act 2020.
Structure
The IRO is led by the Independent Review Officer, Simon Cohen. The work of the IRO is conducted by the specialists below.
Direction 2023-25 and Values
The role of the Workers Compensation Independent Review Officer has been re-established as the Independent Review Officer from 1 March 2021 under the Personal Injuries Commission Act 2020.
Public Access to Information
The Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (NSW) (GIPA Act) replaced the Freedom of Information Act 1989 (NSW) on 1 July 2010. It established a comprehensive system for public access to government information.
Working at IRO
IRO staff are NSW public servants. Our office is located at Level 8, 1 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst NSW 2010.
Comment on our services
The Independent Review Office (the IRO) is committed to maintaining and improving the quality of our services through feedback from the people who use them. We value all feedback which can be in the form of complaints, feedback or compliments.
Legal Resources
Apply to Become an Approved Lawyer
A Lawyer may apply to the IRO to become an IRO Approved Lawyer.
Report Provider Services
The IRO has entered into agreements with interested Medical Report Providers (MRPs) under which the IRO will pay the Provider directly on a monthly basis for medical reports delivered to Approved Lawyers during the previous month.
Apply for a Grant of Funding
Lawyers approved by the IRO (Approved Lawyers) may apply for grants of funding to provide legal advice and assistance to injured eligible workers pursuing workers compensation entitlements.
Find a Barrister
Listed below are Barristers who are approved by the IRO to represent injured workers in proceedings in the Personal Injury Commission.
Payment of Grants
Legal costs will be paid upon conclusion of the work, resolution, or final determination of the claim or dispute the subject of the grant of funding.
Toolkit and resources
Useful resources for lawyers
FAQ
COVID-19 - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Frequently asked in relation to how COVID-19 may affect workers compensation or motor vehicle accident claims
Quick links
Useful links and resources
Reporting an Injury and Making a Claim for Workers Compensation
How to claim workers compensation
Insurers
Complaints by Workers
Complaints by injured persons are managed by the Solutions Group at IRO. The Solutions Group deals with a complaint by contacting the insurer to confirm the matters raised by the injured person.
Complaint Handling Protocol
To coincide with the establishment of the IRO, we have finalised a new Complaint Handling Protocol (Protocol). It replaced the former WIRO Enquiry and Complaint Handling Protocol from 1 March 2021.
News and Publications
IRO Alerts and announcements
IRO Alerts and announcements are communications containing updates and relevant news on policy changes, developments on the workers compensation scheme and other IRO activities.
IRO Bulletin
The IRO Bulletin is a monthly publication highlighting important case law decisions and current news updates and providing information and announcements about the NSW workers compensation scheme and IRO activities.
Annual Reports
IRO’s Annual Report provides a comprehensive account of how the office has carried out its statutory functions in any given year, and statistically summarises the office’s complaint workload and process. Each year it is tabled by the NSW Legislative Asse
IRO Inquiries
View available IRO inquiries
Statistics and Performance Reports
Find IRO statistics and performance reports here
IRO Submissions
IRO makes submissions to various inquiries and consultations conducted by external stakeholders. The following submissions have been made throughout 2022.
Events
Sydney Seminar
The IRO Seminar – now in its eighth year – provides excellent networking opportunities for delegates, and topics of interest to all stakeholders including lawyers, insurers, insurance brokers, employers, rehabilitation providers and government agencies.
Approved Lawyer Training Courses
IRO offers a range of seminars and workshops in Sydney and many regional areas throughout the year to provide updates on developments of interest to stakeholders in the NSW scheme.
Regional Seminars
For the convenience of those based in regional NSW, IRO operates a series of seminars in various locations throughout the year. Locations generally include Newcastle, Wollongong, Ballina and Bathurst or Orange. These seminars generally follow a similar pr
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