SRC Act section 24, plain-English definition from TheAICommand
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Reference

What is section 24 of the SRC Act?

Section 24 of the SRC Act 1988 makes Comcare liable to pay compensation for an injury resulting in permanent impairment, assessed under the approved Guide as a percentage of an indexed maximum amount.

Quick answer

Section 24 of the SRC Act 1988 makes Comcare liable to pay compensation where an injury results in permanent impairment. The degree of impairment is determined under the approved Guide and expressed as a percentage. Compensation is generally not payable below a ten per cent threshold, or five per cent for binaural hearing loss.

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This page is an educational summary for professionals working with AI. It is not the law and not legal advice. Always work from the current authoritative text linked below.

What does section 24 do?

Section 24, headed "Compensation for injuries resulting in permanent impairment", makes Comcare liable to pay compensation where an injury to an employee results in a permanent impairment. Subsection 24(2) lists what Comcare must have regard to in deciding whether an impairment is permanent: its duration, the likelihood of improvement, whether the employee has undertaken all reasonable rehabilitative treatment, and any other relevant matters. Subsection 24(5) requires the degree to be determined under the approved Guide, and subsection 24(6) requires it expressed as a percentage. Read the current compilation on the Federal Register of Legislation.

Who does it bind?

Subsection 24(1) names Comcare. Under Part VIII a self-insured licensee authorised to accept liability stands in Comcare's place for its own employees, so the same assessment discipline applies.

What do practitioners get wrong?

Treating the ten per cent threshold as universal. Subsection 24(7) withholds compensation below ten per cent, but subsection 24(7A) sets a separate five per cent test for binaural hearing loss, and subsection 24(8) disapplies the threshold entirely for loss or loss of use of a finger or toe, and for loss of the sense of taste or smell. The maximum amount in subsection 24(9) is indexed under section 13, so the figure in the Act is not the current figure.

Where does AI use touch it?

Impairment percentages are determined under the approved Guide by an authorised person, never by a model. See AI and permanent impairment evidence under section 24 and the SRC Act and AI-assisted determinations.

Bottom line

Section 24 pays for permanent impairment, assessed under the approved Guide as a percentage of an indexed maximum. The thresholds are real but not uniform, and subsection 24(8) holds the exceptions most often missed.

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Frequently asked questions

Is compensation always refused below ten per cent impairment?
No. Subsection 24(7) withholds compensation where the degree of permanent impairment is less than ten per cent, but subsection 24(8) disapplies that threshold for the loss, or loss of the use, of a finger or a toe, and for the loss of the sense of taste or smell. Binaural hearing loss has its own five per cent test in subsection 24(7A).
Who decides the degree of permanent impairment?
Subsection 24(5) requires Comcare to determine the degree of permanent impairment under the provisions of the approved Guide, and subsection 24(6) requires it to be expressed as a percentage. The approved Guide is prepared under section 28. The assessment is a determination made by an authorised person, not a calculation a model can complete.
What makes an impairment permanent under section 24?
Subsection 24(2) requires regard to the duration of the impairment, the likelihood of improvement in the employee's condition, whether the employee has undertaken all reasonable rehabilitative treatment for the impairment, and any other relevant matters. It is a list of mandatory considerations, not a fixed time period.
Is the maximum amount in the Act the current maximum?
No. Subsection 24(9) states a maximum amount, but section 13 indexes it to the Consumer Price Index, and section 13 expressly lists subsection 24(9) as a relevant amount. Always take the current figure from Comcare rather than from the face of the Act.

Primary sources

Where s24 appears

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General information and education only. Not legal, compliance, financial, or professional advice. Always confirm obligations against the primary source and current regulator guidance.