Commonwealth Consolidated Acts Commonwealth Consolidated Acts(1) Comcare may, from time to time, prepare a written document, to be called the "Guide to the Assessment of the Degree of Permanent Impairment", setting out:
(a) criteria by reference to which the degree of the permanent impairment of an employee resulting from an injury shall be determined;
(b) criteria by reference to which the degree of non - economic loss suffered by an employee as a result of an injury or impairment shall be determined; and
(c) methods by which the degree of permanent impairment and the degree of non - economic loss, as determined under those criteria, shall be expressed as a percentage.
(2) Comcare may, from time to time, by instrument in writing, vary or revoke the approved Guide.
(3) A Guide prepared under subsection (1), and a variation or revocation under subsection (2) of such a Guide, must be approved by the Minister.
(3A) A Guide prepared under subsection (1), and a variation or revocation under subsection (2) of such a Guide, is a legislative instrument made by the Minister on the day on which the Guide, or variation or revocation, is approved by the Minister.
(4) Where Comcare, a licensee or the Administrative Review Tribunal is required to assess or re - assess, or review the assessment or re - assessment of, the degree of permanent impairment of an employee resulting from an injury, or the degree of non - economic loss suffered by an employee, the provisions of the approved Guide are binding on Comcare, the licensee or the Administrative Review Tribunal, as the case may be, in the carrying out of that assessment, re - assessment or review, and the assessment, re - assessment or review shall be made under the relevant provisions of the approved Guide.
(5) The percentage of permanent impairment or non - economic loss suffered by an employee as a result of an injury ascertained under the methods referred to in paragraph (1)(c) may be 0%.
(6) In preparing criteria for the purposes of paragraphs (1)(a) and (b), or in varying those criteria, Comcare shall have regard to medical opinion concerning the nature and effect (including possible effect) of the injury and the extent (if any) to which impairment resulting from the injury, or non - economic loss resulting from the injury or impairment, may reasonably be capable of being reduced or removed.
(8) Comcare shall make copies of the "Guide to the Assessment of the Degree of Permanent Impairment" that has been approved by the Minister, and of any variation of that Guide that has been so approved, available upon application by a person and payment of the prescribed fee (if any).