SRGF v Comcare (Compensation)

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AATA) affirmed Comcare's denial of two workers' compensation claims made by SRGF. SRGF, a former employee of the Australian Public Service (APS), claimed that his employment contributed significantly to his development of psychological conditions, including anxiety, depression, and chronic fatigue. The first claim focused on his time at the Clean Energy Regulator from 2013 to 2015, where he argued that the stress and ethical shortcomings of the APS, particularly surrounding the implementation and subsequent removal of the 'carbon tax', led to his initial psychological decline. He expressed feelings of disillusionment as staff continued to implement a policy they understood to be pointless following the change in government. The second claim related to his employment at the Department of Finance from 2017 to 2021, citing continual out-of-hours contact from SES personnel and interruptions to leave as significant contributing factors to a worsening of his mental state. Despite SRGF's contentions and the evidence he presented, including biometric data and personal accounts, Senior Member O'Donovan found that SRGF had not satisfied the Tribunal that his employment contributed to his psychological decline to a significant degree. The Tribunal also found that SRGF did not meet the requirements for the deeming provisions under sections 7(2) and 7(3) of the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 (SRC Act). The decisions under review were affirmed.