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Thursday, 24 September 2026

ACT Law Society Contributes to Review of the Motor Accident Injuries Scheme

The ACT Law Society has made a submission to the ACT Government’s second three-year review of the Motor Accident Injuries Act 2019, informed by members of its Personal Injury and Torts Law Advisory Committee. 

The Society broadly supports the objectives of the Motor Accident Injuries Scheme. However, members identified several areas where the operation of the scheme could be strengthened to improve accessibility, claimant experience and administrative efficiency. 

Key recommendations include: 

• Improve awareness of the scheme 
  Many eligible claimants remain unaware of the benefits available under the scheme or how to access them. The Society recommends consideration of targeted education initiatives and clearer claimant information 
• Improve claimant navigation and accessibility 
  The Society supports measures to simplify the claimant experience, including a centralised digital portal, plain language resources, and improved support for culturally and linguistically diverse communities  
• Strengthen support for families affected by road trauma 
  Family members often experience significant practical and psychological impacts following serious injury or fatal motor accidents. Consideration should be given to improved access to information, support services and referral pathways. 
• Review application and claims processes  
  The Society recommends examining whether current application timeframes and administrative requirements remain appropriate and whether greater flexibility is warranted in exceptional circumstances.  
• Improve rehabilitation, return-to-work and dispute resolution processes 
  Greater coordination between scheme participants, along with improvements to the timeliness and accessibility of external review processes, would support better claimant outcomes and confidence in the scheme. 

Submissions will be made available to the public and will inform the report to be tabled in the ACT Legislative Assembly. More information about the review is available at this link. 

We thank members of our Personal Injury and Torts Law Advisory Committee for their valuable contributions to this submission. 

We’re committed to keeping members informed about our policy and advocacy work. If members have any feedback or suggestions, please contact us at policy@actlawsociety.asn.au.