Reviews of previous editions

Sutherland and Ballard’s popular text, now in its 11th edition, is the most comprehensive and practical textbook on the Commonwealth statutory scheme of workers’ compensation. It is an essential guidebook for practitioners in this area and is regarded by practitioners as the leading resource on this subject. The authors provide commentary on each provision of the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 (Cth), and its regulation. The text also includes a practitioner’s guide, addressing some of the practical aspects of the legislation. The text contains valuable insights on some of the most difficult issues arising out of the legislation and provides the reader with guidance as to how those issues have been addressed in the cases. It contains summaries of the most relevant and referenced cases, which makes it helpful to practitioners of all levels. It is an essential resource for anyone practising in the Commonwealth statutory compensation regime.

Ballard provides us with an up-to-date, detailed summary of most topical cases which we might need in the AAT. Succeeding volumes are not just a re-hashing of the old, but represent a new and considered appraisal of where the law is, and where it is going.
         I have said it before, but it is worth repeating, that I don’t think you can practice in this jurisdiction unless you have the most up-to-date version of Ballard. Finally, John Ballard has given his name to earlier editions, but Peter Sutherland has now assumed that mantle, so perhaps I should correctly call this text, Sutherland!

The tenth edition of this useful practitioners text sets out the full text of the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988, the 2002 Regulations, in addition to other relevant legislative instruments, as at 1 April 2014, together with comprehensive annotations considering the applicable principles and authorities. The text also includes a practitioners’ guide to the legislation contributed by barrister Allan Anforth, which is tailored for the assistance of claimants and their advisors.

For those intending to, or already practising in, the area of Commonwealth statutory compensation for workplace injuries, the tenth edition of Sutherland & Ballard’s Annotated Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 (Cth) is, and will be your necessary bedfellow. … I found this book very comprehensive, easy to use and very considerate of the various needs of practitioners at all levels within this interesting area of practice. 

The 10th edition of this reference book builds on its impressive foundations to provide the full text of the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act as at 1 April 2014 alongside tightly written and impeccably researched annotations. This book is a must for all practitioners in the Commonwealth compensation field and will no doubt find a welcome home among lawyers, HR practitioners, union organisers and tribunal members.
          As well as incorporating legislative and judicial updates, this edition provides an updated version of Allan Anforth’s excellent Practitioner’s Guide. The guide is a wonderful introduction for beginners in this field or a welcome reference and refresher for long term practitioners. It should act as the first port of call for any practitioner who is engaged in this field of compensation practice.

The ninth edition of Ballard is as essential a reference tool for practitioners in Commonwealth Workers’ Compensation as the last eight editions.
         Well set out and concise this edition incorporates numerous developments…
         The great thing about Ballard is the succinct way in which each section, authority and principle is dealt with… A “must have” and the “go to” book for anyone practising in Commonwealth or Military Workers Compensation matters.

Over the years Ballard’s commentaries have been cited in decisions of Tribunals and of the Courts, and frequently used in support of a particular interpretation. This demonstrates just how scholarly and reliable the annotations are viewed. The fact that they are updated annually, keeps them as current as is reasonably possible. … Ballard is and remains a comprehensive but manageably small compendium of the SRC legislation, of the more important decisions and of the likely interpretations of contentious sections. Any practitioner who works in this area cannot adequately represent his or her client without having the most up to date edition of Ballard at hand, whether in or out of Court. It remains the first and often last source of reference. It speaks volumes for its importance, when almost without fail, there are at least 3 copies of it on the bar table and the bench during most hearings. It is worthwhile having both the more extensive electronic version for use in Chambers and the hard copy for ease of access in Court or the Tribunal.

This thorough and detailed work is the latest edition of what has become the premier textbook for anyone dealing with Commonwealth compensation matters. … Of particular note is the Practitioner’s Guide prepared by Canberra barrister, Allan Anforth, which … includes very useful practical tips … [T]he beauty of the work is its compact nature, being a single bound volume. … The direct style of Ballard and Sutherland will also be attractive to busy practitioners. This excellent work is a necessary addition to the library of any member of the bar whose practice includes Commonwealth compensation claims or compensation matters more broadly.

This annotated service is now into its 7th edition, the last being published about two years ago. Much has occurred in that time and a new edition is not therefore an expensive luxury but an inexpensive necessity. … Few practitioners have any understanding of the large amount of business conducted in the AAT in reviewing claims for compensation. … There is no excuse for not being informed when one can consult this outstanding resource. …There is no point in me trying to dissect the various additions or improvements to the 7th edition from the 6th edition. Rather, let me again urge practitioners who are requested to provide advice into aspects of this legislation, to familiarise themselves with Ballard, as it remains the first and major source of reference by most if not all practitioners who appear in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. If it is good enough for us, perhaps it might just be useful to those unfamiliar with the legislation.

More compensation lawyers will be involved in commonwealth compensation work as the Commission (and Federal Court on appeal) is allowing private employers with the requisite business connection with the Commonwealth to sign up with Comcare as insurer. Some very senior practitioners appear in the AAT and this will continue because of the expansion. … What do fresh reinforcements need to know about the Comcare process? It is driven by hundreds and thousands of folios. … The rules of evidence do not apply, yet in practice the fundamentals of adversarial litigation and evidence apply. The text provides some detail. And when the case for the applicant is “heading south”, you can always refer to the model litigant policy of the commonwealth, set out in the text. The 17 page Practitioners’s Guide also assists the new (and not so new) lawyer in this field of compensation practice, as will the Protocol for Comcare and applicant lawyers attending to reconsideration by applicant of unfavorable Comcare determination. … Like all annotated texts, its list of case references grows edition to edition. It is fortunate that the three authors, with decades of compensation law experience between them, continue to produce updated editions.