About us

The COMpensation Policy And Return to work Effectiveness (COMPARE) project established in 2014,aims to develop evidence that can help improve return to work policy and practice in Australia.

The project adopts a comparative effectiveness methodology, comparing return to work outcomes between settings and cohorts, and before-and-after changes in policy or practice.

The project receives financial or in-kind support from every state, territory and commonwealth government in Australia.

Australia has eleven major state, territory and commonwealth government workers' compensation schemes. While these schemes all seek to achieve the best return to work outcomes at the lowest cost to society, there is much variation between their policies and practices. Until the COMPARE project, there was also very little quality published evidence regarding the impact of scheme policy on return to work.

The COMpensation Policy And Return to work Effectiveness (COMPARE) project was established to develop an evidence base to support effective return to work policy in Australia.

The project team, led by Professor Alex Collie and based at the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Monash University, is supported by a national policy and data advisory group. The project has an international team of expert researchers from Australia, Canada and Denmark.

The COMPARE project began in 2014 and has produced many findings. Links to the major research reports, presentations, and journal articles are provided below.

The COMPARE project has received research grant funding from the Australian Research Council, Safe Work Australia and WorkSafe Victoria via the Institute for Safety Compensation and Recovery Research. The project has also received data and in-kind support from Safe Work Australia, WorkSafe Victoria, Comcare, State Insurance Regulatory Authority of NSW, WorkCover QLD, QLD Office of Industrial Relations, ACT Government, ReturnToWorkSA, WorkCover WA, Worksafe Tasmania, NT WorkSafe, the AiGroup and the Australian Council of Trade Unions.