Work Cover 2011

WorkCover Queensland & WIN Television – Insurance Obstruction, Public Retaliation, and Gagged Settlement (2011)

In 2011, while employed at WIN Television, I sustained a back injury on the workplace stairs. WorkCover Queensland initially accepted my claim but ruled the injury “pre-existing,” using that label to limit liability and minimise compensation.

Around three months into the claim, WorkCover required me to attend an assessment with Dr Tollsen at his private hospital office in Brisbane. His reports supported WorkCover’s pre-existing classification, despite medical evidence of acute injury. This made him a central figure in shaping the denial narrative.

While the claim was still active — and before any settlement — WIN Television placed me on the front page of the local newspaper, branding me a liar. On my lawyer’s advice, I did not read or keep the article, but I was informed of its contents. This was a calculated act of reputational harm designed to:

• Intimidate me into dropping or reducing my claim

• Damage my credibility in the community

• Undermine any future legal or workplace proceedings

After 12 months of WorkCover obstruction and psychological harm, they withdrew entirely — leaving me to take on WIN Television directly. Two years later, WIN Television offered the statutory maximum payout, contingent on signing a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA).

The NDA concealed:

• The mishandling of my workplace injury

• The reputational damage campaign against me while my claim was still active

During the same period, Dr Tollsen also appeared in my case as the Queensland Health “spin specialist” at Rockhampton Hospital — the person who handled sensitive, high-liability patient matters. This creates a direct continuity between my WorkCover claim and Queensland Health negligence, with the same doctor involved in suppressing liability for both the insurance and health systems.

While WIN Television may not have been aware of the broader international law breaches, the actions of WorkCover Queensland and Queensland Health must be assessed in the context of their obligations under the Rome Statute, Stockholm Convention, ICCPR, and OECD Guidelines, given that my underlying health conditions were caused by second-generation TCDD (Agent Orange) exposure.

All supporting evidence — WorkCover records, legal correspondence, and hospital documentation — is retained and will be produced to the ICC, OECD, and relevant enforcement agencies.