Positive change or green slip-up? Reforms may not make registration cheaper THE O'Farrell government and insurers can give no guarantee controversial green slip reforms will make the average $500-plus green slip cheaper - promising only that the changes will stop price rises. At a round table held by Disability Services Minister Andrew Constance - in an attempt to smooth over the Greg Pearce lobbying affair - the government and insurers backed away from the Finance Minister's promise the CTP reforms would reduce green slip bills by 15 per cent. The round table also heard the proposed scheme would be the first privately underwritten "no-fault" scheme of its type in Australia, amid claims the only other place in the world such a system operates is in New York State, where there are smaller payouts. An NRMA motoring representative, motorcyclists and lawyer groups all criticised the reform proposals. Mr Constance has been given responsibility for green slips in the wake of controversy over Mr Pearce being lobbied by Liberal powerbroker Michael Photios's firm PremierState on behalf of insurers. Mr Constance said he was injured in a car accident 2 1/2 years ago and was yet to receive a payout, arguing the new scheme would bring quicker payouts. He was met with opposition from lawyers and motorists groups, who said the changes would disadvantage victims. "I don't know what submissions were taken notice of other than the Department of Finance and the insurance industry," Motorcycle Alliance spokesman Dave Cooke said. I have massive doubts whether this system can even operate long term. Outgoing Finance Department head Michael Coutts-Trotter told the round table: "Without change, green slip prices will continue to rise at the same rate they have done since 2007. If the government's reforms (were to succeed) by 2014 the average green slip ... would be less than we pay today. Mr Coutts-Trotter took that advice from an Ernst and Young actuarial assessment and a "peer review" - but the government refused to release either document, citing commercial in confidence. Insurance Council of Australia head Robert Whelan said the reforms would put "downward pressure" on prices but he could not guarantee lower premiums. "We understand there is a lot of community concern around the cost of CTP in NSW," Mr Whelan said. This scheme has some aspects to it which in theory should be able to bring downward pressure on CTP prices. What precisely that could be I couldn't tell you, because we just don't know the detail to be able to put that forward. Andrew Stone, from the NSW Bar Association, said: "If this is all being done in order to save money let's at least have some (figures) on the money being saved." Under the proposed reforms, people "at fault" in accidents would also receive payouts for injury, but payments would be capped, with medical expenses for injured children who did not suffer massive impairment stopped after five years.