The WorkSafe Queensland 2024-25 annual report shows 3,633 accepted primary mental injury claims, an 8 per cent increase from the previous year. These claims accounted for 15 per cent of total statutory claim costs in Queensland.

The average statutory claim cost for a mental injury was $23,600. The average for a physical injury was $13,000. That is not a marginal difference. It reflects the longer recovery times, extended counselling and therapy requirements, and lower return-to-work rates that characterise psychosocial injury claims across every jurisdiction.

What the Queensland data shows

Workers with mental injuries have more time off work and are less likely to return to work in the long term. The Queensland report confirms what claims data has shown consistently: psychological injuries are more expensive, more complex, and more disruptive to both workers and organisations than physical injuries of comparable severity.

The steady increase in Queensland aligns with national trends. Primary and secondary mental injury claims continue to put upward pressure on claim costs and durations across the state's workers' compensation scheme.

The national picture

Queensland's data sits within a broader pattern that is now well established.

Safe Work Australia's Key Work Health and Safety Statistics Australia 2025 report, published in October 2025, shows that mental health conditions accounted for 12 per cent of all serious workers' compensation claims nationally in 2023-24. That represents 17,600 serious claims, a 14.7 per cent increase on the previous year and a 161 per cent increase over the past decade.

The cost disparity is even sharper at the national level. Mental health claims represent 12 per cent of all serious claims by volume but account for 38 per cent of total compensation costs. The median time lost for a mental health claim is almost five times longer than for other injuries and diseases. The median compensation paid is more than four times higher.

The most common causes of serious mental stress claims nationally were harassment and workplace bullying (33.2 per cent), work pressure (24.2 per cent), and exposure to violence and harassment (15.7 per cent). These are not abstract categories. They are identifiable psychosocial hazards with identifiable control measures.

What this means

The trajectory is clear and it is not slowing down. Mental health claims are growing in volume, cost, and duration across every Australian jurisdiction. Queensland's data is another data point in a national trend that has been accelerating for a decade.

For organisations managing psychosocial compliance, these numbers quantify the cost of not having a system in place. The average statutory claim cost of $23,600 in Queensland is the direct cost of a single accepted claim. It does not include indirect costs: the management time consumed by the claim, the impact on team function, the replacement cost if the worker does not return, or the premium increases that follow.

Disclaimer: This article provides general information on psychosocial compliance in Australian workplaces. It does not constitute legal advice. Organisations should consult qualified professionals for advice specific to their circumstances. Data cited is sourced from WorkSafe Queensland's 2024-25 Annual Report and Safe Work Australia's Key Work Health and Safety Statistics Australia 2025 as of the date of publication.