ACC Futures Coalition

Media Release

“The new ACC law will make it harder for injured workers to get the help they need to recover from work place accidents,” says Hazel Armstrong spokesperson for the ACC Futures Coalition.

“New Zealand workers are now worse off than their Australian counterparts if they suffer hearing loss.”

“While it is important for Government to contain costs, our accident compensation scheme is substantially more efficient and our levies are lower than Australian schemes run across their country.”*

“The NZ scheme is not in crisis, and the changes enacted are too harsh.”

“Government members of the select committee that reviewed the legislation acknowledge that the changes to the Act have not been supported by the majority of submitters, but they have pressed on regardless.”

“They have embedded changes to the law that will make it easier for the ACC scheme administrators to push people out of the scheme without regard to their previous earnings and whether or not they can return to full time work.”

“These changes will make the scheme more attractive to the Australian insurance companies who want to profit from managing our accident scheme.”

“The Government has decided to change the name of the legislation, taking out the words ‘injury prevention and rehabilitation’.”

“The name change may be a technicality but it signals the government’s intention to place less emphasis on injury prevention and rehabilitation,” says Hazel Armstrong.

*See page 9 of the Commentary of the Select Committee report to Parliament.