CTU media release
23 October 2009

ACC seriously threatened by National’s privatisation agenda

The CTU wants to know why the National Government wants to privatise ACC when every informed party is telling them that they don’t want it and it wouldn’t deliver better value for money or outcomes for accident victims than the publicly owned scheme in its present form.

“Is John Key being straight with the country when he says he wants to preserve ACC’s no-fault 24/7 comprehensive protection? Because he must know – and the country must know – that taking ACC down this privatisation road will destroy it and dismantle all the protections that it currently provides,” said CTU President Helen Kelly.

“The Insurance Council has said they don’t want it, and even the Employers and Manufacturers Association has said they don’t want it. Price Waterhouse Cooper have said that privatisation will be more costly and won’t provide better service to New Zealanders. Who exactly, apart from Nick Smith and Rodney Hide wants this priceless public benefit privatised?”

“If National is allowed to push through its drastic and far-ranging privatisation of ACC then public life in this country will be transformed. Before long ACC will have been replaced by a private insurance scheme which will leave every ordinary New Zealander vulnerable to discriminatory levies targeting those most at risk because they work in farming or construction, run adventure tourism, play rugby, or go fishing. The ACC scheme is the envy of the world and supports the very essence of the NZ life style. It must not be privatised.”

ENDS

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