Labour Fails To Deliver On ACC

The Labour Party has failed to deliver its pre-election promise of a fairer ACC scheme, said Denise Powell, chair of ACCLAIM Otago, a newly-formed ACC action group, after a public meeting last Saturday.

Ms Powell issued her statement after the meeting, of about 70 people, heard from Peter Sara, a Dunedin specialist in personal injury law.

Mr Sara told the meeting that he was unaware of any other organization which so regularly drove its clients to the point where they threatened to harm themselves or others. Those present at the meeting openly agreed with Mr Sara.

“The current law is unjust, after Labour promised to change it”, said Ms Powell. “While Labour did get the private insurers out of the personal injury market, they failed to properly reform ACC, with the result that it remains as brutal and incompetent as ever.”

The meeting decided to approach Labour Members of Parliament and ask why they had not implemented their own Party’s policy remit in 2000, which called for an independent enquiry into ACC’s treatment of long-term claimants.

“It appears our politicians are suffering from an occupational disease of their own – selective amnesia”, said Ms Powell. “Perhaps they should try making ACC claims themselves and see how they get on.”

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