For over 7 hours so far I, along with my Labour and Green colleagues, have been arguing against the ACC Bill being pushed through under urgency.
I use the word arguing because the word debating would not accurately describe the lack of engagement by the Government. Despite the significance of this Bill currently 2 National members are sitting reading newspapers and most have said absolutely nothing.
The Minister in the Chair, Pansy Wong has said nothing, neither did the previous Minister in the Chair Kate Wilkinson.
This is despite the complete picture of arbitrary, unfair and discriminatory changes we have outlined to the Government. The changes in this Bill will disproportionately affect women, Maori, Pacific, low paid, young and old workers. The Human Rights Commission clearly raised a number of significant concerns in their submission. Despite repeated requests Ministers will not address the concerns we are raising about arbitrary, unfair and discriminatory changes.
Let me conclude by advising you on an unfair change that will affect most New Zealanders. This change relates to holiday pay and the requirement being created that unused holiday pay at the end of the employee’s pre-injury employment will be offset against entitlements to earnings related compensation. Consider the situation of two workers – one who took the holiday they accumulated prior to being injured and the other who had not yet taken the holiday they accumulated prior to being injured. One will contribute to their own earnings related compensation one will not. Is that fair? Well even Treasury advised that this provision would be considered to be unfair and they suggested that the savings of $1 million dollars a year seemed small compared to the fairness concerns.
This Bill has consequences for people, real people who will suffer as a result of changes that are arbitrary, unfair and discriminatory. It is not just Labour and submitters identifying this but also Crown agencies such as Te Puni Kokiri and the Human Rights Commission.
The whole thing is bleeping disgraceful
Man democracy has been swept away in a sea of loose change. 
Is national still claiming that ACC is losing money or are they now accepting ACC reserves are VERY healthy?
So, has labour promised to repeal them next time they’re in yet?
Draco – Remember Helen Clark?
Yay, glad the bill passed. Less money for crooks, and less rises for “ordinary New Zealanders”. I’m stoked. Clearly I’m not part of the 29% that supports Labour.
When you’re out on your bus trip, Carol, ask people what they’d prefer? An extra $74 per car, an extra $300 for the earners levy, and a 25 percent increase in levies for businesses, or compensation for criminals and people who (or attempt to) commit suicide? Hmmm, I bet I can answer that…
Now those increases would be unfair on women, Maori, Pacific, low paid, young and old workers!
But keep promising to bring it all back! The longer you do, the less time you’ll spend on the Treasury benches!
Remember the 90s National govt messing with ACC, made the whole thing worse, just another step in privatization so they can fill the pockets of their greedy nat mates.
We will fight them and cost them more!!
NATIONAL NEVER
Carol,on the topic- just, sorry for going off thread … but is it true there is no question time till March?!?!?!?!?!?!
ON ACC:The bill itself is ridiculous, it should have more time at committee, and the Government should be voting for the SOP’s and amendments, not against them. It has also knoked out other aspects of the Parliamentary procedure, i.e. delayed other select committees that were meant to be hearing important submissions e.g. ACE for Education and Science Select Committiee.
Absolutely Positively Amazingly Idiotic decisions from the Nats- in the first 2 weeks of 2010 sitting!?!?! Who put them into power- go figure.
Hoolian
“compensation for criminals and people who (or attempt to) commit suicide?”
Got any stats to show exactly how much cost is associated with those particular claims each year? I’d be very surprised if that requires such large changes.
Just because you’ve swallowed the Government PR that ACC is broken and broke, doesn’t mean it is either, or both.
@Tracey – Um, its a little odd to immediately assume that my opinion is “swallowing the Govt PR” – esp when most commentators on this blog scramble to be the first to agree with MPs. You could say that just because Labour MPs are in denial about ACC, doesn’t mean there’s nothing wrong or that it don’t need fixing…
Hmmm, I see a scramble coming on…
Hoolian are you saying that ACC doesnt have a healthy surplus, and it was only temporarily “bad” because of the financial crisis, but quickly corrected with prudent investment choices?
Are you saying the number of suicides and criminals getting ACC is so high in NZ that we have to raise levies on everyone? Source?
Are you saying that Price Water House are wrong?
Are you denying that National’s pre election policy clearly stated a desire to go back to private competition for ACC and that PWH Report state it’s not needed?
These are the kinds of things on which I base my current criticism of National.