At the risk of being told that all governments do it, National has really out done itself for the week before Christmas dump of stories you don’t like. Not content with the OIA release that shows that a large chunk of the Hobbit debacle was totally unnecessary and opportunistic, and that Gerry Brownlee called Helen Kelly a liar when he knew that was not fair, we now have confirmation of the privatisation of ACC. Bear in mind Ministers have had this report for six months and have refused OIA requests for it. This is political cynicism at its worst.
Of course there is no chance of getting comment from John Key or Gerry Brownlee because they have already left on their holiday. Mr Key has been unavailable to explain whether he or Murray McCully misled Parliament about the Dalai Lama. Apparently they don’t have phones in Hawaii.
The ACC decision will most definitely be a major political issue. I am more than happy to see the focus go on privatisation and asset sales next year, as it seems that is where National is going. We have rehearsed the arguments around privatisation of ACC before- ordinary New Zealanders will pay more and get less as insurance companies seek to maximise their profits. Our globally well regarded scheme, with lower overheads than private schemes is compromised and we go back to the 90s for no good reason.
Anyway, at least we all know one question for the first question time of next year.
pdm your ‘history’ is incorrect, Cullen was an economic history lecturer.
But did you know Brownlee was a woodwork teacher, and of course Jenny Shipley was a teacher too.
“They are only going to implement it after the election, I understand such fundamental democracy is a difficult concept for Labour to grasp though.”
You are assuming sir that the debate will be honest. We know the so-called “debate” over the Hobbit was riddled with lies and misinformation. That is not democracy that is advertising.
JKM you knew what I meant, insuranc companies pay the claims they feel they must, any sign of grey and its delay delay delay. In the case of injuries that delay will eventually cross over to the health system (Taxpeyer funded) and we will be funding their advanced treatment instead of the early stages.
Nick Smith and National have misled gregiously over ACC. They took Labur’s lead and loosened even further the degeneration criteria and used ACC as a PR campaign for the INsurance industry.
IF the Govt wants to take this to its natural end give people back the right to sue for personal injury. This method is too lopsided to insurers.
Of course any employee, or lawyer who comes out and says last time claims dropped not injuries will be called a socialist or unionist. Anyone who says it will save money and reduce injuries will be labelled “right thinking”. We are being spun, and the champagne corks must have been popping for some months in the insurance industry. I wonder how did the head of the insurers keep a straight face when he said he needed to wait to see more detail. I am sure he got, like Warners, the advance viewing.
pdm, how did ACC climb out of its “insolvency”? National didnt bail them out so exactly how did they do it?
That’s right it was due to the worldwide financial meltdown, the fund stocks dropped in value. You can try to blame Labour for Fanny Mae etc but that’s not a long bow it’s a “here to the moon and back” bow. Given Brownlee’s recent lies, you really need to stop assuming that only Labour politicians are liars and thieves, every day we see that National’s ranks are full of them. At least now we know why this government (lauded above for being democratic) is so intent on blocking OIA requests. They’re so caring they want to protect us all from the truth.
@ Anne, you raise an interesting point. Did TVNZ report that Brownlee lied to the public over the Hobbit, and when calling Kelly a liar that it was actually him telling the porkies? Frankly, if TVNZ rejected your complaint, in doing so resolving that Holmes’ comments were indeed ‘fair, accurate and balanced’, it would not surprise me they did not cover the Brownlee revelation. It would be a sad day when the country’s most powerful news and current affairs organ decides to cover up news to save itself from embarrassment, and to protect it’s investment in one of it’s own ‘media stars’?
TV3 might be interest though…
Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee has been forced to admit that the government has overstated the potential value of minerals on Great Barrier Island.
ONE News discovered the true value is less than third of the billions Brownlee has been claiming, could be mined from the Hauraki Gulf island.
Winner.
Again, Acc was not, is not and was never going to be $11b in debt.
Nick smith massaged the figures to show a potential level if claimants got acc payments for 25 years, or something equally misleading.
Also the fund at the time took a beating due to the world market collapse, which artificially affected projections. Now the markets are back to normal, the Acc fund is turning a good profit, again, making Smith’s figures look even more ridiculous and made up.
Well my experience with ACC and insurence makes it clear we should have a choice
Certainly for those who are slf-employed
I was involved in a work place accident (a tree fell on me)
ACC hounded me back to work while the private insurence just paid out and allowed me to manage my own affairs as I saw fit
I could have remained on ACC for ever (despite the hounding) but thanks to the pay out could pay someone else to do what I couldn’t
Every case is diffrent but I like choice
You like choice because you’re told to like choice.
There is no good reason for Acc to have to compete against insurers offering cut price deals they’ll do all they can to avoid paying out on… Just like happened the last time the nats failed with the experiment.
This altering of ACC is not choice. For the majority of the people presently covered by ACC there will be no choice.
Employees, the people who need the work place insurance, will be forced to suck up their employer’s choice. If their employer goes with a cut price option that doesn’t cover sufficiently, or an insurance company that avoids properly paying out on claim at every opportunity – Tough.
All we need to know about private heath insurance and how inefficient it is in health care we can learn by looking at the USA where their health care costs three times more than ours and isn’t anywhere near as effective (only 5/6ths of the population are insured and claims are always disputed). Great at making a profit for the rentiers though.
Jennifer @ 8:43am. I’ve just seen your comment.
TVNZ reported the OIA revelations online – although they were somewhat circumspect on the ‘lying’ bit. There was no video footage and I didn’t see anything on last night’s 6pm news – or tonight. TVNZ rejected my complaint on the grounds that it was “a robust debate” and therefore acceptable. That was the essence of their finding anyway. I beg to differ. Last week I broadened my submission and lodged it with the BSA – before yesterday’s revelations.
That they were protecting Paul Holmes was also my first thought. Apparently retaining the credibility of their star performer is more important than presenting balanced and fair interviews.
Raymon, what are the cost of the total premiums you paid to your private insurer for wages cover as a self employed person? I have tried in the past to get private cover for accidents or lost wages due to injury and sickness and it is very expensive. I also found the small print worked very much in their favour and I have one of the best and prompt paying insurers in NZ.