Petition calls for a 'fair go' from ACC

Green MP Sue Bradford today tabled in Parliament a 523-signature petition that calls for a Select Committee inquiry into ACC's claim management practices.

"While I welcome the Auditor-General's recent report into ACC, many claimants' groups and the Greens believe its brief was too restricted in scope," said Ms Bradford, the Green Party's ACC Spokesperson.

"A serious investigation is needed into the quality and nature of rehabilitation provided through ACC, the way in which ACC administers the Vocational Independence Assessment process and the adequacy or otherwise of present ACC legislation in dealing with this and other issues around rehabilitation.

"Although the Green Party supported the Government's legislative reforms of ACC in the last Parliament, we believe there are still big problems in the way claimants are being treated. In particular, there seems to be an underlying agenda that places a priority on getting people off income-related compensation as soon as possible, but without ensuring that rehabilitation is adequate or complete.

"Any inquiry should also look into the adequacy and propriety of ACC's contractual arrangements with outside providers of rehabilitation and health care - it is important that not only ACC itself but also the organisations it engages are actually treating people well and in accordance with the law," said Ms Bradford.

For information on the petition itself contact Denise Powell at powell.castle@paradise.net.nz

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