Nats policy means 250% ACC levy hike

Any privatisation of accident compensation would mean a levy hike of at least 250 per cent for rural people and a likely reduction in rehabilitation services, Agriculture Minister Jim Anderton said today.

Jim Anderton said the National Party had failed to contest in Parliament evidence that showed a privatized system would be more expensive, especially for rural people, than the current Crown-owned ACC system.

“Not one MP from that party stood up to defend their policy – not even John Key.”

Jim Anderton said an Australian Government report comparing the Australian and New Zealand accident compensation market had found that Australia was more than twice as expensive as New Zealand, and this had been backed up by a PriceWaterhouseCoopers report last year.

“ACC is important to rural people who work in the most dangerous areas of our country, and their families.

“It pays not just weekly compensation, but also ambulance and emergency services, ongoing medical care and home help, physical rehabilitation, lump sum payments, and modifications to homes and cars – all things that private insurers will try to cut to save money.”

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