ACC scaremongering has got to stop

The irresponsible scaremongering being undertaken by the Government and the ACC board around expected ACC levy increases has got to stop, says Labour’s ACC spokesperson David Parker.

“When you’ve got media reporting potential levy increases of up to 50 per cent, following interviews with the ACC Minister and the ACC board chairman – and you know the increases are not going to be anything like this, you have to wonder why such alarmist tactics are being used.

“We saw it earlier this year and the same scenario is now being repeated. The excessive rhetoric simply underlines the fact that the Government feels it needs to alarm the public in order to gain support for more drastic changes that are not necessary,” says David Parker.

“The reality is the ACC Scheme costs have increased but it is not fundamentally broken and remains cheaper than the Australian equivalent.

“Labour promised last year to push out the date for fully-funding the scheme by another five years to reduce the burden on levies. And I have had a Member’s Bill in the ballot seeking to do this all year,” David Parker says.

“Nick Smith could have done this early this year – before the current levies kicked in. But he prevaricated instead of taking action. He is now belatedly planning to adopt Labour’s idea and present it as part of his own solution.

“As a result the levy increases will be substantially lower than those the Government and the board have encouraged the media to report.
“Prime Minister John Key says we need to have a public debate about the future of the scheme, because of rising costs. Labour agrees – but we need to have it before irreversible changes are enacted, as they are being, not afterwards.

“If ACC removes entitlements, injured New Zealanders will have to foot the bill for themselves – the costs do not go away ,” says David Parker.

ENDS

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