McCully insults industry and the truth

ACC Minister Murray McCully insulted the convenors and participants at the International Forest Industry Safety Conference today by lying about Labour's ACC policy and the National Government's ACC "reforms", Labour ACC spokesperson Ruth Dyson said.

"Mr McCully is showing the desperation of a desperate government.

"His comments display his lack of understanding of issues like industry classification and experience rating. He has chosen to ignore the overwhelming international and his own government-commissioned evidence that any initial savings from privatisation will soon disappear when insurance companies try to recoup their losses.

"He exposes his complete ignorance when he quotes a media statement from the Timber Industry Federation about their cost saving.

"Mr McCully should have examined the statement more closely. The Timber Industry Federation did not compare apples with apples when looking at premium levels. The TIF did not include the ACC residual claim levy or experience rate rebate in their calculations.

"The TIF have confirmed to me that their statement was wrong - they have saved very little, if any money in the move to private insurers.

"The Minister also completely misrepresents Labour's ACC and Industrial Relations policies. He makes a bizarre personal attack on me for being a 'former unionist'. He's even got that wrong.

"This speech from National's campaign strategist confirms that a party desperate to hang on to power is going to play dirty. The public has had enough of lying politicians. Mr McCully should stick to the facts," Ruth Dyson said.

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