“Government MPs and their supporters should hang their heads in shame over the Accident Insurance Bill,” said New Zealand First ACC Spokesperson, Peter Brown.

He said that Labour, Alliance and Greens have rejected a New Zealand First amendment to the Bill, which if adopted would have mandatory increased the entitlements for workplace accident victims.

“Specifically, additional payments to Doctors and other medical practitioners would have been abolished as far as accident victims were concerned.

“So would all additional expenses such as travelling expenses.

“Further, casual employees who were injured at work would receive a stipulated agreed wage instead of the pittance many of them receive now based on work hours immediately preceding an accident.

“Millions are being saved on accident insurance and yet not one cent is being mandatorily awarded to accident victims.

“Today I expect the House to pass legislation which will allow the self employed to insure for an agreed value income if and when an accident occurs, which is only right and proper. But this government appears to be overlooking the plight of many ordinary New Zealanders.

“The Government is well advised to remember that the ordinary kiwi has given up the right to sue and is therefore absolutely entitled to fair and reasonable workplace insurance.

“If this Bill goes through without any provision for increased entitlements to ordinary people the Government should hang its head in shame,” concluded Peter Brown.

ENDS

© Scoop Media