Media release on behalf of ACC Futures Coalition - 13 April 2011

ACC Chief Executive’s departure raises further concerns for the future

“The announcement that ACC Chief Executive Jan White will not be seeking to renew her appoint raises yet more concerns for the future of ACC,” said Hazel Armstrong, spokesperson for the ACC Futures Coalition.

“Ms. White has led ACC through a very difficult time in its history and we wish to acknowledge her contribution”, said Ms. Armstrong. “Under the previous board and under her leadership there was hope that there would be a genuine partnership between the management and the board that would put the needs of ACC clients first. However, with the change of government and the beat up about ACC’s finances it was clear that life for the leadership at ACC would be more difficult.”

“Her departure, coinciding with the government’s plans to privatise the work account, comes at a bad time,” said Ms. Armstrong. “Ms White has overseen an organisation which has invested prudently and had the cash reserves to assist those disabled by the Christchurch earthquake (a notable contrast to AMI).”

“We are concerned that people like Ms White, with a strong public sector background are leaving the public service because now more than ever we need people with that background and skills. ACC is an important provider of social services; it is more than just an insurance company. It is extremely likely that the next CEO appointment will be a person with an insurance bent consistent with the direction that the Government wishes ACC to take. This will be a step backwards for NZ’s unique no fault scheme.”

ENDS

The ACC Futures Coalition consists of community groups, academics, organisations representing people who need support from ACC, health treatment providers and unions who have come together around the following aim:

To build cross-party support for retaining the status of ACC as a publicly-owned single provider committed to the ‘Woodhouse Principles’, with a view to maintaining and improving the provision of injury prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and ‘no fault’ compensation social insurance system for all New Zealanders.

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