Public ownership of ACC vital

Hundreds of thousands of injured New Zealanders annually would be getting less protection if the ACC scheme is privatised, says ACC Minister Maryan Street.

"While it’s good that at last National deputy leader Bill English has come clean on the basic agenda today in the National Business Review, it’s unacceptable that National is still refusing to provide the public with critical details.

"In 1998 National privatised the work account, an action reversed by the Labour-led government. In 2005 National said it would privatise all accounts, except the non-earners account. In 2006 it is reported to have said it would open up the entire scheme to competition. In 2007 it went back to suggesting it would restrict privatisation to the work account. What a farce!" Maryan Street said.

"Recently it said its policy – whichever policy that is - was under review.

"Injured New Zealanders make 5000 ACC claims a day. Many of those people may need to take out private accident insurance cover to protect them from sports injuries, falls in the home or horrific car accidents if the scheme is fully privatised. They deserve to know what National is up to before it’s too late.

"Mr English’s comments in the National Business Review suggest the "review" was really about working out how National could disguise its true motives to the public, which revolve around lining the pockets of their insurance company mates."

"There’s been some changes around the language....(but) we still want to see people given a choice," Mr English said.

"National should just admit it would be wrong to privatise the scheme because it knows all the evidence points to the fact that a fragmented, privatised system would not only provide lower quality health care - and may result in no care for a number of people - but it would also cost employers more," Maryan Street said.