Joint Press Release by:
Acclaim Canterbury Inc. and Acclaim Otago Inc.
ACC Claimant Suicides
Suicides brought about by ACC's adverse attitudes and culture, an eagerness to decline and deny entitlements to
rehabilitation and weekly compensation, inconsistency in decision-making, doctors and vocational assessors writing
biased reports and being corrupted and manipulated by ACC contracts, a corrupt complaints investigation system and
wide-spread cover-up's - these are just some of the allegations which strike at the heart of New Zealander's confidence
in their Accident Compensation scheme and raise questions about ACC's procedures and culture.
The questions surrounding the allegations go on and on, but the swirling stories surrounding them could be crystallised
into five key areas of concern.
The first is the adequacy of ACC investigations into complaints particularly those involving their own.
The second was whether adverse attitudes and cultures that prevailed at ACC in the late 80's and early 90's, first
identified in the 1994 report from an Inquiry Into ACC by former Chief District Court judge Peter Trapski, still
prevail.
The third is to what extent the culture of loyalty, pack mentality, solidarity and the financial reward system inhibits
the proper investigation of complaints, alleged misconduct and failure to comply with the law.
The fourth was accountability and the relationship between ACC, its Minister, the Minister of Finance and the Prime
Minister. To what extent is the financial relationship inhibiting comprehensive rehabilitation? For example, before
issuing policy, which ACC must comply with, the ACC Minister must consult with the Minister of Finance over ACC's so-far
$4 billion in investments.
The fifth is the role and adequacy of Dispute Resolution Services Limited (DRSL) - a wholly owned ACC subsidiary of ACC
- and its reviewers who are supposed to independently review ACC's adverse decisions and in doing so, adopt an
investigative approach and exercise due diligence in decision-making. Disputes Resolution Services Limited's decisions
have become in the nature of a lottery for claimants and their counsels to the extent that this is putting pressure on
the court system.
Ends