Full Coverage: ACC Levy Rises, Cover Cuts

ACC Minister Nick Smith today announced that he has requested that ACC commission an independent clinical review in six months’ time of its new approach to managing sensitive claims. More>>

ALSO:Labour - Implementation of ACC guidelines should stopNZ Govt - N Smith: ACC Amendment BillLabour - Bill continues unprecedented attack on ACCMaori Party - Katene: ACC Amendment BillACT - Douglas: Benefits of Opening ACC to CompetitionScoop Full Coverage - ACC Levy Rises, Cover CutsTom Frewen - Today In Parliament 27.10.09

The government today tabled the ACC Reform Bill in Parliament and will introduce it for its first reading next week, ACC Minister Nick Smith says. More>>

ALSO:Scoop Business - ACC Work Accounts To Open to CompetitorsACT - ACC choice to cut costs for all New ZealandersLabour - Key breaks ACC election promiseLabour - Kiwis will pay more and get less under ACC BillMaori Party - Maori Party calls for feedback on ACC changesNZ Council of Trade Unions - Nick Smith fails to tick the boxes on ACCEMA - Agreement moves ACC along right trackWomen's Refuge - ACC Changes Will Harm WomenBusiness NZ - Ability to choose good for ACCEPMU - ACC privatisation could cost workers $200m/yearPublic Service Association - Govt recycling failed privatisation of ACCCTU - ACC threatened by National’s privatisation agendaAuckland Chamber of Commerce - Claims Mediator Should Be Part of ACC RevampTV3 Video - Labour vows 'tooth and nail' fight over ACCOut-Link - No Right Turn: "Financial discipline"Scoop Full Coverage - ACC Levy Rises, Cover Cuts

The Maori Party caucus has decided to support the introduction of the Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation and Compensation Amendment Bill, to be referred to a Select Committee. More>>

ALSO:Labour - Turia does complete flip flop on ACC privatisationLabour - ACC: National continues to tell different storiesLabour - Maori Party paves way for ACC cutsLabour - ACC cuts will hit Pacific families hardNZ Alliance Party - Alliance Party challenges Tariana Turia over ACCMaori Party - Maori Party on ETSEmployers And Manufacturers Association - Employers wary about competition for ACCNational Council of Women - ACC: Creating barriers to recoveryLabour - Turia does complete flip flop on ACC privatisationThe Kiwi Party - ACC Should give up its Billions -CopelandTV3 Video - BRONZ President Les Mason on hikes in bikers' ACC levies

As a free fire exercise in which anything at all can be raised, the Prime Minister’s post Cabinet press conference should be a rewarding experience... Yesterday though was a prime example of the lean pickings in actual content. More>>

ALSO:Scoop Audio - PM Press Conference - RWC, ACC and ETSNational Council of Women - ACC cuts to sexual abuse counsellingTV3 Video - Full interview with John Key: RWC, ACC

Wellington citizens from all walks of life convened at the Cenotaph this afternoon to protest the ACC's recently proposed cuts to its counselling programs for sexual abuse victims. More>>

ALSO:End Rape Culture Now - National Day of Action against ACC cutsACC - ACC Clarifies Assistance for Mental InjuryACC - Enhancing ACC support for sexual abuse survivorsLabour - ACC cutbacks to counselling spark fight backYoung Labour - Day Of Action Against Acc Cuts

AND:NZ Herald Out-Link - ACC founder blasts 'predatory' changesLabour - Kiwis will pay more, get less under privatised ACCNZ Society of Physiotherapists - Wrong call from ACC on elderly falls programmeTVNZ - Q+A’s Guyon Espiner interviews Tariana TuriaACC - Enhancing ACC support for sexual abuse survivorsNZ Society of Physiotherapists - Wrong call from ACC on elderly falls programmeNZ Audiological Society - ACC: Govt Turns Back on Hearing Impaired, Elderly95bfm - Audio: ACC minister Nick Smith on The WireScoop Audio - Radio Adelaide: Manning - ACC & Crossing A Nat's T

The Government’s failure to secure political support for legislation which will cut ACC entitlements and burden Kiwi families is further evidence of Nick Smith’s shambolic handling of the ACC portfolio, says ACC spokesperson David Parker. More>>

ALSO:Labour - Government moves will prejudice motorcyclistsProgressive Party - Government stigmatises families of suicide victimsMotor Industry Association - ACC unfairly blames motorcyclistsEnd Rape Culture Now - National Day of Action against ACC cutsHearing Association - Threshold could deny support after a life of workTom Frewen - Today In Parliament (15.10.09)TV3 Video - Rodney Hide says privatisation of ACC will give 'a better deal'TV3 Video - Chris Trotter on National's ACC woesTV3 Video - Smith's suicide comment shocks Victim SupportTV3 Video - Political rebellion over proposed ACC changes

Gordon Campbell: Ideology Drives ACC Changes

Amongst all the various changes that will be made to ACC entitlements, Green Party MP Sue Bradford is right to highlight the change to entitlements or seasonal or casual workers – who will now receive support based on their annual earnings, and not on their income during the immediate period before they were injured. More>>

ALSO:Labour - Nick Smith’s shambolic handling of ACC continuesProgressive Party - Government stigmatises families of suicide victimsNZ Govt - Debate on motor cycle accident costs neededLabour - Sexual abuse victims now victims of ACC cutbacksLibertarianz Party - Put ACC Into LiquidationNational Foundation for the Deaf - ACC’s Hearing Threshold will Result in DelaysTV3 Video - ACC changes met with criticismTV3 Video - Full interview with psycotherapist Kyle MacDonald about ACC cuts

Cover: "Law Changes Needed To Make ACC Affordable"

“The levy increases proposed by ACC’s Board under the current law are too much for New Zealanders to pay, Dr Smith said. “That is why the Government will be introducing law changes that more than halve the increases while securing ACC’s long-term future.” More>>

ALSO:Scoop Business - ACC law changes will halve levy hike, Smith saysACC - ACC releases levy increase proposalsLabour - Nick Smith’s scaremongering exposed againGreens - ACC changes take us back to the 90sCTU - ACC: incentives for employers - risks for workersNZ Assn of Counsellors Canterbury - ACC - Stop the Abuse, National Day of ActionPSA - ACC workers denied pay riseACC Futures Coalition - ACC cuts undermine the schemeEPMU - ACC cuts a needless attack on working KiwisAcclaim Otago - ACC Cuts Target the Most VulnerableAccess Support Service - ACC Changes - the Good, the Bad and the UglyEMA - Rethink of ACC service delivery still requiredAuckland Chamber of Commerce - Where is the accountability within ACC?NZEI - ACC Changes Will Penalise Low Paid School StaffScoop Audio - Smith And Judge Announce Changes, Answer QuestionsTV3 Video - ACC changes to be announced today by GovtTV3 Video - ACC: costs up, cover downTV3 Video - Motorcyclists to be hit hard by new ACC levyTV3 Video - Full interview with Annette KingTV3 Video - ACC cuts to mental health care come under fire

Audio on Demand of NZ Prime Minister John Key's weekly press conference. Proposed legislative changes detailing 20 areas where ACC may be cut will be announced this Wednesday by ACC Minister Nick Smith. Today the PM singled out physiotherapy co-payments as one area that would be changed. More>>ALSO:Greens - Manufactured ACC Crisis - No AccidentScoop Business - “Subtantial” rise in ACC levies aheadLabour - ACC scaremongering has got to stopEPMU - ACC figures misleading - independent review neededEarlier Scoop coverage - "Significant changes" to ACCTV3 Video - Govt accused of fudging ACC figuresTV3 Video - ACC bail out could cost taxpayer - SmithTV3 Video - John Key on Lee and ACC

ACC: Govt To Make "Significant Changes"

ACC has become financially unsustainable and reform is required to ensure its future for New Zealanders, ACC Minister Nick Smith says. ACC’s 2008/09 Annual Report was today tabled in Parliament showing a loss of $4.8 billion. More>> ALSO:Scoop Business - “Subtantial” rise in ACC levies aheadLabour - ACC scaremongering has got to stopACC - ACC’s liability grows by $4.8 billion in 12 monthsBusiness NZ - ACC requires refocusing to reduce liabilitiesSouthern Cross Healthcare - Healthcare Affordability Issue HighlightedNZ Medical Association - NZMA Concern at ACC Funding SituationEPMU - ACC figures 'accounting trickery'TV3 Video - ACC bail out could cost taxpayer - Smith

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