ACC/Pickfords Connection

The recent kerfuffle over a SIRVA/ Pickford's employee photographing a protest outside ACC's Greymouth office earlier this year is recalled by Pickford's losing ACC documents in Dunedin on Thursday.

SIRVA boss Graham Sutcliffe's claim that "it was a matter between the company and its client only" is obviously absurd when papers relating to ACC's claims processing unit , possibly containing sensitive personal information, have been floating around Dunedin roads. This is public business and for Mr. Sutcliffe to decree that the public are not to know shows how far international relocation company SIRVA have infiltrated ACC.

Mr. Sutcliffe's refusal to supply the Greymouth protestors with a copy of the photo taken of them by Pickford's became particularly suspect when, after initially confirming it happened he then told West Coast Unemployed and Workers' Rights Centre spokesman David Tranter (who was present at the protest and saw the camera aimed from a SIRVA company car) that if he retracted the story SIRVA's lawyer would release a copy of the photo to him. The logic of that is obviously flawed since releasing the photo would have further confirmed that the incident did take place as Mr. Sutcliffe had admitted, leaving David Tranter thinking that SIRVA were trying to trick him into retracting - and then refusing to release the photo.

Which all leaves a growing question mark over just what is the full extent of the relationship between ACC and SIRVA, an international organisation with links to governments and military? Concerns about this conveyed to ACC Minister Ruth Dyson reamain unanswered Mr. Tranter said.

David Tranter

Spokesman,

West Coast Unemployed and workers Rights Centre.

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