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New Zealand Council of Trade Unions
March 31, 2002
New ACC Act A Victory For Community Campaigning
Press Release
by Ross Wilson
“The commencement of the new ACC Act marks a victory for
the unions and community organisations which have been campaigning for 10
years as COAC, the Coalition on Accident Compensation,” Council of Trade
Unions president Ross Wilson said today.
The Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2000 comes into
effect tomorrow, 1st April.
“COAC, a coalition of union, disability and women’s organisations, has been
campaigning for almost 10 years against the unfairness of the 1992 Act and
the 1998 Act which replaced it,” Ross Wilson said.
“The new Act addresses many of COAC’s concerns and provides the foundation on
which to rebuild a modern social insurance scheme.
“In particular the restoration of lump sum compensation for workers and other
New Zealanders, who lose limbs and suffer other appalling injuries in
accidents is long overdue”.
Ross Wilson said the challenge now was to ensure that the scheme is
administered fairly.
“A hard-nosed insurance culture has permeated ACC during the past decade and
it needs to change,” he said.
“New Zealand
employers have the cheapest workers’ compensation scheme in the world. The
CTU will be taking active steps to monitor ACC performance and campaign for a
scheme which is also the fairest in the world.”
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