|
This page last updated Feb 1 2005
2002-1026 -
Dominion Post - Law firm escapes charges
by Marianne Betts - A Christchurch law firm under fire for sending out
leaflets offering to help claimants of sexual abuse gain lump-sum payouts has
escaped charges. The Canterbury District Law Society found that an inquiry
into Wakefield Associates' controversial campaign was "justified in part
but not of sufficient gravity to warrant the laying of a charge".
2002-0408
- Herald - Dalziel mulls over ACC and medical misadventure
NZPA - The Government is exploring extending Accident Compensation
Corporation's coverage of medical misadventure injuries, but final policy
decisions won't be taken until after the next election
2002-0406 -
Western Leader - Doctors fear fraudulent claims
by Stephen Forbes - The return of ACC lump sum
payments for sexual abuse victims could lead to a deluge of fraudulent
claims, says the spokesman for a west Auckland doctors' group.
2002-0404 - Timaru
Herald - Whats in a name
Editorial - The new ACC laws are designed to focus
the scheme back on to injury prevention first, rehabilitation, and then
compensation
2002-0403 -
Waikato Times - Author voices criticism of ACC lump-sum payouts
NZPA - Dunedin author Lynley Hood has joined critics of new laws allowing
lump sum payments to victims of physical injury and sexual abuse, which came
into effect this month…….. While it
was appropriate people who had been the victim of physical or sexual injury
were helped to recover, large cash payments were not necessarily the
solution. "I think the Government needs to look really hard at what
constitutes safe and effective therapy."
2002-0402 -
Evening Post - Author slams lump-sum payments
NZPA - Dunedin
author Lynley Hood has joined critics of a law that took effect yesterday
allowing lump-sum payments to victims of physical injury and sexual abuse.
………Hood said there was no mechanism for determining whether the sexual abuse
actually took place and ACC policy guidelines encouraged "vulnerable
people into believing they had been sexually abused and that was the cause of
their problems".
2002-0402 -
Otago Daily Times - ACC lump-sums target for fraud
by Joanna Norris - Yesterday, new laws came into effect which
reinstate lump sum compensation payments of up to $100,000 for victims of
accidents and sexual abuse. The laws have prompted a chorus of
controversy. Dunedin author Lynley
Hood has joined critics of new laws allowing lump sum payments to victims of
physical injury and sexual abuse, which came into effect yesterday
2002-0401 -
Herald - Tough rules for ACC lump-sum payout
by Audrey Young, political reporter - Accident victims with permanent
injury and sexual abuse victims with permanent mental impairment will qualify
for lump-sum payments under ACC laws taking effect today
2002-0331 -
COSA NZ Newsletter March 2002 - Lump sum payments
Lump sum payments - catalyst for falsehoods and trauma, or
rehabilitation and fairness? In this
issue we address the issues surrounding the new legislation, the Injury
Prevention Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2002
Part 1 Chronicle of recent changes and
discussion re ACC: a confusing story
Remaining parts to be included, or link to original newsletter.
2002-0331
- NZ Council Trade Unions - New ACC Act A Victory For Community Campaigning
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
2002-0330
- Herald - Dialogue: Sexual abuse payouts naive, foolish
by Gordon McLauchlan - The decision to allow the ACC to pay lump sums
in compensation to people whose lives have been blighted by what is loosely
called sexual abuse is a folly that signposts trouble ahead for the
organisation
2002-0328
- Government - ACC scheme returns to founding principles
The government is again underpinning ACC with the founding principles of the
original scheme as envisaged by Sir Owen Woodhouse, ACC Minister Lianne
Dalziel said today
2002-0327
- NZ Government - Code to ensure the rights of ACC claimants
A new draft code setting out ACC's obligations in dealing with claimants was
released by ACC Minister Lianne Dalziel today. “Consultation on the draft Code
begins tomorrow after it has been gazetted and it runs until 15 May 2002”
2002-0324 - Sunday Star
Times - Abuse Humbug
by Gordon Waugh; Fred Seymour is
plainly wrong when he says it was "plainly silly" of author Lynley
Hood to suggest ACC counselling could produce recovered abuse memories
2002-0323 -
Australian - Insurance crisis our fault: judge
by Bernard Lane; The national
insurance crisis has been caused partly by judges "playing Santa
Claus" with compensation payouts, says one of the nation's senior
jurists. "The judiciary has a lot to answer for this," Justice
James Thomas, said yesterday. "Some have enjoyed playing Santa Claus,
forgetting that someone has to pay for our generosity”
[ Note: The above article is not directly related to the NZ issue of ACC
compensation, except that politicians and counsellors in NZ could also
arguably be accused of playing the same “Santa Claus” game ]
2002-0323 -
The Press - ACC feels pinch as abuse claims surge
by Yvonne Martin; At least 3000
new sex-abuse claims have been laid since a Christchurch law firm began
touting for business from abuse victims, forcing ACC to take on eight new
staff.
2002-0323
- Herald - ACC claims soar after sex-abuse leaflet
At least 3000 new sexual-abuse claims have been laid since a
Christchurch law firm began touting for business from victims, forcing ACC to
take on eight new staff
2002-0317
- Radio NZ "Insight" - ACC lump sum payments for sex abuse,
Transcript
Sue Ingram examines the reintroduction of ACC lump sum payments for
sexual abuse claimants.
2002-0317 -
Sunday Star Times - ACC: Sex abuse cause of ills
by Donna Chisholm; The ACC is advising
therapists that childhood sexual abuse may be behind a raft of psychological ailments
their patients have - but the patients probably won't realise it. And, it
suggests objectivity by therapists is counterproductive when dealing with sex
abuse "survivors". Author Lynley Hood, who wrote a damning
indictment of the sex abuse industry in a book on the Peter Ellis case, says
the guidelines are a recipe for encouraging false recovered memories.
2002-0303 - Sunday Star
Times - A Pandora’s Box
by Ted Low - Three cheers for Rosemary McLeod's column on the cash handout
gravy train for women who claim to have been "abused" in the past.
Only a woman could have got away with laying out the scandalous truth about
this Pandora's box the ACC has opened. Most male commentators would not go
anywhere near such a story for fear of incurring the wrath of Margaret Wilson
and her ilk.
2002-0303 - Sunday Star
Times - Abuse Worries
Letter, Name Withheld - However, our main training institutions in psychology
are still headed by believers in recovered memories who continue to make
"victims" of gullible women and bring heartache to both accused and
accusers. ACC has caused grievous harm by pouring very large sums of money at
the "victims" and the counsellors, without question. ACC has a lot
to answer for and seems to have learned nothing.
2002-0227 - NZ Doctor - Sexual
abuse case drop no surprise
New Jan 11 2005
by Ross Ogle - Dr Patrick Kelly, esteemed paediatrician and head of the Child
Abuse Team at Starship Hospital, has been reported in the national media as
"puzzled by the dramatic drop-off in reported sexual abuse of
children". The answer is pretty obvious to the rest of us, at the risk
of popping Patrick's bubble, may I suggest that he in his spare time read A
City Possessed by Lynley Hood, about the Christchurch Civic Creche case and
Peter Ellis. He then may appreciate that it is no coincidence that the rate
of reported sexual abuse dropped when ACC stopped paying people $10,000 for
each case that fertile imaginations could dream up.
2002-0221
- FARE - Predictions of abuse allegation epidemic correct
Our predictions of a sexual abuse allegation epidemic were correct",
Families Apart Require Equality (FARE) spokes person Darryl Ward said today
2002-0221 -
Dominion - Sex abuse claims at 500 a week
Sexual abuse claims to ACC have increased fivefold
since it was revealed early last month that victims could receive lump-sum
payments of up to $100,000. ACC bosses told a parliamentary select committee
yesterday that the number of claims for sexual abuse had risen to 500 a week
from 100 a week since January 7.
2002-0214
- Vancouver Sun - Not all abuse claims deserve money
by Tana Dineen, (reference to Canada)
Decades ago, misguided government policies resulted in thousands of children
being placed in residential schools. In the 1990s, we questioned this
well-intentioned philosophy. We came to look back on these institutions as
dens of physical, psychological and sexual abuse
2002-0208 -
FARE - Drop in sex abuse allegations no surprise
The drop in reported sexual abuse allegations is no surprise, but they are
sure to rise again, driven mostly by changes in Government policy",
Families Apart Require Equality (FARE) spokes person Darryl Ward said today.
2002-0204 -
Herald - Tough rules for bigger ACC payouts
by Simon Collins: Lump-sum payouts are
back - but the 'suffering' clause has gone
2002-0128 - Evening
Standard - The cost of rape
A Manawatu rape victim tells Ewan Sargent that
those who condemn the return of lump-sum payments wouldn't be so harsh if
they had lived her life.
2002-0126 -
The Press - ACC to file complaint against law firm
by Kelly Andrew
ACC will file an official complaint next week
against a Christchurch law firm over its
controversial sex-abuse leaflet drop.
2002-0125
- ACC Press Release - ACC files complaint on sensitive claims mailout
ACC is filing a complaint with the New Zealand Law Society because of the
content of Wakefield Associates leaflet offering help to sexual abuse victims
2002-0120 -
Usenet - ACC Compensation for Sex Abuse, compilation of data
by Gordon Waugh Compilation of ACC
Data, 1988 to 2002 (Including Source
data)
2002-0117 - The Press
- Anthrax scare for law firm
by Andrew Moffat, “A nationwide mailout by a Christchurch law firm seeking
business from sexual abuse victims has prompted at least one unwelcome
reply”.
2002-0116 -
The Star - Firm's offer worries false abuse group
by Guy Grant “A Christchurch law
firm's offer to help alleged sex abuse victims get compensation may prompt a
flow of false abuse claims, warns a locally based group which supports
victims of untrue allegations”
2002-0116 - The Star - Lump
Sum Payments
Letter, by D Hamilton. “So lump sum
payments will be made for successful claims of sexual abuse, starting April
Fools Day, 2002” …
2002-0116
- Southland Times - Law firm's fee
mode over abuse questioned
By Karen Arnold “A Southland woman who suffered sexual abuse could be
entitled to compensation, despite ACC not advising her about it”.
2002-0116 - Otago
Daily Times - Following the money
Editorial; New
legislation allowing lump sum payments to sexual abuse victims could be
vulnerable to fraudulent claims
2002-0114 -
Daily News - ACC legislation getting more than accidental going over
Editorial; The accident Compensation
Commission was set up to care for accident victims and prevent New Zealand
going down the same expensive path as the United States.
2002-0113 -
Usenet - ACC Statistics - New claims for sex abuse
Statistics 1988 to 2001, compiled by Gordon Waugh
including the amazing increase in ACC claims from 1988 to 1993
2002-0113
- Sunday Star Times - Money for old sex abuse
page C4 by Frank Haden
2002-0113
- Sunday Star Times - Past forgotten in ACC shift
Editorial, ACC compensation with reference to Creche case
2002-0112 - The
Herald - ACC Fraud Unit gets $1 million back
The Accident Compensation Corporation recovered more than $1 million
from fraudulent claimants last year.
2002-0112
- Manawatu Evening Standard - Great care needed on sex abuse
Editorial,
There's a strong suggestion that criminal law and accident compensation law
have lost touch with each other, potentially to the detriment of the
community
2002-0112 -
Evening Post - Complaint to be made over leaflet
by Sean Scanlon
A Wellington psychologist is making an official complaint against the
Christchurch law firm which mailed leaflets offering to help sexual abuse
victims get lump-sum payments from ACC
2002-0112 -
Southland Times - Woman wins her fight for $100,000
by Carmen Wilson
A Southland woman has won a two-year battle to retain more than $100,000 in
ACC compensation she was paid after her partner was killed in a car crash.
2002-0111 - Dominion -
Lump Sum Gravy Train
Editorial
The Government has unleashed the ACC sexual abuse lump-sum gravy train again
with all the bad features of last time, including handing over the loot with
no requirement for the slightest proof that abuse happened, let alone a
complaint to the police or a court conviction
2002-0110
- Otago Daily Times - Calls from abuse victims flood ACC
The Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) has been flooded by calls from past
sex abuse victims wrongly believing they can get lump sum compensation
pay-outs.
2002-0110 - INL -
False claims; Prove it in court
Feedback by E Harrison and Alastair Laing
2002-0110 - The Press -
Sexual Abuse Payouts
Letters to the Editor, by H Ralf Unger
I am appalled at the predicable but sad development in legal business
regarding post traumatic stress in sexual abuse victims.
2002-0110 - The Herald - Sex
abuse claims
Letters to the Editor, by Tim Long
2002-0110 - Dominion - ACC
Wastes Money
Top Story, by David McLoughlin
ACC “wastes money” on sex victim campaign
2002-0110 - The Press - Sex
Abuse Rort
Editorial
……. But the real focus should be on the return of lump sum payments, which
threaten to once more become a grievance gravy train.
2002-0110 - The Press
- Sex abuse victim hits out
by Andrew Moffat,
Sexual abuse victim Aimee Uren says a Christchurch law firm's controversial
mailout is feeding off others' misery and hurting those it is supposed to
help.
2002-0109
- Los Angeles Times - High Court limits who is disabled
by David Savage. High Court decision
defining disability in the USA
2002-0109 -
Nelson Mail - Ignore lawyer's letter - Rape Crisis
Nelson Rape Crisis is advising sexual abuse victims that they don't need to
hire a lawyer to seek compensation, following a Christchurch law firm's
attempts to solicit such work. .....Nelson Rape Crisis member Christine
Gillespie said hiring lawyers was an unnecessary way for sexual abuse victims
to get ACC payments. "It's certainly not the way we would advocate for
women to progress their complaint."
2002-0109 -
Marlborough Express - Abuse of Compensation
Editorial
In Blenheim letter boxes yesterday appeared a flyer
alerting people to a Christchurch legal firm's preparedness to act in seeking
ACC financial compensation for victims of sexual abuse
2002-0109 - Usenet - ACCs
handling of claims
Letter from Gordon Waugh, Whenuapai
ACC's handling of claims for sexual abuse is the greatest con job this nation
has ever seen, and the general tenor of my criticism of ACC and its method is
below.
2002-0109 -
National Party - ACC lump sums open to abuse
Press Release by ACC spokesperson Gerry Brownlee
An ACC law change allowing lump sum payments for unproved sex abuse claims
will prove disastrous
2002-0109 - Dominion
- Cash For Unproved Sex Abuse
Top Story, by David McLoughlin.
People who claim to have been sexually abused will be able to get big cash
sums from ACC again without having to complain to police under a law change
that takes effect on April 1.
2002-0109 - The
Press - Law firm in bid for sex abuse cases
by Andrew Moffat
A Christchurch law firm has sent out one million
leaflets touting for business from sexual abuse victims entitled to new ACC
payments.
2002-0109 -
Herald - Backlash over bid for share of ACC Pay
Page 5 by Rosaleen MacBrayne
A small Christchurch law firm's nationwide
attempt to get business from sexual abuse victims has sparked a backlash.
2002-0109 - Discussion On Usenet
2002-0108 - Herald
- ACC questions law firms tactics
The Accident Compensation Corporation says it has been swamped with
calls about a Christchurch law firm's attempt to secure sexual abuse claims
2002-0108 - TV3 - Law
Firms Unwanted Publicity
Television 3 News
A creative marketing campaign is giving a small Christchurch law firm more
publicity than it may have bargained for.
2002-0107 - Wakefield Flyer
Wakefield Associates, Solicitors, Christchurch
2002-0107 - Wakefield
AdvertisingFlyer
Wakefield Associates, Solicitors, Christchurch
|
