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The Dominion Post
October 22, 2003
ACC may not chase false sex payouts
by Leah Haines
People
paid compensation for sexual abuse may not have to refund it if they later
recant.
ACC confirmed yesterday that it would definitely pursue people who had lied
about being sexually abused to get ACC payouts.
But those thinking they had been abused who later realised they had not would
not necessarily have to refund the money. However, their compensation could
be stopped.
ACC is waiting for Justin Todd Richardson to be sentenced for falsely
accusing Catholic brothers at Christchurch's Marylands School of abusing him. It could review
any ACC compensation paid to him on the understanding that he was abused at
the school.
Richardson, one of 70 men saying they were abused there, got $100,000 from
the school and an unknown amount from ACC.
National Party welfare spokeswoman Katherine Rich asked ACC Minister Ruth
Dyson this week if people who mistakenly believed they had been abused could
recant without fear of financial punishment.
She asked Ms Dyson if any children who got compensation for being sexually
abused at the Christchurch Civic Creche had told ACC they no longer thought
they had been abused. One girl is known to have recanted.
Ms Dyson said ACC was not aware of anyone else recanting. But if they did,
the case would be investigated. Any compensation they were getting could be
discontinued.
ACC risk and assurance manager Ernest Le Roux said deciding to prosecute
someone came down to whether they intended to defraud the corporation. If it
was an honest mistake ACC would decide whether to seek repayment based on the
person's circumstances.
"If for instance, a person was in deep debt, as a government agency we
would not look to drive them deeper into their debt."
ACC has been criticised for paying out for sexual abuse without requiring the
victim to name the abuser or lay a criminal complaint.
It pays for counselling and medical expenses for sex abuse victims.
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