Reaction to Bronwyn Pullar's list

An article from NZDoctor.co.nz by Kevin Hague

Well it seems that Bronwyn Pullar's claim to have been acting in the public interest has some substance to it.
The 45-point list (published on the Dominion Post website) of breaches of law, ACC's own rules and general good process is a substantial indictment of the erosion of public service culture in ACC.
It requires serious scrutiny, and that scrutiny must be independent. Anyone of the points would be a major concern on its own, but 45!
What adds particular weight to the list is that every person around New Zealand reading the list today who has experience trying to assist claimants with their ACC claims will have felt a very strong sense of recognition. I have certainly dealt with claimants who have experienced all items on the list.
In my correspondence with the Office of the Auditor-General this week I have noted that there are two sets of issues that will not be addressed by either the Police or Privacy Commissioner investigations. For the public to have confidence in ACC they need to be confident that it is free from political interference. But they also need to be able to rely on the organisation to consistently apply the highest standards of public service. Currently they cannot, and Ms Pullar's list provides a good summary of the issues that need to be addressed.
Those of you who have been following ACC stories for a while will know I have been calling for an inquiry into ACC's processes for a couple of years. For example: blog.greens.org.nz/2010/11/08/more-reasons-emerge-for-independent-inquiry-on-acc-reforms/
In that post I link to the report from Judge Trapski in 1991, which examined systematic breaches of good process in ACC, and suggested that as some of the self same problems are repeatedly being experienced again, another inquiry like Trapski's would be timely.
A comparison of the issues uncovered in the Trapski report and Bronwyn Pullar's list shows striking similarities.
It seems likely that following the Trapski report major improvements were made to ACC processes, but that under pressure from the former ACC Minister, these same bad practices came back in to facilitate minimisation of ACC's expenditure.
An inquiry like Trapski's, from a Judge or a Commission of Inquiry, might be the best vehicle for investigating this, but as the Government (so far at least) has ruled out ordering any kind of inquiry, the only option we have for this to occur is for the Auditor-General to do it, on her own authority.
That's what I will be saying to her when we meet in the coming week.

© 2012 UBM Medica (NZ) Ltd

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