11 June 2012

Greens call for ACC chair to be removed

A news report from 3 News
The Green Party is calling for ACC chairman John Judge to be removed following a television interview with ACC claimant Bronwyn Pullar.
The corporation inadvertently emailed Ms Pullar details of thousands of claimants, alleged she refused to return it and claimed she threatened to go to the media at a meeting she had with two ACC managers in December unless her own compensation demands were met.
ACC laid a complaint with the police and on Tuesday Assistant Commissioner Malcolm Burgess said no charges would be laid because no offence had been disclosed.
Ms Pullar has claimed she never made a threat, and a 60 Minutes item aired on Sunday said a recording Ms Pullar made of the meeting didn't contain any such threats.
Mr Judge said after police said no charges would be laid that he was satisfied the version of the meeting reported by the ACC managers was "a complete and accurate" account.
Green Party ACC spokesman Kevin Hague says the programme showed decisive action was required from ACC Minister Judith Collins.
He said allegations made "about shonky assessment and claims handling practices, and lack of integrity at the highest levels means that, at the very least, the ACC Minister should remove John Judge as ACC chairman".
Ms Pullar said she went to the media about the privacy breach to bring the spotlight on ACC.
"They're taking advantage of vulnerable disabled New Zealanders and they are actively, systematically taking people off (ACC)."
Former National Party president Michelle Boag, who attended the December meeting with Ms Pullar, said ACC had a culture problem and that "they treat all their clients as potential fraudsters".
ACC declined to respond to Ms Pullar's comments for the programme other to say that when it came to ACC assessments, it used appropriately qualified professionals, and that clients had a right to appeal.
© 2012 MediaWorks TV

http://www.3news.co.nz/Greens-call-for-ACC-chair-to-be-removed/tabid/1607/articleID/257318/Default.aspx

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