The Swamp Report: ODT

Showing posts with label ODT. Show all posts

05 May 2014

Extra funding welcome

An editorial from the Otago Daily Times

Announcement of increased funding for sexual violence support services in next week's Budget, and full ACC funding of counselling for victims of sexual abuse and sexual assault, are welcome progress in this highly sensitive and increasingly pressured area.
Last Monday, the Accident Compensation Corporation announced it would fully fund sexual abuse victims' counselling as part of an overhaul of its sensitive claims systems next year. The changes would give claimants access to 48 therapy sessions over 12 months, more discretion to choose a counsellor, allow family members or support people to be included in treatment, and fund therapists to travel to isolated areas.
In a pre-Budget announcement on Wednesday, Social Development Minister Paula Bennett said the Government would allocate $10.4 million for sexual violence services during the next two years, saying that the sector required extra resourcing.
It clearly does. ACC is expecting an increase in sensitive claims of up to 10% each year until 2020 as a result of the reduced stigma around the reporting of sexual abuse. Police have already put the recent increase in sexual crime statistics (which are bucking the overall falling crime rate) down to increased reporting, rather than increased abuse.
It is pleasing the topic is coming out of the shadows. Worldwide, the message now is (thankfully) that survivors will be listened to when they speak out, that sexual abuse and assault is unacceptable and perpetrators can no longer hide. That reduces the stigma for victims and gives them confidence in speaking out.
But when they do, as well as justice, they often need considerable practical, financial and emotional support - in the form of counselling - to allow them to work through the abuse and hopefully enable them to live their lives as fully as possible.
Cuts to counselling have always been about "cost", but leaving survivors to deal with the repercussions of abuse by themselves is far more costly in the long term. Those who have had little or no support, and who may have endured childhood and/or long-term abuse, are plagued by issues of shame, blame, anger, loss, betrayal, trust, self-confidence and self-loathing, which may affect their daily lives and relationships, and can lead to alcohol and/or substance abuse and mental illness.
All of that costs the health system, and comes at a huge personal cost to individuals, families and communities. Frontline support services and longer-term counselling is essential.
The increased Government funding is therefore welcome, but the fanfare is not.
It must be remembered the Government's drastic and wide-ranging ACC cuts to ''sensitive claims'' funding, including counselling services, in 2009, caused consternation among service providers and survivors and led to drastically reduced numbers of claims being accepted. The corporation backed down a year later, after significant pressure, and reinstated 16 hours of counselling funding.
An independent panel reviewed ACC's sensitive claims clinical pathway in 2010 and made 14 recommendations, but a 2012 independent review by Dr Barbara Disley found there was still much progress to be made towards fully implementing all the recommendations.
The ACC, as a Crown entity, is charged with implementing the Accident Compensation Act 2001 and its role is ''to provide treatment, care and services for anyone who is injured in New Zealand'' with the view of enabling them to return to the workforce. There is undoubtedly huge pressure on the agency. ACC figures show in the 2012-13 year, it accepted 1.7 million new claims and spent more than $2 billion on claims and another $2 billion on hospital treatment and surgery, care and support, and compensation for people unable to work.
While the Government's tough stance on crime has paid off in some areas, it is important to remember there are still victims of crime in many areas who may face mental as well as physical injuries as a result of the trauma they have endured.
Survivors should not have to fight for support in such a sensitive area as sexual abuse, in which the smallest hurdle might put them off seeking life-changing help.

11 August 2012

Call for bipartisan agreement on ACC

An article from the Otago Daily Times by John Gibb

Only a bipartisan political agreement about how ACC will operate in future can ultimately restore the public's trust and confidence in the corporation, Dunedin ACC campaigner Dr Denise Powell says.
Recently-released figures showing rapidly dropping numbers of Otago long-term ACC claimants over the past year and growing review applications by claimants challenging ACC decisions were a "wake-up call" over ACC's future, Dr Powell said.
"It's like a line in the sand," she said.
"It's reached the point where the person in the street is asking what's going on."
Otago Daily Times inquiries show the number of long-term claimants in Otago fell more than 15%, from 1199 on June 30 last year to 1014 at the equivalent date this year. This was the biggest one-year change in long-term Otago long-term claimant numbers for at least five years.
ACC officials recently said "long-term claimants" had been receiving weekly earnings-related compensation for a year or more. The number of reviews of ACC decisions sought by Otago-based claimants rose at least 5%, from more than 430 on June 30 last year to more than 450 at the same stage this year, other figures show.
Dr Powell said the community's faith that individuals would receive their fair entitlement under the scheme had been badly shaken, and ACC had been used as a "political football" for too long, including during recent cost-cutting.
ACC figures indicate national long-term claimant numbers fell more than 3600, or 25%, to about 10,626 over the past three financial years. Government officials have also highlighted the need to maintain the scheme's financial viability.
ACC officials say the national "long-term claims pool" has been reducing for several reasons, and improved "focused rehabilitation" by ACC within their first year of weekly compensation payments meant fewer people were becoming long-term claimants.
At an Institute of Actuaries of Australia conference in Brisbane late last year, a New Zealand actuary who has worked closely with ACC, said there was "constant tension between the two sides of politics" in New Zealand, which was reflected in the ACC scheme. Labour governments typically increased access to benefits, but this had been "to some degree reversed" under National, since 2009, given concerns about ACC finances, the actuary said.
In a recent letter to the ACC board, accompanying the latest service agreement signed between the Government and ACC, ACC Minister Judith Collins emphasised the need for the board and management to "rebuild" public trust in ACC and ensure individual claimants received their fair entitlements. She also expected the board to "monitor carefully the numbers and outcomes" of claims disputes, and wanted to see "more disputes resolved satisfactorily" without the need for formal independent resolution.
Dr Powell noted that a broad agreement between the Government and the Opposition had developed about the way much of the KiwiSaver superannuation scheme was operating. If public trust in ACC was to be restored, as Mrs Collins had sought, an agreement between New Zealand's main political parties about how ACC would operate in future was ultimately needed, she said.

http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/221091/call-bipartisan-agreement-acc

© Allied Press Ltd 2012

02 July 2012

Comments 'embarrassing' for ACC

An article from the Otago Daily Times by John Gibb

Recent comments by an ACC senior manager about sharply reducing long-term claimant numbers have been "very embarrassing" for the commission, a Dunedin lawyer says.
Peter Sara said the ACC had clearly not expected comments by ACC general manager Denise Cosgrove at an Institute of Actuaries of Australia conference in Brisbane would later be made widely available via internet and podcast.
Ms Cosgrove said ACC had faced major financial and other challenges but had since cut claims costs by $3.2 billion. ACC managers had "taken the low-hanging fruit", but now faced more complex claims which made rehabilitation and return to work "a bit harder", the conference transcript said. There had been targets for "actuarial release" and "stellar results", but there had also been adverse media coverage of issues such as "sensitive claims", involving sexual abuse, and elective surgery, she said. ACC administrators had done the right things but had "moved too fast and didn't take the sectors with us", the transcript said.
Mr Sara said he was a "very strong supporter" of ACC but was "appalled" by Ms Cosgrove's comment about "low-hanging fruit", made at the conference last November.
Dunedin ACC campaigners say the comments initially "flew under the radar" but have sparked parliamentary debate and media coverage since Green Party ACC spokesman Kevin Hague tabled in Parliament last month a transcript.
Mr Sara said many vulnerable, injured people had been viewed as "ripe for the picking" and had been removed from ACC scheme coverage in recent years, but in many cases rehabilitation had not been achieved. ACC's practices needed an "extreme makeover" if it was to recapture the public trust which had been lost, he said.
Darryl Frank, a Pricewaterhouse Coopers actuary, who has worked closely with ACC, told the conference there was "constant tension between the two sides of politics" in New Zealand and "differences in political ideologies". Labour governments were "typically increasing access to benefits" but this had been "to some degree reversed" by the National-led Government since 2009, given concerns about ACC finances, he said.
Dr Denise Powell, the president of Acclaim Otago, an ACC claimant support group, said a mask had slipped and the "incredibly blatant" truth had been revealed about the removal of large numbers of long-term claimants from ACC coverage in order to meet political objectives. She had listened to the conference on a podcast, and recalled "being quite shocked, sitting there with my mouth open".
Approached for comment, ACC lead media adviser Stephanie Melville said the term "low-hanging fruit" had been "used to describe the first raft of improvements"- that is "initiatives to yield rapid positive results to systems and process".
"It does not refer to individual clients or any attempt to stop people making claims."
No client was denied ACC help "before they're ready for vocational independence", she said.

29 June 2012

479 Otago names on ACC email

An article from the Otago Daily Times by John Gibb

The names of 479 Otago ACC claimants appear on a list of 6725 people mistakenly emailed to Auckland claimant Bronwyn Pullar late last year, in a major privacy breach.
The names of 137 people with "sensitive claims", involving rape and sexual abuse, were also included in the national list. Several ongoing high-level inquiries, including by the Privacy Commissioner, were sparked by the email mistake. The Otago Daily Times, through an Official Information Act inquiry to ACC on March 16, sought the number of Otago claimants involved.
Dr Denise Powell, the president of Acclaim Otago, an ACC claimant support organisation, said the figure obtained by the ODT this week showed the privacy issue clearly affected many Dunedin and Otago people as well as thousands of ACC claimants elsewhere in the country. It is understood the 479 Otago people had initiated about 700 Otago-related reviews of previous ACC decisions in the 12 months ending on June 30 last year.
Dr Powell said the 479 figure revealed the remarkably large number of people in Otago who had been dissatisfied with previous ACC decision-making in a single financial year.
"It makes it very real," she added.
Under New Zealand's official information legislation, requests for such information must be answered within 20 working days, with a time extension allowed in some cases, but "you must be told of the extension and the reasons for it", the Ministry of Justice advises. The ODT has also made a complaint to the Office of the Ombudsmen over the delays.
The delays were drawn to ACC's attention on May 24, but despite apologies and explanations about an oversight and administrative pressures, more than a further month went by before the information was provided.
In a letter to the ODT this week, ACC government services adviser Jon-Paul Bignold "sincerely apologises" and "sincerely regrets the undue delays" in handling the request.
"Unfortunately these delays were caused by administrative errors that resulted in your request remaining unanswered," Mr Bignold said.
Other ACC officials were approached yesterday to respond to criticism of the delays, and ACC trust issues, but no further comment was immediately available.
The emailed information sent to Ms Pullar involved a spreadsheet listing the names of ACC clients, relating to claims going through the Disputes Resolution Services Ltd review process between July 1, 2010, and June 30 last year. The spreadsheet had earlier been sent internally to dozens of ACC managers throughout the country.
Dunedin lawyer Peter Sara said a "significant number" of Otago people had been affected by the privacy breach, and he believed ACC had later deliberately "done a go-slow " over the release of the information sought by the ODT. A great deal of work, and not just offering some "bland phrases", would be needed if the public's trust in ACC was to be restored, Mr Sara said. And ACC administrators should be more mindful about "accountability to the Fourth Estate", he said.

16 April 2012

MPs get defamation action letters

An article from the Otago Daily Times

Labour MP Trevor Mallard says he has received a letter from ACC Minister Judith Collins' lawyer threatening to proceed with defamation action unless he apologises and reveals his source.
Ms Collins announced last month that she would take legal action against Mr Mallard and fellow Labour MP Andrew Little, as well as Radio New Zealand, for making allegedly defamatory remarks about her over the case of a leaked email about an ACC client. The minister has been accused of bluffing about the legal action. However, Mr Mallard confirmed today that he had received a letter from Ms Collins' lawyer.
"They're asking me to give up my source and my emails, and they are again asking for a retraction and an apology," Mr Mallard told APNZ.
"I'm reserving my position. Clearly I don't make formal responses without advice."
Mr Mallard said he was tempted to invoke a "Arkell vs Pressdram" response - referring to a British case concerning the Private Eye magazine. In the 1971 case, when told by the plaintiff's lawyer that his client's attitude to damages would "be governed by the nature of your reply", the magazine replied: "We would be grateful if you would inform us what his attitude to damages would be were he to learn that the nature of our reply is as follows: **** off."
The letter from Ms Collins' lawyer gave a deadline of this Thursday.
Mr Little said he had also received a letter and was speaking to a lawyer, but that he "wasn't losing sleep over it".
"Basically it says please apologise the way we've asked you to do before, and if you don't we will proceed," he said.
"Subject to talking further with the lawyer, the letter hasn't changed my view that I don't think an apology is required."
Ms Collins has continued to deny allegations from the Opposition that she or her office was responsible for leaking an email sent to her by former National Party president Michelle Boag. The email gave details about Bronwyn Pullar, the ACC claimant who went to the media last month after being mistakenly sent the details of about 7000 ACC clients.
Privacy Commissioner Marie Shroff is investigating how the email got to the media, and Ms Collins has told Parliament she will resign if the leak is found to have come from someone in her charge.

14 April 2012

ACC wants file destroyed after privacy blunder

An article from the Otago Daily Times by Amelia Romanos

A sexual abuse victim who was one of thousands of ACC clients to have details released in a privacy breach has been asked by the organisation to destroy information relating to other claims sent to him in error. The man had requested information about his case and was sent an 11-page spreadsheet detailing the more than 250 times ACC staff had accessed his file.
The organisation later requested that he delete the file after finding that 60 of the incidents listed did not relate to his case. While no personal details were revealed in the document, the man said he was disturbed that ACC was still making blunders with other people's information.
"It just shows you they haven't bothered to make it better after last time. They just don't care," he told APNZ.
"You can't know what they are sending out."
The man, who suffered permanent brain damage as a baby, and was sexually and physically assaulted when he was 13, has been in a long-running battle with ACC over the severity of his condition.
Following recent revelations that National Party insider Bronwyn Pullar was accidentally sent sensitive information about thousands of ACC claimants, the man requested ACC send him a list of all the people who had accessed his file, and was emailed a spreadsheet last week. During a subsequent check of the information, ACC discovered that some information was incorrect, and in an email requested that the man destroy the file.
"Upon your confirmation that all emails and files have been destroyed (both electronic and hard copy) I will send you the correct information," the case manager wrote.
In a later letter, ACC sought to reassure him that there had been no breach of privacy but confirmed that some information did not relate to his claim. It said the mistake had occurred when a staff member input an incorrect claim number.
A number of investigations have been launched into how Ms Pullar was sent the details of 6700 claimants, including 250 with sensitive claims relating to sexual abuse, last August. ACC last month contacted the clients affected by that error, assuring them that it understood that "mistakes must be avoided" and that it would continue to improve its processes.
However, the man said he had doubts about how sincere ACC's efforts to fix the problem were, with this latest mistake coming less than a month after those affected by the earlier breach were notified. Although the man said he could not tell who the information related to, he questioned how much care was being taken with people's information.
"I have no trust in them at all and worry about what else has been leaked," he said. "It also concerns me greatly the amount of people who have accessed my claims file."
ACC would not comment on the case, saying that it was in the process of an independent investigation.
"When the independent review has been completed its findings will be made public," it said in a statement.

10 April 2012

Preferential treatment at ACC

An editorial from the Otago Daily Times

If it surprises even some MPs that the Accident Compensation Corporation runs a claims process for "important" people, then it is just as well an inquiry by the Auditor-general into how ACC manages conflicts of interest has been announced.
Opposition spokesman on ACC matters Andrew Little had not been aware of special VIP provisions when he spoke on National Radio about it following revelations in the Otago Daily Times last week. That this has come to light as the corporation struggles to emerge from a storm of controversy only adds to the questions surrounding it - particularly as some of that contention relates to suggestions of preferential treatment.
Arguably this is quite a separate "structural" matter, but some rehearsal of the current imbroglio is necessary - if only to distinguish what is at stake in each.
Briefly, then, former ACC minister Nick Smith was forced to resign last month when it emerged he had signed letters on ministerial letterhead that could be construed as intervening on behalf of a friend who had a long-standing claim with the corporation. That friend was Bronwyn Pullar who, anonymous at the time, leaked a list of 6700 ACC claimants to the Dominion Post newspaper on March 13, saying this had been sent to her in error and was a serious breach of confidentiality.
ACC inquired into the leaking and alleged to new ACC minister Judith Collins that the claimant and a support person had sought two years' payments for the return of the confidential list.
On March 18, the Herald on Sunday published details from a letter sent by former National Party president Michelle Boag to Ms Collins. The leaked letter revealed the claimant as Ms Pullar and Ms Boag as her support person. This leak is now the subject of an inquiry by the privacy commissioner. On March 25, the same newspaper divulged details of Ms Pullar's private insurance claim, originally put at $14 million.
Four days later, TV One's Close Up unearthed correspondence to Ms Boag relating to the private claim and referring to Ms Pullar's 28-strong group of supporters, mostly prominent National Party figures including John Key, Jenny Shipley and Wayne Mapp.
Quite apart from the questions relating to who leaked what to whom and why - some commentators are suggesting this is all about future leadership positions in the National Party - there are some pressing issues at stake here.
If the confidentiality breach involving the dispersal of the 6700 claimants to Ms Pullar was simply a careless accident by an ACC staff officer, then systems evidently need to be tightened at the corporation.
If it came to Ms Pullar by other means, then that is more worrying. It suggests malign influences at work either within ACC or among those who have access to its files; it could also mean that ACC's IT security net has been compromised.
Of most concern, however, are the apparent attempts, by Dr Smith, and arguably by Ms Boag, on Ms Pullar's behalf, to use their positions and connections to influence the actions of a state corporation. Even the appearance of having supported preferential treatment for Ms Pullar brings both the corporation and the Government into disrepute.
The ODT's revelations that ACC has a VIP claims policy is a separate issue. Ostensibly, while she was a well-connected National Party activist, Ms Pullar did not qualify for priority treatment. As set out in the corporation's 2007 "delegation manual", there exists a special "claims handling authority" for the Governor-General, members of Parliament, members of the judiciary, ACC board members and members of their respective immediate families.
But the furore around ACC at large should not distract from questions on this policy. Why should certain people have special privileges - mainly relating to privacy and security - pertaining to their claims?
Should not the security of the system be sufficient to protect the privacy of everyone, regardless of status or station in life?
Mr Little did muse on the potential for conflicts of interest for MPs and judges dealing with ACC-related matters. There may be some mileage in this but, given the context of the times, a rather more detailed explanation of the policy than ACC has given to date would be helpful. Hopefully, the Auditor-general's inquiry will shed light on such matters.

08 April 2012

Dunedin lawyer wants ACC inquiry

An article from the Otago Daily Times by John Gibb

Dunedin lawyer Peter Sara is urging ACC to "come clean" over the details of its controversial "VIP claims" handling policy but ACC says it will not comment until the Privacy Commissioner completes an inquiry in three months. Mr Sara, who has been dealing with ACC cases for more than 30 years, says he also supports the establishment of an independent inquiry into concerns over ACC's handling of long-term claimants, and over the VIP client issue.
The Privacy Commissioner and the Auditor-general have both announced inquiries after continuing public debate over the ACC board's handling of claimant and former National Party insider Bronwyn Pullar. Ms Pullar has complained to ACC over the way her own ACC claim has been dealt with, and a major breach of privacy occurred when the corporation mistakenly sent her the details of about 67,000 other claimants last year.
An Otago Daily Times story, which appeared on Monday, raised concerns that ACC's "VIP claims" handling policy delivered better protection for the privacy of powerful decision-makers, including MPs, judges, ACC board members and their respective immediate families. The corporation's delegations manual shows that the final decision on VIP claims is made by ACC managers and not by more junior staff, and ACC has confirmed it takes extra measures to protect VIP confidentiality.
Mr Sara was "unhappy" about aspects of the VIP system and said there was also an undesirable lack of transparency about the way it was operating. An independent inquiry by a judge or QC was needed to investigate long-standing concerns over the handling of long-standing ACC claims, the ACC "exit strategy" involving long-term claimants, and over the VIP arrangements. ACC's refusal to clarify the situation until the Privacy Commissioner had reported was unsatisfactory, and what was already known about the VIP arrangements suggested potential preferential treatment, he said.
The Otago Daily Times this week has also asked ACC further questions about how the VIP arrangements operate, and has sought further comment on suggestions that this approach seemed to deliver special treatment to powerful decision-makers, in conflict with New Zealand's egalitarian ethos. An ACC spokesman said it was "unable to comment further on this matter until the independent review commissioned by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner has been completed."
The review had begun on March 28 and was expected to take three months. After the review was completed, its findings would be made public, the spokesman said.
Asked whether its VIP approach amounted to preferential treatment, an ACC spokeswoman had earlier said the practice for claims "categorised as VIP on ACC's registration and claim management systems" had followed "the standard allocation and management processes applied to all claims".
"The only difference being security rights and who can make decisions on the claim," she said.
Dunedin ACC campaigner Dr Denise Powell said a fully independent inquiry by a QC or judge was needed into concerns over the handling of long-term ACC claimants, and the VIP claims system.

02 April 2012

ACC 'VIP claims' policy under fire

An article from the Otago Daily Times by John Gibb

In the spotlight over confidentiality breaches and allegations of preferential treatment, ACC has come under renewed attack over suggestions its "VIP claims" handling policy delivers better protection for the privacy of powerful decision makers, including MPs, judges and ACC board members.
Dr Denise Powell, president of Acclaim Otago, a support group for ACC claimants, said that if VIPs had an accident, they received "preferential treatment within ACC".
The corporation's delegation manual stated that these claims were to be handled differently, she said.
"If the service provided by ACC is world leading, why would the manager of the ACC service centre have to handle the VIP claim, rather than the service centre staff?" she asked.
"What is it about ACC's 'normal' service that is insufficient for VIP treatment?"
Dr Powell said while it appeared ACC staff had been instructed to "try everything" to "exit" people from ACC, regardless of whether they had been successfully rehabilitated, "VIP status" seemed to be focused on "insulating those with influence over ACC; those who make the law, interpret the law and oversee its application".
"By wrapping them in cotton wool, ACC prevents them from being subjected to their 'try-everything' approach that results in so much heartache to ordinary New Zealanders," she said.
Asked whether its VIP approach amounted to preferential treatment, an ACC spokeswoman said the practice for claims "categorised as VIP on ACC's registration and claim management systems" followed "the standard allocation and management processes applied to all claims".
"The only difference being security rights and who can make decisions on the claim," she said.
VIP claims would be dealt with in the same way as other claims, but the final decision would be taken at a more senior level, rather than by more junior staff. She confirmed "security rights" referred to "extra measures to maintain VIP confidentiality".
Dr Powell said it was time "such anomalies within ACC" were investigated and explained. New Zealand was a nation that prided itself on fairness and equality.
"The very mechanisms like ACC, that were designed to promote fairness and rehabilitation for everyone, should never have been allowed to be used to give preferential treatment to one group of New Zealanders over another," she said.

27 March 2012

ACC must protect data, lawyer says

An article from the Otago Daily Times by By John Gibb

Dunedin lawyer Peter Sara is urging a "culture change" over privacy issues at the ACC after the names of several hundred Otago claimants were included in an email mistakenly sent to Auckland resident Bronwyn Pullar late last year.
Acclaim Otago, a group supporting Otago ACC claimants, has written to Privacy Commissioner Marie Shroff voicing its concern about wider privacy practices at ACC and offering to make some input during the commissioner's inquiry into privacy issues at ACC. ACC needed to tighten up its privacy practices, so that all electronic data involving clients was encrypted and password-protected, Acclaim Otago president Denise Powell said recently.
ACC has apologised for the email privacy breach, which involved the names of 6725 ACC claimants throughout the country, including 137 people with "sensitive" claims, involving rape and sexual abuse. The emailed information involves a spreadsheet listing the names of ACC clients and client reference numbers, relating to claims going through the Disputes Resolution Services Ltd review process, apparently between July 1, 2010 and June 30 last year. The spreadsheet had earlier been sent internally to ACC branch managers throughout the country.
It is understood more than 700 Otago reviews were considered in that 2010-11 period, and it is believed at least 400 Otago people were named in the list. The ODT has made an Official Information Act request to ACC to obtain the exact number of Otago people involved. A much smaller group of "sensitive" Otago claimants were also named.
Mr Sara, who has been dealing with ACC cases for more than 30 years, said ACC needed to take concrete action to prevent such privacy breaches being repeated. In recent years, when ACC client file material was sent to him at his request, some information about other clients had been wrongly included about six times a year. He believed that up to 200 of his own clients' review claims could have been referred to on the Auckland email list.
An ACC spokeswoman noted that ACC had provided an interim report to ACC Minister Judith Collins. The Privacy Commissioner and ACC were working together to develop terms of reference for a substantive review of both the incident and ACC's privacy operating practices, the spokeswoman said.
Dr Powell has recently received her own letter of apology, signed by Denise Cosgrove, ACC general manager, claims management. Ms Cosgrove said ACC took the collection and storage of its clients' information "very seriously", and apologised for Dr Powell's name being accidentally disclosed in the Auckland email.

24 March 2012

Smith rode his luck and fell

An article from the Otago Daily Times by John Armstrong

The word "scandal" is too easily and too often attached to circumstances which amount to nothing of the sort.
But the Accident Compensation Corporation's blunder in releasing thousands of sensitive patient files and its wrangling with the woman who mistakenly received them, plus the ministerial intervention to help her case, have more than a whiff of the scandalous about them.
Labour, the Greens and New Zealand First have their own obvious and self-interested motives in calling for a full and independent inquiry. But their argument that public confidence in the ACC is now in serious question would seem to justify some kind of independent investigation.
With the Prime Minister point-blank refusing to countenance one - he wants to consign this corrosive episode to history as soon as possible - the opposition parties' last option (as always) has been to ask the Auditor-general to start one of her own accord.
So Lyn Provost is now considering the request and hopes to make a decision within two weeks. As Auditor-general, she certainly has the powers to mount an effective inquiry. But into what exactly?
Public confidence has been dented by the huge privacy lapse. But that is a matter for the Privacy Commissioner, not the Auditor-general.
There are several separate strands to this messy business. Nick Smith's conflict of interest in writing a reference for his friend and National Party associate Bronwyn Pullar has nothing to do with ACC's big mistake. Neither does Dr Smith's consequent departure from Cabinet fall within Ms Provost's purview.
However, Dr Smith wants an inquiry so he can prove his indiscretions were limited to some minor assistance for Ms Pullar and that everything else he did while holding the ACC portfolio was above board.
Meanwhile, Ms Pullar claims her privacy was breached when her name was leaked from within the ACC to the media. It is a very serious allegation. But it follows years of argument and complaint by Ms Pullar over the handling of her case by the ACC after she was injured in a cycle accident. Moreover, Ms Provost's powers of inquiry do not extend to assessing the rights and wrongs of an individual claimant's case against the corporation.
More preferable would have been an inquiry by a senior lawyer, such as a Queen's Counsel, who could have been given a wider brief and not been proscribed by statute as Ms Provost is.
It is still possible something extraordinary may yet emerge which forces Mr Key to U-turn on his refusal to establish such an inquiry - one which would probe far wider than the joint inquiry being conducted by the Privacy Commissioner and ACC.
What has already happened is extraordinary, so such an eventuality cannot be ruled out.
An inquiry would be lose-lose for Mr Key. If it uncovers something really dicey, that can only mean trouble for National. If an inquiry reported little or nothing was wrong it would be dismissed as a whitewash.
Dr Smith's hopes of getting an inquiry were always forlorn. His resignation on Wednesday made him party to an unspoken deal with Mr Key that he won't get one.
Dr Smith has been a long-serving and loyal servant of the National Party.Having done the right thing by resigning, he can be assured the party will now look after him. But that means no inquiry. His seat at the Cabinet table will be filled by someone else. But Dr Smith's intelligence, energy and salesmanship will not go to waste. Once the current hoo-hah dies down, it is not inconceivable that in a few months he might be offered a ministerial post outside Cabinet. He is too valuable to allow to go to seed on National's backbenches for the best part of three years.
The dignified manner of his departure has already placed him on the road to rehabilitation. That he somehow managed to hold himself together on Wednesday afternoon was something of a minor miracle. His haggard face, sagging jowls and teary eyes were the look of someone who had not slept in days. It was the look of someone who had hit rock-bottom. It was the look of someone at the end of their tether - or close to it.
It took true courage to stand up in Parliament and announce his resignation as a Cabinet minister before stepping out of the chamber to face the waiting media. Lesser politicians whose worlds had just crashed around them would have barged their way through the throng of microphones and cameras without stopping. Dr Smith - polite and professional to the end - endured the interrogation until the questions dried up and his colleagues could finally shepherd him away.
Jim Anderton liked to say that one bad day in government was better than 1000 good days in opposition. But Wednesday was an especially bad day for National. Barely four months into its new term, the governing party has lost its first minister - and a senior one to boot.
A wheel has come off the National juggernaut. It is still full speed ahead with the party's reform agenda. But National has suffered its biggest psychological hit since Mr Key became leader more than five years ago.
The sheer speed of Dr Smith's demise was a shock for the party. On Monday afternoon, as local government minister, he stood alongside Mr Key on the podium at the Prime Minister's weekly press conference to launch National's eight-point plan to curtail local body rates rises. Less than 48 hours later Dr Smith, who had also held the Environment and Climate Change Issues portfolios, was no longer minister of anything.
There was astonishment and puzzlement within National that - despite all his experience - he should have ignored strict Cabinet rules on conflicts of interest to help Ms Pullar in her fight against ACC when he was in charge of that portfolio at the time. It was not as if he was doing it for any apparent financial or personal gain.
Correspondence released this week shows Dr Smith was perfectly well aware of the conflict of interest. His mistake was to think he could minimise it to a point where people would think it was not that big a deal in the grander context of his contribution as a hard-working minister and MP.
He might get into some minor trouble over it, but it would stop Ms Pullar pestering him to intervene in her case.
Or so he seems to have thought.
Dr Smith could not have got things more wrong.
But then he has often ridden his luck in the past.
This time it ran out. Just as it seems to be running out for National generally.

19 March 2012

Woman denies threats against ACC

An article from the Otago Daily Times

The woman who was accidentally sent thousands of records about ACC claimants has denied she tried to use the mistake as leverage to get a two-year guaranteed benefit.
Former National Party insider and ACC client Bronwyn Pullar last week went to the media following an incident last August when she was accidentally emailed a spreadsheet containing information about other claimants. The document included about 9000 records relating to about 6700 individuals, including a number of clients with sensitive claims - injuries resulting from sexual abuse or sexual assault.
In a statement this morning, Ms Pullar denied ACC accusations that at a meeting in December she attempted to use the data to get a two-year guaranteed benefit from the corporation, saying she never used the words "payment'', "guaranteed'' or "benefit".
"I made no threats and no demands of ACC. I made no threats and no demands for return of the information. I did not threaten ACC that I would inform the media of the alleged privacy issue. I did not threaten ACC to get my own way in any way," she said. "ACC were advised the file had been sent by one of their staff. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss how ACC could most effectively support my rehabilitation and return to work."
Ms Pullar said that at the end of the meeting a document was tabled identifying 45 privacy and protocol breaches, which the two managers present were asked to address with the chief executive, the board, and the minister.
With regard to the leaked emails, Ms Pullar said it could not be construed as a threat to go public, "as it was openly copied to five people in the media at the same time".
Ms Pullar suffered a head injury in a 2002 bicycle accident that she said left her unable to work fulltime, and has been battling with ACC over its assessments of her ability to work.

14 March 2012

ACC breach 'poorly handled': Collins

An article from the Otago Daily Times by Hayden Donnell

Minister for ACC Judith Collins has criticised her agency's "poorly handled'' response to a massive breach of claimants' information.
ACC chief executive Ralph Stewart yesterday (Tue) confirmed an Auckland worker had accidentally attached a spreadsheet containing thousands of private records in an email to another client. About 9000 records were sent relating to about 6000 people, including 137 who had suffered injuries from sexual abuse or assault. The client told ACC in December about the information breach.
However, Ms Collins was only informed about the breach through media reports yesterday. She admitted the response had been "poorly handled" in an interview on Radio Live this morning.
"It has been poorly handled and I think the chief executive has confirmed that ... They need to improve their work in relation to privacy and they need to do that straight away."
When asked whether "heads will roll'' over the incident, Ms Collins said the agency would go through employment processes. She said the staff member who accidentally leaked the details was "extraordinarily distraught".
"It's a bit difficult to have people's heads rolling when the chief executive's pretty new, in there a couple of months.
"I understand there are obviously employment processes that they have to go through.
"But they're also saying to me there's no way the staff member meant to do anything wrong."
Ms Collins criticised the client who received the confidential records. The client allegedly used the information as leverage to make demands of ACC, Ms Collins said. "I'm certainly extremely disappointed.
"But I also have to look at the poor people who thought that their details might be published or were available. All of those claimants ... I feel incredibly sorry for them and it beggars belief that someone who had confidential details didn't give it straight back to ACC."
Privacy Commissioner Marie Shroff earlier said she was investigating the breach. "We've indicated to ACC that this is a 'please explain' situation," she said. "There are various criteria for seriousness, one is the numbers of people involved, one is how sensitive the information is, another is whether it puts people directly at risk ... This one is serious if it's proved to be correct because it involves extremely sensitive personal information, particularly around the sensitive claims area."
Ms Shroff said she could launch an investigation if she received a complaint about the breach, but could also launch her own inquiry if she felt the situation warranted it. "We've taken the obvious first steps to go to ACC ... once we get their response we'll make a call about how to proceed."

17 November 2011

Election 2011: Southern candidates answer questions

An article from the Otago Daily Times

Star reader Joy Hayward writes: "Since ACC changed its criteria in October 2009, the number of people seeking therapy has significantly dropped and the number of people turned down for therapy has significantly risen. What measures will your party take to ensure that victims of sexual abuse have the opportunity to receive therapy to enable their recovery from abuse?"

RESPONSES

"The National Government's decision to restrict access to the ACC scheme has severely impacted the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups. This has made it hard for many people to get support services for sensitive claims. Labour will improve the medical assessment and vocational independence processes so there is a fair, balanced and consistent approach to assessing claims. Labour will review National's changes to the ACC scheme."
Clare Curran
MP and Labour candidate for Dunedin South

"'Health is a state of complete physical, mental, social and spiritual wellbeing, and not merely the absence of disease.' (World Health Organisation) Health focuses not just on te taha tinana (physical) but also te taha wairua (spiritual), te taha hinengaro (mental and emotional) and te taha whanau (social - family and community) and the interconnectedness of these dimensions. Sexual abuse is something that affects its victims in all those areas, so we will ensure that victims of sexual abuse will receive treatment by directing ACC to do so."
Shane Gallagher
Green candidate for Dunedin South

"ACC's role is to help support victims, and those who have suffered a mental injury under Act as a result of a rape or sexual abuse are still entitled to make claims. However, the failing of a public system like ACC is that the demands on it are often greater than its resources, and it is difficult to target the right services to the right people. Opening up ACC to competition would ensure providers are better able to give the services we require."
Kim Hannah
Act candidate for Dunedin South

"New Zealand First ACC policy will ensure that the victims of violent crime are appropriately covered by ACC and the health system. One of our 15 fundamental principles states that health will cease to be a balance-sheet item and health will be a critical investment in New Zealand's human resource."
Randall Ratana
New Zealand First candidate for Dunedin South

"The Alliance would make sure that everyone who sustains an injury, whether physical or psychological, receives the treatment they need to enable their recovery. We have anecdotal evidence that many people with a range of injuries have not received appropriate treatment due to ACC cost cutting. However, the Alliance is also concerned with the discrepancy in treatment for people who are incapacitated due to illness rather than accident. We would work towards a more equitable treatment for all people whose lives are seriously impaired by health issues."
Kay Murray
Alliance candidate for Dunedin South

"We do not believe the issue of providing therapy for victims of sexual abuse is one that should be provided for through ACC but rather by provision based on a restorative justice system whereby convicted abusers (and all prisoners indeed) should be in work schemes linked to a production-based return, the proceeds of which are credited into a funding system for all victims of crime. Any shortfall would be Government-funded."
Warren Voight
Democrats For Social Credit candidate for Dunedin South

"It seems to me that sexual abuse doesn't readily come under the concept of accident, that modern definitions of sexual abuse cover the most serious crimes through to incidents of no consequence, that it is an area widely abused by fraudulent claims. Serious crimes like rape etc have become vastly more common with sex education in schools and the promotion of sexual immorality. That is what we are fighting. And modern therapy is of doubtful benefit to the victims."
Robert Wansink
Restore All Things in Christ candidate for Dunedin South

"No policy on this specifically. United Future proposes establishing a truly independent committee to review appeals against ACC decisions. This committee would have the power to make recommendations to the government should it find flaws that regularly lead to unfair decisions. I would advocate for sufficient treatment for sexual abuse victims."
Pete George
United Future candidate for Dunedin North

"No one should be turned away when they need help. We support free and supportive care for all victims of sexual abuse. Longer prison sentences need to be given to their attackers."
Julian Crawford
Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party candidate for Dunedin North

© Allied Press Limited 2011

http://www.odt.co.nz/election-2011/candidates/186890/election-2011-southern-candidates-answer-questions?page=0%2C0

25 September 2010

ACC appeals overloaded

An article from the Otago Daily Times by John Gibb

Critics say the ACC appeals system is threatening to burst at the seams, with review applications soaring to 9900 during the past year and 1446 cases stacked up at the district court.
Dunedin ACC campaigner Denise Powell and city lawyer Peter Sara, who has been handling ACC cases for more than 30 years, are urging a rethink of the way ACC is operating. An excessive emphasis on cost cutting and excluding many such claimants from coverage was causing the upsurge in reviews and appeals, Mr Sara told the Otago Daily Times.
The Green Party recently called for an independent review of changes made to ACC by the Government during the past two years, after a review of controversial changes to ACC's sexual abuse assessment procedures highlighted major flaws.
But ACC claims management acting general manager Mike Tully said he found it "hard to imagine how ACC could be too focused on cost containment when we have a $10.3 billion deficit to contend with."
"The fact is that the future of the ACC scheme was in jeopardy and some difficult decisions were necessary," Mr Tully said. An increase in reviews and appeals was "to be expected given our much tighter focus on applying our legislation properly".
"We also recognise that the benefits of being on ACC are considerable, especially if time off work is required, so we expect that people will do whatever they can to get on to ACC.
"What's important is that over the last couple of years the proportion of reviews and appeals upheld in ACC's favour has remained relatively steady in most areas, at about 75%." ACC decision-making processes were "fair and robust", he said.
Long-term ACC claimant numbers dropped from 15,271 to about 12,500 during the 2009-10 financial year, and ACC plans to cut at least 1150 more clients from its long-term claimant list by the middle of next year. Applications for reviews of ACC claim decisions had earlier risen from 6256 to 8160 over the 2008-09 financial year, a parliamentary report noted.
Officials at Disputes Resolution Services Ltd (DRSL), an ACC subsidiary which operates independently of ACC, said 9900 applications for review had been lodged with it in the 12 months to June 30 this year. A total of 9430 reviews were also completed or withdrawn over that period.
Ministry of Justice tribunals national manager Wayne Newall noted that if claimants were "unhappy" about an ACC claim, the first step was for ACC to review the decision, including through DRSL. If people were still not satisfied, they could apply to the Accident Compensation Appeals District Court Registry to further review the decision. The registry hears claims against decisions by DRSL, and district court judges deal with the appeals. The judges decided 236 cases last year, and 625 new cases were lodged. Of the 1446 "live" appeal cases before the court, 115 originated in Dunedin, Mr Newall said.
Denise Powell, who is the president of Acclaim Otago, an ACC claimant support group, said the appeal system was "getting so overloaded that it could burst at the seams".
"There must be a point at which they say, whether the courts say, or ACC says, something's wrong and if this continues we just can't keep up with the number of reviews and appeals that are coming through."

20 September 2010

1150 to lose out in plans by ACC

An article from the Otago Daily Times by John Gibb

The Accident Compensation Corporation intends to cut at least 1150 more clients from its long-term claimants list by the middle of next year.
The company's Statement of Corporate Intent for 2010 to 2013, a copy of which has been obtained by the Otago Daily Times, reveals that those targeted include claimants receiving weekly compensation payments for a year, including "new" long-term claimants.
The latest projected cuts come on top of a big reduction - from 15,271 to about 12,500 - in long-term claimants during the 2009-10 financial year, and after recent controversy and criticism over the ACC's handling of claims involving sexual abuse.
ACC spokesman Laurie Edwards said that the "big picture" should be remembered over the reduction target, which should not be seen as a mainly economic issue. "It's a measure of how well we're doing in getting people back to their pre-injury lives," he said.
Individual circumstances were taken into account, and if claimants were unhappy with outcomes, they could use appeal mechanisms.
Denise Powell, president of Acclaim Otago, an ACC claimant support group, is worried about what she sees as the high human cost of further substantial cuts in long-term claimants.
Ms Powell told the ODT she was concerned about the effect on the mental health of claimants, of further attempts to remove them from weekly compensation support. "From talking to people, they're just worn out from having to battle [to retain compensation]," she said.
An earlier survey had shown some Acclaim group members had been badly depressed because of previous moves to "exit" them from ACC coverage, despite their serious injuries.
Ms Powell is also a member of ACC's Consumers' Outlook Group (COG), a national liaison group involving claimants and ACC senior management, and she plans to raise her concerns at the next COG meeting in Wellington on Friday.
A recent "fiasco" over handling of sexual abuse claims highlighted the need for ACC to avoid excessive cost-cutting and using simplistic criteria that did not take individual circumstances sufficiently into account.
Several of ACC's recent moves over work-related rehabilitation had been positive, including an emphasis on good early rehabilitation, through the Better at Work scheme. But, in the light of a critical independent review panel report on sensitive claims issues, released recently, ACC needed to take a "long hard look" at any future plans for further streamlining processes, such as in the rehabilitation area, to achieve spending cuts, she said.

12 August 2010

ACC reverses funding cuts for sex victims

An article from the Otago Daily Times

Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) has backed down on funding cuts and will provide extra support to survivors of sexual abuse.
Last October ACC cut counselling for victims of rape and other sexual abuse "sensitive claims", and funding was restricted to those with a diagnosed mental injury resulting from sexual abuse or assault, sparking outrage and protests from sexual abuse groups.
But yesterday it announced that from next week people with a new ACC sensitive claim, or with a new claim already in the system but awaiting a decision, would be able to access up to 16 hours with a counsellor.
"ACC has listened to concerns expressed by several groups that more support is needed. Those groups included the public, the sexual abuse treatment sector, and the independent panel appointed by the minister to review the sensitive claims pathway," said ACC's general manager of claims management, Denise Cosgrove.
The 16 hours should be sufficient to meet the needs of many people, who would not need further ACC cover or ACC-funded treatment, she said.
The sessions would be used to gather information on a cover decision for those who did demonstrate signs of a possible mental injury arising from sexual abuse.
A number of details are yet to be finalised, such as what special arrangements might be put in place for children and what support will be available for people who have suffered a relapse, or whose sensitive claims have previously been declined or reactivated.
ACC acknowledged last year's cuts "exposed gaps in the services available to people who have suffered sexual abuse," Ms Cosgrove said.
"We will be continuing to develop the sensitive claims process, and will take into account the views of the sector, the final report of the independent panel and the cross-government work being carried out following the recent findings of the Taskforce on Sexual Violence."
Rape Prevention Education director Kim McGregor told the New Zealand Herald more than 16 hours was needed in many cases, but it was an "extremely welcome" move.
The 16 hour figure pertained to adults who had experienced one sexual assault but would be inappropriate for child sexual abuse and for most survivors of more than one sexual assault, she said.
Dr McGregor said last year's cutback had affected survivors of sexual violence, and counsellors.
Some would have become suicidal, harmed themselves or closed down and put up with whatever they were dealing with for another 10 years, she said.

27 July 2010

Ashburn staff laid off

An article from the Otago Daily Times by Eileen Goodwin

Involuntary redundancies at Dunedin's Ashburn Clinic have been lower than expected, with only two full-time staff forced to take redundancy among the staff laid off, says clinic business manager Lindsay Smith.
Last month, Ashburn, the country's oldest private psychiatric hospital, announced it had to drop 9.7 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff to cope with a $900,000 funding shortfall.
It has also mothballed a hostel for self-sufficient patients - Alexander House - to save heating costs during winter.
Mr Smith said the staff cuts were managed mostly through voluntary redundancies or staff agreeing to fewer hours.
On top of two involuntary redundancies, one worker had been unwilling to take a 0.5FTE role, and was "snapped up by Cadbury's".
Mr Smith's own position reduces from full-time to 0.5FTE.
As well as that, kitchen staff reduce 1FTE, psychiatric staff 0.7FTE, psychotherapy 1FTE, office staff 1FTE and nurses 5.5FTE.
"It has been distressing for staff to see long-time work colleagues going, and to see Alexander House shut."
Ashburn, established in 1882, had never had to cut staff before, he said.
Staff were already being farewelled, almost on a daily basis.
Ashburn had to move quickly once it realised the seriousness of its financial position.
The patients were "coping brilliantly" with the changes, which included combining two inpatient wards in order to temporarily close Alexander House.
Ashburn's "therapeutic community" meant patients were included in the change process, he said.
During the past five years, ACC funding for sexual-abuse inpatients dropped from $2 million to $900,000 in 2009-10, with referrals now non-existent.
The clinic has also lost a $500,000 five-bed eating-disorder contract with the Ministry of Health, although earlier this month it picked up a more modest outreach eating-disorder contract from the Southern District Health Board.
Ashburn has also been hit by the recession, with private patients opting for shorter stays.

29 June 2010

$900,000 shortfall; clinic losing ten staff

An article from the Otago Daily Times by Eileen Goodwin

Dunedin's Ashburn Clinic is losing nearly 10 full-time equivalent staff, combining two inpatient wards and mothballing a hostel to make up a $900,000 funding shortfall.
Business manager Lindsay Smith said yesterday the clinic had lost ACC referrals for sexual abuse sufferers, a Ministry of Health eating disorder contract, and had fewer DHB referrals and self-referrals.
The hospital was staffed for 45 to 50 patients, but needed to provide for 30 to 35.
Two inpatient wards - Gwen Wilson and Frank Hay - would combine as a single ward. Alexander House, a residential building catering for nine self-sufficient inpatients, would be mothballed, with its inhabitants moving to the former Frank Hay ward. Closing the building would save about $100,000 annually on power bills.
The clinic was choosing to mothball the hostel, rather than the extra ward, because it was more expensive to heat.
Mr Smith's own position would halve, in a voluntary move, which would allow him to stand in October's elections as a city councillor, he said.
Kitchen staff would reduce by one full-time equivalent (FTE), nurses 5.5 FTE, psychiatric staff 0.7 FTE, psychotherapy 1 FTE and office staff 1 FTE.
All up, 9.7 FTE would go, although it was not possible to say yet how many actual staff members that entailed. Details would be worked through in the next two to three weeks.
It was important the clinic acted before the situation worsened.
Ashburn did not have a shortfall for the 2009-10 financial year.
During the past five years, ACC funding for sexual-abuse inpatients dropped from $2 million to $900,000 in the 2009-10 financial year. Referrals for the service were now non-existent. ACC stopped using the contract between six and nine months ago.
The clinic lost a $500,000 five-bed eating-disorder contract with the Ministry of Health, effective from the end of this month.
DHB referrals had dropped too, and private paying patients were opting for shorter stays.
The clinic raised its fees last December, had become more proactive in gaining new contracts and introducing new programmes, and had cut costs.
Deputy medical director Dr Stephanie du Fresne said losing staff - Ashburn's "treasure" - had been distressing as the clinic enjoyed a stable workforce with extremely low staff turnover. Dr du Fresne said staff and patients had worked together to find creative ways to save money, reflecting Ashburn's philosophy as a "therapeutic community" empowering patients.
ACC claims management general manager Denise Cosgrove, responding by email, said the contract with Ashburn for intensive residential rehabilitation remained, but long-term treatment was not always the most appropriate for sexual abuse sufferers. Funding to Ashburn had been dropping since 2002-03, when it was about $2 million a year, she said.

18 May 2010

Rape victims wait weeks for counselling

An article from the Otago Daily Times by the NZPA

Rape victims should not have to wait weeks to get help and that situation needs to improve, ACC Minister Nick Smith told Parliament today.
Labour's Lynne Pillay said that in 2006, when Labour was in government, National MP Chris Tremain highlighted the case of a young woman who was held at knifepoint for 15 hours and repeatedly raped but had to wait six weeks before earnings-related accident compensation could be paid.
"How does he reconcile Mr Tremain's outrage then with the fact that rape victims are now waiting months or indefinitely just for counselling to be approved by ACC?"
Dr Smith said the average time for processing sensitive claims was about 20 days.
"That is unacceptably long. It is one of the reasons that I have established a clinical review of management of sensitive claims. I want ACC to work with clinicians and professionals to ensure that the best possible counselling support within the law is provided to those claimants."
Dr Smith ordered the review after concerns were raised about changes to rules which stipulate ACC-subsidised counselling is only for victims with a diagnosed mental condition caused by sexual abuse, and is generally for 16 weeks, subject to further review.
Ms Pillay asked why the Government did not reinstate the previous process given the "overwhelming opposition".
Dr Smith said it was Labour that wrote the law which set a diagnosed mental injury as a requirement. He said that since the new guidelines came into effect the amount spent on sensitive claims had remained steady - for the year to date $45.7 million, compared to $46.7 million for the same period last year.
Labour MPs yelled out that the figures were static because new claims were not being accepted.

http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/106609/rape-victims-wait-weeks-counselling