$1.4m funding boost for campus sexual violence prevention

An article from The Wireless by Susan Strongman

ACC will spend $1.4 million over the next four years to help prevent campus sexual violence, in a move that aims to help change the culture around sexual violence and consent in New Zealand.
The money will go towards implementing a three-year action plan for preventing and responding to sexual violence within tertiary communities.
The action plan was announced today by New Zealand Union of Students Associations (NZUSA) director Alistair Shaw.
It includes reviews of tertiary education institutions’ policies on sexual harassment and sexual violence prevention; enhancing reporting systems and support for students; and training and education programmes for residential assistants, staff, and students.
ACC’s violence injury prevention portfolio manager Mike McCarthy said 22 percent of ACC’s sensitive claims in the 2016/17 financial year were from those aged 18-24. A sensitive claim is for mental or physical injuries such as those caused by sexually violent acts. Last year ACC paid out $103 million on treatment and entitlements on sensitive claims, McCarthy said.
“Our goal is to support young adults so they can experience safe, healthy and respectful relationships.
“We see this partnership as a great opportunity for ACC to work with NZUSA and tertiary institutions. Sexual violence and consent is a wider issue for New Zealand. Changing the culture around it is challenging for all of us.”
The announcement was made at today’s launch of the In Our Own Words report, which looks at at the experiences of tertiary students with sexual violence, education, harassment, institutional support services and reporting pathways, ableism, racism and LGBTQIA+ discrimination.
The report was penned by Thursdays in Black National Coordinator Izzy O’Neill and findings were based on responses received by more than 1400 students.
According to the report, more than 80 per cent of those who answered the question said that they thought sexual violence in student communities was a problem. 53 percent of respondents said they had experienced some form of sexual assault themselves and 49 percent of respondents suspected that a friend had been sexually assaulted.
These numbers are strikingly similar to the results of a survey of psychology students at the University of Auckland in 1991 by Nicola Gavey, which found 52 percent of women had experienced some form of sexual victimisation.
“In Our Own Words confirms that sexual violence does occur in tertiary and student communities. Now, something must be done about it,” O’Neill said.
Read the full report here.

© 2017 Radio New Zealand

http://thewireless.co.nz/articles/1-4m-funding-boost-for-campus-sexual-violence-prevention

Question to Minister

9. IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY (Labour—Palmerston North) to the Minister for ACC: Is she satisfied that just 54 percent of the public expressed trust and confidence in ACC according to the corporation’s 2014 Annual Report?



Hon Nikki Kaye (Minister for ACC): No, I believe that ACC needs to do more to rebuild trust and confidence with New Zealanders. I am confident that ACC has a significant programme of work under way to achieve this. I am also pleased that the annual report shows trust and confidence has been trending upwards for the past few years.

Iain Lees-Galloway: Did former Minister Judith Collins damage public trust and confidence in ACC when she admitted that every New Zealander is paying too much for ACC because the Government is using excessive levies to create the perception that it will achieve a fiscal surplus in the current financial year?

Hon Nikki Kaye: Well, firstly, I disagree with the statement made in that question. But what I can say in terms of levies is that under our Government we have announced $480 million in levy reductions. That is incredibly significant, and it is a bit rich to get a lecture after the previous Labour Government left us with a huge deficit in 2008-09 of $4.8 billion.

Iain Lees-Galloway: I am going to seek leave to table a media statement, but that is because the Minister refuted the premise of my question—

Mr Speaker: Order! Members need to understand that the purpose of tabling a document is not to make a political point.

Iain Lees-Galloway: The purpose is not to make a political point.

Mr Speaker: Well, I think that in the way it has been described to me, it is very much about making a political point. The reason people seek leave to table documents is that it is information that is not readily available to members, may be difficult to source for members, and may be informative to members. If it is something that has been in the media, particularly media that is freely available to members, I do not intend to start putting the leave.

Chris Hipkins: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. In a ruling that you made—it was either earlier this week or last week—you referred us to a Speaker’s ruling that requires any statements made in a question to be authenticated, so if there is any factual material in a question, it needs to be authenticated. If a member is not able to table a document to authenticate that claim, what is the appropriate way for them to authenticate any claim that they might be making in a question?

Mr Speaker: The member, I think, is confused between a primary question and a supplementary question. The authentication is required for a primary question, and that is required in the process when it is lodged to the Clerk’s Office, and they will be accepted with authentication. With regard to supplementary questions, I have to judge relatively immediately whether it is a reasonable question, and I do that, but it is not as if there is an ability to then table information that substantiates the authentication of a supplementary question. So in this case, the primary question was authenticated, it was immediately answered in the very first word by the Minister, and we have now moved to a supplementary question. The way forward, as I continue to advise the House, is further incisive supplementary questions.

Iain Lees-Galloway: Does the Minister accept—

Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman: World weary—he’s not happy. That’s a big sigh.

Iain Lees-Galloway: Are you all right? Does the Minister accept that over the 6 years that National has been in Government, New Zealanders have overwhelmingly come to perceive ACC as difficult to deal with, likely to breach their privacy, likely to litigate against claimants, and overcharging them for the privilege; if not, why not?

Hon Nikki Kaye: No, I do not accept all of the statements made by that member. What I can say is what I have said in answer to the primary question: there is more work to do. Obviously, by a percentage that shows 54 percent public confidence, we have to do better. Let me outline some of the progress that we have made. Firstly, you can see at an investment level that ACC is now essentially fully funded. That is an extraordinary achievement for this Government, given that we were left in a situation of a debt of $4.8 billion in terms of deficit. Secondly, at an organisational level it is very clear—and I am meeting with the board tomorrow—that it has a huge programme around both updating information and communication technology systems to ensure that we have better progress around issues like privacy but also that a huge amount is being done in terms of claims management. I am confident that ACC is on the right track.

Iain Lees-Galloway: Will this morning’s article in the New Zealand Herald damage public trust and confidence in ACC, given that it detailed an attempt to cover up information about fraudulent activity, that the cover-up itself was bungled, that when pressed about the extent of fraud, ACC could only say that the information it used was not robust, and that an accurate figure for the level of fraud has not been provided?

Hon Nikki Kaye: In terms of the article in the New Zealand Herald, I do not believe that it will actually damage public trust, because you need to understand that the data is—and I want to outline why, for a number of reasons—11-year-old data. The data was from 2,000 clients, and that is out of a total of about a billion claims. So, firstly, it was a very small sample. I also understand that the figure that was quoted of 8 percent to 10 percent was not the proportion that was fraudulent; it was the proportion that needed another look. So it is old data, it is a small sample, and it is ropey.

Iain Lees-Galloway: Given that the Minister is not satisfied with the level of public trust and confidence in ACC, does she believe that the two initiatives to address public trust and confidence listed in the service agreements between ACC and former Minister Collins, which are “refresh our communications strategy” and “social media”, will be enough to improve confidence in ACC, or does she think it might take something a little bit less superficial than that?

Hon Nikki Kaye: In terms of the corporation’s programme to improve public confidence, there is a range of initiatives. There is a range of initiatives. The member is referring to a different document. He is not referring to the annual report. If he reads the annual report, he will see that not only is there a significant investment plan in terms of dealing with the privacy issues, and not only is the ACC doing a huge amount around sensitive claims, which is very important, but, thirdly, the Government is looking at the long-term funding policy. When he drills down, when he does the work and reads the annual report, he will see that one of the areas where we do need to improve public confidence is around businesses’ interaction with the ACC. There is a huge amount to do in terms of that administration side because that is where the public confidence is partly very low.

Marama Fox:

    [Authorised te reo text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]

    [Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]

Hon Nikki Kaye: Just in terms of the translation of that question, I got only half of it, I think—

Mr Speaker: I invite Marama Fox to either repeat it in Te Reo, or, if she wants to, she can now repeat the question in English—whichever she would rather do.

Marama Fox: Perhaps I will repeat it in English. How is the Minister planning to address the projected 10 percent increase in new sensitive claims each year, and what plans does she have in place to involve whānau in the recovery process?

Hon Nikki Kaye: That is a very good question. Firstly, one area where the Government is very focused, and also the corporation is very focused, is the prevention of sexual violence. We have a strategy and an action plan around that, and they involve a number of Government agencies. The second thing I would say is I am advised that ACC is currently in the final stages of tendering for new suppliers and providers around some of those sensitive claims. That is very important so that we have more providers. Thirdly, with regard to family and whānau support, I am pleased to confirm that family and whānau of sensitive claims clients will receive support through the introduction of up to 20 hours of family and whanau support, depending on family need. I can confirm that this will be available by the end of the year.

Hon Te Ururoa Flavell: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. Tēnā koe, Mr Speaker. Can I just ask the Minister with respect to the question, because I was not listening to the translation, for further information, just in case other members, Māori members, use Te Reo and we have to switch into English, which defeats the purpose. Was the issue that the Minister did not get a good translation, that the Minister did not get a translation, or that the translation was unclear—just for the purposes of—

Mr Speaker: I am sure I can answer that on behalf of the Minister. The Minister did not manage to realise it was going to be in Māori. She did not grab the headpiece in time to listen to the translation, so she picked up the latter part of the—[Interruption] I will let the Minister explain her own reasoning.

Chris Hipkins: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker: No, I am going to hear from the Hon Nikki Kaye first so we will get an explanation.

Hon Nikki Kaye: I was listening, and I heard only half, I think, of what the translation was, and other members may be able to confirm that.

Chris Hipkins: I am happy to speak to this, because I also was listening to the translation, and the translation bore very little correlation to the question that was then asked in English. This is quite a serious issue for the House, because we previously had a situation where questions were asked first in Te Reo Māori and then in English, and we moved to a system where we had simultaneous translation. If that translation is not going to actually translate what is asked, then we are going to have to reassess that. I listened very carefully to the translation. I can fully understand why the Minister did not understand what the question was. I did not understand what the question was either.

Mr Speaker: Thank you. I appreciate that. When I finally got my headpiece on, again, I found much the same as the member Chris Hipkins has said. We need to now investigate whether it was an issue to do with the translation, because it is critical, if we are going to rely on the translator, that we have an accurate interpretation of the question that is asked. Otherwise, it could lead to all sorts of difficulties for a Minister. I will look into the matter.

ACC culture must be more fair and open

An editorial from the New Zealand Herald

The need for a culture change at the Accident Compensation Corporation has prompted the departure of the chairman, two board members, the chief executive and several officials. With the decks cleared, much of the responsibility for turning the ship around will lie with the board appointees announced by the ACC Minister, Judith Collins, this week. Unsurprisingly, the interim chairwoman, Paula Rebstock, will reprise her fix-it role at the table's head for the next three years. Other new appointments see Trevor Janes in the deputy chairman's chair and Professor Des Gorman and Kirsty McDonald, QC, on the board.
Ms Collins says these choices "underline the Government's commitment to genuine culture change, and will lead to a more balanced and comprehensive approach to the governance and operation of ACC". It is on that basis that the appointments will be scrutinised. Labour's ACC spokesman, Andrew Little, was quick to talk of "a sharp lurch to the right" and to zero in on Professor Gorman. The professor, head of the Auckland School of Medicine, had, he said, been a senior medical adviser to the ACC for many years, and "given some of the most retrograde advice on claimants' files I've known".
He said the professor had been the subject of many complaints over his advice about occupational overuse syndrome in the 1990s.
That raises questions about the precise nature of the culture that will be implanted at the ACC. The first priority, in the wake of the privacy breach which saw details of 6700 ACC claimants emailed to Bronwyn Pullar, is no longer said to be cost containment. Rather, it is trust and confidence. But the criticism of Professor Gorman over OOS advice has had a recent echo in the stricter enforcement of the ACC's policy of declining to pay for surgery for "pre-existing conditions". To save money, the ACC seized on age-related degeneration of claimants' bodies to unjustifiably reject their claims for surgery after an injury.
On appeal, too many rejections of such claims were reversed. Understandably, this led to accusations that the ACC was too hard-nosed. The corporation, after an internal review, conceded as much, yet comments this year by the previous chairman, John Judge, suggested nothing much had changed. The ACC was still not getting the balance right in its decision-making.
An early task for Ms Rebstock must, therefore, be to respond to the criticism of Professor Gorman's appointment and to spell out exactly what it signifies. When the stricter policy for pre-existing conditions was introduced, there was no public notification of why it was necessary or how it would be applied. That lack of transparency is not sustainable. More broadly, the new culture must include a clear explanation of exactly where the ACC is headed under the new board.
The corporation should be involving claimants' surgeons more in its decision-making and applying extra expertise where necessary. It should also be explaining the reasons for its decisions more clearly to people. The "almost cavalier" attitude identified by official inquiries into the Pullar case cannot continue. But the changes to the way the ACC approaches its job, notably in keeping costs under control, should be kept in proportion. There can, for example, be no question of unworthy claims for surgery being approved with few questions asked.
The lessons of the Pullar case are that the ACC must be more sensitive, fair and open in its dealings with people. That culture change will not have to be as drastic as that needed at the top level to achieve it.

© 2012 APN Holdings NZ Ltd

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10832252

Not cute

A blog post from Off the Couch by Kyle MacDonald

I think that politics and psychotherapy are worlds apart, and largely in the different ways they approach the truth. Psychotherapy is largely the search for the truth along with understanding and validating one persons experience of it.
Politics these days seems to be largely about the manipulation of the truth, to most closely match whatever agenda is being pushed. In some ways I can live with that, it’s what I expect from politicians and a healthy news media can assist us to dive into the debate and decide who and what we want to believe. But it’s much harder to take from a public organization charged with the care and treatment of all New Zealanders.
Both of the recent reports into the ACC by the Auditor General and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner  point to “culture problems” within the ACC.  (See: “Dual investigations shows culture problems at the ACC“). In my view this starts to get us to the heart of the problems that have plagued the Sensitive Claims Unit for a number of years. I believe the culture problem that exists within the ACC’s Senior Management is an ongoing pattern of cynical manipulation of the truth for financial and political gain. And sometimes blatant self-preservation...

Click here to read the rest of this post.

http://psychotherapy.org.nz/not-cute/

Claimants shouldn’t be forgotten in ACC fallout

A press release from the Labour Party by Andrew Little

ACC must take the concerns of sensitive claims unit claimants seriously, and set up a high level unit to deal with the outstanding complaints around breaches of privacy and misuse of information, Labour’s ACC spokesperson Andrew Little says.
Two independent reports yesterday highlighted the "cavalier" nature of information management and called for a change in culture within the Corporation.
"While the work of the two review teams will be helpful in moving to a healthier culture at ACC, it is still surprising little was said by either review team about the fate of nearly 200 sensitive claims unit claimants who had some of their details released in the mass privacy breach that was the subject of the investigation.
"The Privacy Commissioner's review treated the SCU claimants too lightly when it implied not much identifying information was disclosed, but the report shows there was an identifying code for the issues under appeal, so unauthorized ACC staff would know exactly what those claims were about.
"A couple of months ago Labour called for a high level independent review team to be set up straight away to deal with all existing complaints about misuse of information.
"If ACC and Judith Collins are serious about restoring confidence, then this is an initiative that could go a long way to doing so as well as exorcising some difficult demons that will only hold the Corporation back if they are not dealt with.
"ACC really needs to accept that an entirely new approach is required. All of the difficult files of recent years need to be reviewed with a fresh pair of eyes so everyone can move on with the confidence that they have been treated fairly,” said Andrew Little.

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1208/S00370/claimants-shouldnt-be-forgotten-in-acc-fallout.htm

Privacy breach a warning for others

An article from the Nelson Mail by Laura Basham

In a chilling revelation, an inquiry into the case of ACC emailing sensitive details about more than 6000 claimants to the wrong person reveals it could have happened to any big government agency.
A spreadsheet containing details of the 6000-plus claimants - including more than 200 handled by the ACC's sensitive claims unit dealing with rape and sexual abuse victims - was emailed to Auckland woman Bronwyn Pullar after an ACC staffer mistakenly clicked on it and sent it as an attachment without noticing.
An inquiry yesterday found simple human error was to blame for the breach, which has so far claimed the scalps of a government minister, the chairman and chief executive of ACC and could yet claim further victims as the hunt continues for the person who leaked an email from Pullar support person, former National Party president Michelle Boag, to ACC Minister Judith Collins.
Former ACC minister and Nelson MP Nick Smith said today he was pleased that the reports concluded that Ms Pullar did not receive any extra entitlements or benefits as a consequence of her friendship with him or that she was known through the pipfruit industry and to former ACC director John McCliskie. The inquiries were initiated out of allegations that because Ms Pullar had been involved with the National Party, she had received entitlements, he said.
"These reports show that is not true and that both myself and the board were very clear Bronwyn Pullar should not be treated in any way differently from any other claimant," said Dr Smith.
However, he said he still regretted writing the letter attesting to Ms Pullar's health prior to her accident, that ultimately triggered his resignation from his ministerial portfolios in March.
Dr Smith also noted that the system issue that led to the accidental email of a large file of client information could happen to other government agencies, and said there needed to be a broader review of systems to ensure that did not happen.
The release of the reports concludes the investigations on the ACC issues, but Dr Smith would not be drawn on the issue of his potential return to Cabinet, saying it was up to Prime Minister John Key. "We'll just have to see how it goes."
The report released yesterday remains silent on whether ACC was justified in going to police over claims that Ms Pullar tried to use the data breach to guarantee her benefit for two years - despite four members of the independent review team listening to a tape recording of the meeting where the blackmail threat was alleged to have been made. Police later tossed out the complaint because of a lack of evidence but ACC has so far refused to apologise to Ms Pullar over the claim.
The head of the review team, former Australian privacy commissioner Malcolm Crompton, said the blackmail allegation was outside the inquiry's terms of reference.
The inquiry, commissioned by the Privacy Commissioner and ACC, was one of two reports released yesterday into the mass privacy breach. The second was by Auditor General Lyn Provost. Both reports call for a culture change at ACC, which acting chairwoman Paula Rebstock promised yesterday would occur after the privacy breach raised "profound questions about our management of private information".
Privacy Commissioner Marie Shroff said the breach threw the spotlight on the use of personal information by government agencies.
"Public sector agencies collect information from us on a very large scale, often by compulsion, in a situation where we really have no alternative but to provide it. The information is held these days in vast electronic databases. That information is the necessary lifeblood of those agencies and a major business asset for those agencies. But the bargain for us, the citizens, the clients, is we need to be able to trust those agencies to protect our information and not to misuse it or lose it."
Both reports released yesterday raise questions not just about the privacy breach, but also over the treatment received by Ms Pullar, who was a former high-flying business woman and moved in National Party circles. Mrs Provost found Ms Pullar received special treatment after she approached a former business associate, Mr McCliskie, who was on the ACC board, over her case and he set up a meeting with senior managers.
"Although meetings with such senior ACC officials are not without precedent, few claimants have that opportunity," she noted.

© 2012 Fairfax NZ News

http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/7541881/Privacy-breach-a-warning-for-others

ACC privacy report may lead to wider overhaul

An article from the New Zealand Herald by Adam Bennett

All government agencies' handling of private data may be reviewed after an independent inquiry into the ACC privacy breach found it could have happened in any department.
The report by former Australian Privacy Commissioner Malcolm Crompton and accountancy firm KPMG examined what led to a spreadsheet containing details about 6748 clients being emailed to claimant and former National Party insider Bronwyn Pullar last year, and ACC's response when it learned of the breach in December.
It concluded that the breach, which was disclosed to the public, senior management and ACC Minister Judith Collins only when Ms Pullar went to the media with the information in March, was down to "a genuine human error".
However, "such an error was more likely to occur because of systemic weaknesses within ACC's culture, systems and processes".
The report also found ACC's subsequent response process could have been better "if appropriate policies, practices, escalation protocols and the right culture were in place".
It made a series of recommendations to improve privacy handling at the corporation.
Acting ACC chairwoman Paula Rebstock said the corporation would be implementing the review's recommendations in full.
Speaking to reporters, Mr Crompton said Ms Pullar had done the public "a service by making sure that we pay attention to the proper governance of personal information".
"Most organisations should be taking great note of the fact that it could have been them."
State Services Commissioner Ian Rennie said the report was "a dramatic reminder of the need for all government agencies to treat private information with the utmost care and respect".
"To this end, I am considering that state sector chief executives review their systems for handling private information. Any stocktake would initially be targeted on areas of greatest potential risk."
But Labour's ACC spokesman, Andrew Little, said he did not believe Mr Crompton's claim it was bad luck that the breach occurred at ACC rather than another department.
"There is nowhere else in the Government where there has been the apparent sloppiness in the approach to managing that information as at ACC."
Mr Little said the National Government on coming to power had painted a picture of an organisation in financial crisis that therefore needed to focus on cutting costs.
"That is at least one explanation for the more cavalier attitude towards claimants, their issues and their privacy. I don't think the Government can disown responsibility for it having got to this point."
Privacy Commissioner Marie Shroff, who commissioned yesterday's report, said it appeared ACC staff had been under pressure and "a failure in systems processes and perhaps leadership has led to them developing a somewhat cavalier attitude towards people's information and that needs to change".
Mr Little called for Ms Collins to be replaced as ACC Minister to allow the culture change required. Ms Collins dismissed that call, and Mr Little, as "silly".
A report by Auditor-General Lyn Provost into whether Ms Pullar gained any advantage in the way her claim was treated because of her connections with former board member John McCliskie, which was also released yesterday, found no evidence that was the case.
But the report did raise concerns Mr McCliskie and then-chairman John Judge failed to recognise wider allegations of illegality and fraud at the corporation brought to their attention by Ms Pullar late last year.

© 2012 APN Holdings NZ Ltd

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10829060

Question to Minister

4. DAVID BENNETT (National—Hamilton East) to the Minister for ACC: What are the findings of reports released today by the Privacy Commissioner and the Auditor-General about a privacy breach and governance at ACC?



Hon JUDITH COLLINS (Minister for ACC): The independent report released by the Privacy Commissioner focused on ACC’s culture, policies, and practices around privacy and security of information. It found that these were not up to 21st century standards. The Auditor-General focused on governance of the corporation, and found that senior board members involved and management failed to recognise the systems of systemic failure around privacy and security information, and did not take the appropriate steps. I agree with all the findings.
David Bennett: What specific concerns did the independent report and the Auditor-General raise, and what is ACC doing to address these?
Hon JUDITH COLLINS: The independent report released by the Privacy Commissioner noted systemic weaknesses, including a variable culture around the importance of handling private information carefully and a lack of accountability for addressing privacy issues. ACC will undertake a significant programme of work to address concerns raised by both the independent report and the Auditor-General. A timetable for this programme of work is included in the report from the Privacy Commissioner, and I expect ACC to make the required changes as a priority.
Andrew Little: In view of the findings in today’s reports, both released at 2 p.m., that ACC board members, which her Government appointed, were too inexperienced to appreciate the gravity of Bronwyn Pullar’s complaints, and that the corporation took a cavalier attitude to protecting claimant privacy, what steps is she taking to fill the multiple board and senior management vacancies with people who understand ACC and the importance of utmost public confidence in it?
Hon JUDITH COLLINS: The question is not quite correct in one of the assumptions. I will deal with that first and then deal with the substance of the question. In fact, the board members who were named in the reports as having not appreciated the seriousness of the situation were its longest-serving board members—the chair and deputy chair. In relation to the filling of the board positions, I can tell the member that there is a very thorough process that is ongoing. Interviews are being undertaken and I am putting a great deal of thought into making sure we get the right combination of board members with the right skills, the right character, and the right experience.
David Bennett: What expectations has she set for ACC to improve public trust and confidence in how it operates?
Hon JUDITH COLLINS: Earlier this year I signed a letter of expectations and a service and purchase agreement with ACC outlining my priorities for the board. I expect the ACC board to improve public trust and confidence, improve the management and security of private information, maintain a focus on levy stability and financial sustainability, ensure early resolution of disputes, and provide high-quality service for clients. The Auditor-General noted that “this approach will lead to a more balanced and comprehensive approach to the governance and operation of ACC.”
Hon Trevor Mallard: In light of the Privacy Commissioner’s comment that the ACC culture change has to start at the top, what action has she taken to plug the leaks from her office?
Hon JUDITH COLLINS: There are no leaks from my office, as that member well knows.

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1208/S00350/questions-and-answers-august-23.htm

ACC fiasco starts and stops with the Minister

A press release from the New Zealand Labour Party by Andrew Little

The Privacy Commissioner’s report into the ACC leaks is a litany of leadership gone wrong, Labour’s ACC spokesperson Andrew Little says.
“In slamming the culture at ACC, the Commissioner says it is ‘vital’ for a change starting at the top.
“So let’s start with Judith Collins. This whole fiasco is a direct consequence of the Government clearing out experienced board members, putting in their own, overseeing strategies aimed at cost cutting rather than treatment and rehabilitation – which a more experienced board member might have expressed caution about – and then not recognising they were facing allegations of serious problems with the Corporation’s conduct.
“It is not good enough to name and blame others. The Cabinet that Ms Collins is part of has driven the agenda on this and she must take responsibility for the fallout.
“It’s not enough for ACC to be a clip-on to a senior Minister’s other roles.
“If the Government is serious about change from the top then it should start by having a dedicated minister in the role who can work closely with the board and senior management to bring about the necessary changes.
“We will only know the government has taken the reports of both the Privacy Commissioner and the Auditor-General seriously when it appoints a minister who can win public confidence.
“It is essential, too, that the recommendations are put into effect as soon as possible, so that ACC can once again stand by its reputation as a world-class insurance agency,” said Andrew Little.

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1208/S00340/acc-fiasco-starts-and-stops-with-the-minister.htm

Damning reports show Government’s role in ACC dysfunction

A press release from the Green Party by Kevin Hague

Reports into ACC provide the most compelling evidence yet that the Government’s focus on saving a buck has caused ACC to lose sight of its role in helping injured and vulnerable New Zealanders, the Green Party said today.
Following requests from the Green Party, reviews into the Bronwyn Pullar Privacy breach and ACC board governance were conducted by the Privacy Commissioner and the Auditor General. Reports on both were released today.
“They reveal a corporation in desperate need of a culture change which the Privacy Commissioner stated must ‘start at the very top’,” Green Party ACC spokesperson Kevin Hague said.
“The reports cite the previous ACC minister’s focus on denying claimants every dollar he could as driving the culture at the corporation.
“And they show that ACC was prepared to sustain human casualties in its drive to achieve the Government’s goal.
“The current minister must now lead the top level change that’s been called for.
“The reports reveal a corporation bumbling along with archaic ideas about communication and responsibility which meant it failed both to treat claimants with decency, and to recognise enormous risks to the organisation even when they hit it in the face,” Mr Hague said.
The Auditor General expresses concern that serous ‘accusations of systemic illegality and fraud were not taken seriously by the corporation’.
And the Privacy Commissioner highlighted ‘an almost cavalier attitude towards its clients and to the protection of their private information’.
“These are two of the most damning reports on a Government entity I’ve ever read.
“It is clear that if board chairman John Judge had not already resigned, he would have been sacked today,” Mr Hague said.
The reports highlight three key issues:

1. As a result of Nick Smith's direction to prioritise ACC's bottom line, the organisation had inadequate focus on the needs of its clients;
2. The culture policies and systems of the organisation are a chaotic shambles that are not fit for purpose;
3. Restoring public trust and confidence is an essential goal and will require very major change starting from the top.

“Given the seriousness of the findings, the Minster must now request that the Auditor General bring forward her review into claims management at ACC. Most of the serious claims Ms Pullar made appear not to have been considered by the board.
“What’s now needed is for visionary leadership to turn this organisation around and focus on the original principals on which it was founded.
“The Minister must ensure that future appointments to the board are up to this task,” Mr Hague said.

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1208/S00337/damning-reports-show-governments-role-in-acc-dysfunction.htm

Dual investigations shows culture problems at the ACC

A press release from the New Zealand Association of Psychotherapists by Kyle MacDonald

Today’s dual reports from the Privacy Commisioner and the Office of the Auditor General into the privacy breaches at the ACC show deep concerns about the manner in which privacy is handled, and shows systemic weaknesses within ACC’s culture, systems and processes.
“This report will do little to reassure all those who were effected by the privacy breach and it is very clear that the ACC’s approach to privacy is still of deep concern and clear deficiencies remain,” says Kyle MacDonald of the New Zealand Association of Psychotherapists. “Along with the Auditor General’s report released today, I believe this underlines the fact that there have been, and remain, ongoing problems with the organizations culture.”
“It seems to me that despite ongoing statements by the ACC to the contrary, the blame for this massive breach of privacy and the subsequent frustrations of Ms. Pullar in trying to have her concerns heard, land squarely at the feet of the ACC and senior management. The ACC’s efforts to attack and dis-credit Ms Pullar should now also be called into question.”
The independent report commissioned by the Privacy Commissioner describes an “almost cavalier” approach to the management of private claimant information, and that “the importance of personal information and respecting individual’s personal information is not consistent and is often de-emphasised over dealing with the management of the claim/claimant."
Both reports emphasise the failures of Governance and the systemic and cultural issues that lead to the privacy breach and the way that subsequent events were handled.

http://psychotherapy.org.nz/dual-investigations-shows-culture-problems-at-the-acc/

Reports on ACC privacy, governance welcomed

A press release from the New Zealand Government by Judith Collins

ACC Minister Judith Collins today welcomed the Independent Review of ACC’s Privacy and Security of Information, and the Auditor-General’s Inquiry into aspects of ACC’s Board-level governance.
Ms Collins says ACC must deliver the high level of protection people rightly expect for their personal information and the independent report’s recommendations give clear directions for improvements.



“New Zealanders expect to be able to trust in ACC and be confident their sensitive information will be managed securely, and with care and respect.
“ACC staff have done their best, but they need leadership, tools and processes in place to support them in the important work they do. I am encouraged by the Board’s stated commitment to implementing the report’s recommendations in full.
“I have already put in place a new Service and Purchase Agreement to rebalance ACC’s priorities and set new targets to ensure ACC meets the highest standards of best practice and service for its clients.
“There is a great opportunity now for ACC to restore the public’s trust and confidence. Genuine culture change will take time, but with the right systems and processes, focussed leadership, and commitment to change, ACC can make positive progress.
“I am particularly pleased the authors of the independent review have provided a timeline for improvements in the privacy and security of information. I expect these to be met as a priority,” Ms Collins says.
Also released today, the Auditor-General’s Inquiry into aspects of ACC’s Board-level governance found senior Board members should have managed a client conflict of interest better and failed to recognise and appreciate the risks to ACC of the symptoms of systemic failure.
“The Auditor-General’s report makes it clear that neither the wider Board, nor the Chief Executive were aware of the issues,” Ms Collins says.
In addition, the Board did not have the right protocols to manage risks arising from conflicts of interest with claimants.
“The Auditor-General found the Service and Purchase Agreement the Government has put in place will lead to a more balanced and comprehensive approach to the governance and operation of ACC.
“Building on the strengths of the current four members, I am putting together a reconfigured Board that will have the right experience and the right commitment to leadership to take ACC forward,” Ms Collins says.

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1208/S00335/reports-on-acc-privacy-governance-welcomed.htm

Independent review of ACC privacy and information security

A press release from KPMG by the Independent Review Team

A review of the Privacy and Security of Information at the Accident Compensation Corporation was released by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner and ACC’s Board today following a comprehensive review by an Independent Review Team comprising KPMG and Information Integrity Solutions Pty Limited.
The review examined the circumstances relating to a major data breach involving the inadvertent release of personal details of 6,748 ACC clients, and the appropriateness and effectiveness of ACC’s privacy and security policies and practices.
“Information is arguably the most critical asset in any organisation today. The challenge of protecting personal information has never been greater.” says Malcolm Crompton, former Australian Privacy Commissioner and Managing Director of Information Integrity Solutions Pty Limited. “While ACC has suffered a significant data breach, other organisations, both public and private, could face the same.”
The Independent Review Team concluded that the breach that occurred was a genuine human error, but that such an error was more likely to occur because of systemic weaknesses within ACC’s culture, systems and processes. ACC’s subsequent response process could also have been better if appropriate policies, practices, escalation protocols and the right culture were in place to allow for transparency of breach handling at the appropriate levels, in an appropriate manner.
The Recommendations of the Review Team are comprehensive:

• ACC needs to put in place clear policies that create a positive privacy mindset as part of rebuilding customer trust and establishing a ‘firm but also seen as fair’ image in the minds of the public.
• Strengthen Board governance of personal information management.
• Strengthen privacy leadership and strategy.
• Enhance its privacy programme.
• Strengthen the organisational culture.
• Strengthen privacy accountability.
• Review and update business processes and systems.
• Provide additional resources to clear backlogs on privacy related processes.

KPMG Partner Souella Cumming commented that “An organisation’s data needs to be protected by thorough and effective risk mitigation strategies to the same or higher levels as other vital assets. Without these strategies in place, the organisation is at risk of significant reputational damage.”
Malcolm Crompton and Souella Cumming noted “We emphasise the significance of a culture and environment where personal information is valued. This must be supported by an approach to compliance with the privacy principles that is embedded within governance, leadership, business processes and systems.”
This forms the basis of the recommendations in the report of the Independent Review Team.

Independent_Review_of_ACCs_Privacy_and_Security_of_Information__August_2012.pdf

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1208/S00351/independent-review-of-acc-privacy-and-information-security.htm

Damning report expected on ACC

An article from the Dominion Post by Phil Kitchin

An independent investigation into ACC, prompted by revelations of a mass privacy breach, is expected to condemn the corporation's culture and processes.
A report due out today is expected to bolster widespread criticism of ACC's repeated breaches of thousands of its clients' privacy since the mass breach was exposed by The Dominion Post. It is also expected to criticise ACC's leadership, privacy systems and the corporation's technology for dealing with highly sensitive information.
Fallout from the March privacy breach has included the resignations of Cabinet minister Nick Smith and ACC chief executive Ralph Stewart, and the departure from the corporation's board of chairman John Judge and directors John McCliskie and Rob Campbell.
The report is being made public on the same day that another by the Auditor-General's Office, on how ACC manages risk at board level, is tabled in Parliament.
Both investigations arose after an ACC client - later identified as Bronwyn Pullar - revealed she had been sent private details of 6500 fellow clients. The information contained names and details of hundreds of people from ACC's sensitive claims unit, including rape and incest victims.
In the ensuing fallout, The Dominion Post revealed that ACC grossly misrepresented what happened at a crucial December meeting between Ms Pullar, her supporter Michelle Boag, and two senior ACC managers.
In a report to ACC Minister Judith Collins, the corporation said Ms Pullar threatened at the meeting to go to the media and to withhold details of the mass breach unless she was given a two-year guaranteed benefit. The corporation laid a blackmail complaint with police.
But a tape recording of the meeting, made by Ms Pullar and provided to ACC, made a mockery of the blackmail allegations. It showed no such threats or demands were made, and that Ms Pullar was already on weekly ACC compensation. After police were provided with a copy of the recording, they dismissed the complaint, saying no offence had been disclosed.
Today's reports are not expected to end the scandal, as Ms Collins has taken defamation action against Labour MPs Trevor Mallard and Andrew Little for suggesting her office was involved in leaking an email identifying Ms Pullar as the whistleblower.
The privacy report has been compiled by former Australian federal privacy commissioner Malcolm Crompton and accountancy firm KPMG. Ms Collins has seen the draft and has said she agrees with it. Ms Pullar and Ms Boag would not comment because they said they did not yet know what was in the final report.

© 2012 Fairfax New Zealand Ltd

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/7530250/Damning-report-expected-on-ACC

ACC making little progress on sensitive claims - report

An article from the New Zealand Herald by Kate Shuttleworth

An independent report of ACC's handling of sensitive claims has found the corporation has made little progress on implementing recommendations made by an independent panel in 2010.
The sensitive claims unit takes claims from victims of sexual or violent assault. The recommendations cover a wide range of actions, including improving communication with clients, working closely with the sector representatives to refine ACC's systems and processes, and examining ways to ensure treatment and assessment is carried out by a well-qualified, fit-for-purpose workforce.
The report - compiled for ACC's board by Dr Barbara Disley - found the corporation made progress with one recommendation made in 2010, but only average progress in six recommendations and minimal or "limited" progress in another six.
Poor progress was made on establishing a working party involving professional groups to examine the credentials of professionals treating and assessing victims of sexual abuse or violent assault.
The independent report did not mention the privacy breach where ACC last year emailed the details of 6748 clients - including nearly 250 claimants who were victims of sexual or violent assault - to Bronwyn Pullar. The corporation sent a four-page letter of apology to the sensitive claims clients, offering them $250 compensation for the breach.
The report found ACC's most far reaching change had been the introduction of 16 immediate counselling support sessions for sensitive claimants.
The report found a striking number of claims made to ACC this year were put on hold - to date 1026 claims were on hold, 250 had been declined and only 49 had been accepted.
Dr Disley sought in-depth input from ACC to compile the report, which was also informed by an online survey of clients and service providers, interviews with service providers and representatives of professional bodies, feedback from Child Youth and Family.
"There's still work to be done in some areas, and my report contains recommendation on how ACC can continue to make progress towards fully implementing the original recommendations made by the independent review panel."

© 2012 APN Holdings NZ Ltd

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10820174

ACC sex abuse processes 'need review'

An article from Stuff by Paloma Migone

ACC needs to urgently review its assessment process for adults who were abused as children and left with mental health problems, an independent report says.
Dr Barbara Disley today released the second monitoring report of ACC's progress on the development and implementation of 14 recommendations given by a 2010 Sensitive Claims Clinical Pathway review. In the report, she said there were concerns within the sector over the processes around independent assessment for cover.
"While there have been improvements including the ability of the support counsellor to attend these assessments with the client, the narrow range of tools applied to determining mental injury and the limited number of professional groups who can administer these tools leads to bottle necks and delays in cover determination," she said.
"ACC needs to urgently review the assessment processes within the adult claims coverage context and broaden the range of tools and professional groups capable of undertaking these assessments."
Disley said it was particularly important for adult survivors of child sexual abuse as the needs of the group were often complex and required specialist knowledge.
"A specific focus on the needs of this group needs to be now initiated," she said.
The number of clients that moved through the cover assessment process was low, falling dramatically since 2007 to 2011 from 5919 to 235 respectively. It could be that the recently-implemented 16 support sessions available were sufficient for some clients, but ACC needed to ensure that the process of cover determination itself was not to blame.
Disley also said Maori must be given priority as progress in that area has been slower than expected. The process for children and adolescents in relation to accessing immediate support and moving through the cover process had improved however.
Overall, Disley found ACC had made "excellent progress" implementing one recommendation and good progress on another six.
"In the 18 months since the initial, independent review, ACC has made significant changes to the way it deals with sensitive claims, and these changes have seen considerable progress achieved in many years."
However, she said: "There's still work to be done in some areas."
The 2010 review, requested by then ACC Minister Nick Smith, made 14 recommendations, including that a process be established to independently monitor the development and implementation of the review's suggestions.

© 2012 Fairfax New Zealand Ltd

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/7292703/ACC-sex-abuse-processes-need-review

ACC sensitive claims monitoring report a “fail” mark

A press release from the New Zealand Association of Psychotherapists by Kyle MacDonald

The 18 month follow up monitoring report of the ACC Sensitive Claims Clinical Pathway shows clearly that only three of the 14 recommendations have been fully met.
“I consider this a fail mark” says Kyle MacDonald. “This report demonstrates how victims of sexual abuse and assault are still struggling to access the support they are entitled to as a direct result of the National Government led cost cutting drive in 2009. The fallout of this ill-informed policy is still being felt.”
The report details some areas of improvement, but strong concerns remain around the use of external ACC appointed assessors, implemented in 2009 due to the ACC’s “reinterpretation” of the legislation. Also of concern is the manner in which the Sensitive Claims pathway often fails survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
Detailed in the report is the massive decrease from 40% of claims accepted versus claims lodged in 2009; down to 4% in 2011 and 2012. “This is a horrifying number.” says MacDonald. “This is clear evidence that the ACC’s policies are still failing New Zealanders and survivors of sexual abuse. And it’s worth remembering this report pre-dates the Privacy Breach of over 6000 ACC claimants, and subsequent events.”

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1207/S00197/acc-sensitive-claims-monitoring-report-a-fail-mark.htm

Monitoring report on sensitive claims management released

A press release by ACC

The second independent monitoring report of ACC’s management of sensitive claims, prepared for the ACC Board by Dr Barbara Disley, was released publicly today.
The report follows an interim monitoring report released in May 2011, and assesses the progress ACC has made implementing recommendations made by an independent panel, which reviewed ACC’s sensitive claims clinical pathway in 2010.
The recommendations covered a wide range of actions, from improving communications with clients, to working closely with sector representatives to refine ACC’s systems and processes, and examining ways to ensure treatment and assessment is carried out by a well qualified, fit-for-purpose workforce.
Dr Disley found ACC has made excellent progress implementing one recommendation and good progress on another six recommendations. Some progress was noted on five recommendations, with progress on one recommendation assessed as “limited”. The final recommendation, involving establishing a process to independently monitor progress, was assessed as having been “achieved”.
Dr Disley sought in-depth input from ACC to compile the report, which was also informed by:
• an online survey of clients and service providers
• interviews with service providers and representatives of professional bodies
• feedback from the Department of Child, Youth and Family.

Summing up the findings of the report, Dr Disley said “In the 18 months since the initial, independent review, ACC has made significant changes to the way it deals with sensitive claims, and these changes have seen considerable progress achieved in many areas.
“There’s still work to be done in some areas, and my report contains recommendations on how ACC can continue to make progress towards fully implementing the original recommendations made by the independent review panel.”
ACC’s General Manager of Claims Management, Denise Cosgrove, says the report provides a fair assessment of progress to date.
“We’ve worked hard to make many different types of changes aimed at improving services for our clients. I’m pleased that the report recognises the progress we’ve made in many areas. We acknowledge there’s still work to be done, but we’re committed to full implementation of the recommendations and keeping the momentum going by making ongoing improvements, and we’ll be seeking the right support to help us do that.”
Ms Cosgrove added that “a key focus for ACC moving forward is our commitment to client care and safety.”
A copy of the final report can be found here: Monitoring Report on the Implementation of the Recommendations from the Independent Panel’s Review of the ACC’s Sensitive Claims Clinical Pathway: 18 Months Follow up (PDF 525K) [Scoop copy: wpc112862.pdf]

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1207/S00195/monitoring-report-on-sensitive-claims-management-released.htm

ACC announces appointment of independent experts

A press release from ACC

Ralph Stewart, ACC’s Chief Executive, announced today the Office of the Privacy Commissioner in conjunction with the ACC Board has commissioned an independent inquiry and approved the terms of reference into the recent privacy incident at ACC.
KPMG and privacy expert Malcolm Crompton, former Australian Federal Privacy Commissioner, have been appointed to conduct the inquiry.
The inquiry will look into the circumstances surrounding this particular incident. The inquiry will also look more widely at whether organisational weaknesses exist in the way personal information is handled by ACC.
The review will commence on Wednesday 28 March 2012, and the final report is expected to be completed within three months. The report will be made public.
The terms of reference for the review can be found at www.acc.co.nz and www.privacy.org.nz.

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU1203/S00858/acc-announces-appointment-of-independent-experts.htm

Help is there for sexual abuse victims

An article from the Manawatu Standard by Stacey Kirk

Changes to the way ACC manages the claims of sexual abuse sufferers "are an encouraging step", says a Palmerston North sexual abuse counsellor. Counsellor Paulette Berryman, who sits on the Sensitive Claims Advisory Group (SCAG), said she "couldn't be more pleased" with rule changes making it easier for sexual abuse victims to gain support, but she was concerned that abuse victims were not aware of the help to which they were now entitled.
ACC tightened up the process for accessing counselling in October 2009, which triggered protest marches, intense lobbying and media scrutiny.
A report was ordered six months ago which recommended changes including a rule that new claimants and people waiting for a decision on whether they qualify for treatment could now get 16 hours' "support". Only some of the recommendations have been implemented, with the rest being carried out over the next year.
An independent report for the ACC board carried out last month found ACC was making "good progress" in changing the way it manages sensitive claims. Dr Barbara Disley, who also chaired the review in 2010, said the report found ACC had done a good job prioritising the more important tasks.
Mrs Berryman said it felt like the hard work of her and her colleagues across the country had paid off. She said she used to receive four or five inquiries a week about sexual abuse counselling, but those numbers rapidly dropped when claimants found their requests for counselling were being denied. Now, they are entitled to up 16 free sessions.
But Mrs Berryman said that she wasn't sure the information had filtered through to abuse victims. She is hoping to get the message out that help is out there for sexual abuse victims "and don't be afraid to ask".
ACC claims management general manager Denise Cosgrove said ACC recognised the importance of providing support to sexual abuse victims. "We recognise we have some way to go before delivering all the recommended changes but we were pleased to note Dr Disley's acknowledgement of our progress," she said.

© 2011 Fairfax New Zealand Ltd

http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/5192479/Help-is-there-for-sexual-abuse-victims