Finally! A response that means something...

[MSTRS]

...from a quarter we've been warning about.
On Friday, HB Today printed my letter. I'm of 2 minds over the headline, but the photo is great. Dunno where they got that from, though.
Anyway, YT took a phone call about 5.30. The guy phoning had looked us up in the phone book, believing we are 'experts' on the subject of ACC woes. He wasn't asking for help, but offered his support for all that we (bikers, that is) are doing and wants to be involved with future protests. He had been ignored by the paper and Chris Tremain (useless prick, that man). A truck driver, this guy had hurt his shoulder shifting his kid's trampoline 18 months ago. He got some treatment (might need an op?) and was put on compo. 12 months later his case comes up for 'review'. But until assessed, his payments are stopped. He is still unable to work because his arm/shoulder don't allow it. 6 months later, the poor bastard is still waiting to be seen, and no money. His family is living on what his wife earns and the credit card. When he was first hurt, they were 5 years ahead on their mortgage. Now they are close to losing their house. And no-one, who can do something about this, cares.
The thing is, this guy personally knows of 4 others, locally, in the same situation that he is, and there will be thousands all over the country. There must be some way of reaching these people, with a view to mobilising them as we have done, and then combining forces. The unions were a damp squib, but people who are hurting have real passion, and no doubt want to see an end to their ACC-caused problems.
If bikers and disaffected can combine forces, what might we achieve?

[MSTRS]

And on the preceding page, same issue, I saw this. I imagine most papers carried the article. And I'd say it struck a chord (or nerve) with a lot of people.

[rainman]

And on the preceding page, same issue, I saw this. I imagine most papers carried the article. And I'd say it struck a chord (or nerve) with a lot of people.

I haven't seen the article in the papers up here but it absolutely strikes a chord with me. I buggered my back up a few years ago in a sporting accident, and after some mucking about, ACC paid for the surgery to deal with it (or at least the symptoms of the time - I don't think backs can be "fixed" by surgery). Great, kept me going for another few years for sure, but I did another stupid and now the next set of vertebrae are flaking out. ACC have covered physio for the latest injury, but I'm now being sent back to the original surgeon again and it is likely things will get more expensive rapidly from that point. I'm expecting to hear the same sort of argument from ACC about ageing and degeneration, tbh. Might be pleasantly surprised, of course...

Now some might say, fair enough, I should not expect ACC to look after all my medical costs for ever based on an injury that I incurred a few years ago, and which they "fixed". The problem is, though, that I effectively can't buy personal medical insurance to cover this - it's a pre-existing condition now. If ACC won't cover me (either now or at some point further down the track) I'm screwed, and can expect long stretches on a disability benefit. A scenario the "privatise ACC" lobby don't tend to consider, I suspect.

[MSTRS]

I haven't seen the article in the papers up here but it absolutely strikes a chord with me. I buggered my back up a few years ago in a sporting accident, and after some mucking about, ACC paid for the surgery to deal with it (or at least the symptoms of the time - I don't think backs can be "fixed" by surgery). Great, kept me going for another few years for sure, but I did another stupid and now the next set of vertebrae are flaking out. ACC have covered physio for the latest injury, but I'm now being sent back to the original surgeon again and it is likely things will get more expensive rapidly from that point. I'm expecting to hear the same sort of argument from ACC about ageing and degeneration, tbh. Might be pleasantly surprised, of course...

Now some might say, fair enough, I should not expect ACC to look after all my medical costs for ever based on an injury that I incurred a few years ago, and which they "fixed". The problem is, though, that I effectively can't buy personal medical insurance to cover this - it's a pre-existing condition now. If ACC won't cover me (either now or at some point further down the track) I'm screwed, and can expect long stretches on a disability benefit. A scenario the "privatise ACC" lobby don't tend to consider, I suspect.

First time I've seen reference to this. It sounds the very thing to scare the bejesus out of Joe Public. Because, rest assured, it will only be with the support of that nebulous creature that we will beat Nick the Prick into submission.

[rainman]

First time I've seen reference to this.

Really? It was an issue last time I went to buy private health insurance (Southern Cross in that case), which was about a year after my original injury. It was the deal-breaker for why I didn't sign up with them as it happens, I could see very little benefit I would get in exchange for my premium. But they would not cover anything to do with my back, under any plan, end of story. I checked with one of the other insurers (Tower I think) and they had the same exclusion, so I have no private health insurance, and probably won't ever buy any.

[MSTRS]

Oh, I know this is the case...but what I'm saying is that nowhere can I remember reading anyone previously mentioning the fact.

[freedom-wedge]

Quite right, there are many out there affected by ACCs stand over the last few years, there are many groups and individuals who would stand with the bikers and feel they have similar interests at stake, its a disgrace that people suffer like this, I know its not always the case but many have paid into this scheme for years believing it to be what it was stated as, comprehensive. Unite the clans as they say,

[MSTRS]

... Unite the clans as they say

And I'm now asking "How?"
Any advocacy group for these people is remarkably silent, at least in public, but unlike 'us' the affected are not united because they are targetted as individuals and essentially have no way of coming together.

[Conquiztador]

And I'm now asking "How?"
Any advocacy group for these people is remarkably silent, at least in public, but unlike 'us' the affected are not united because they are targetted as individuals and essentially have no way of coming together.

Probably do not have any advocacy group looking after their interests. And I am sure that the current government is glad that this is the case... So I started thinking, how to find all these individuals that has some common nominators:
- Insurance will not cover their existing condition, and ACC is doing nothing for them.
- They would all be very frustrated and even scared re their future including their financial future.
- They are running out of money
- They are all injured to such extent that they can not work
- They do not know where to turn for help

Clearly there would be no way to find a database that holds them all. (Or if there is one, then there would be no way to get in there... you would have to know how to hack your self in to ACC and figure out how they all are categorized).

If you wanted to reach them all then you would have to somehow get the message in fron of their eyes that they could do some good re their situation by getting involved with the BIKEOI bikers.

Don't really have any great ideas at this stage... What bout some sort of mass text that had a request of being forwarded? Or an email re the same? Posters in Doctors Surgerys? Unions (yes I know it is a dirty word currently...) could forward a leaflet to all their members? Sport clubs, message boards, network sites, resthomes, schools (leaflet home to parents), pharmacies... I know I am missing something obvious, something that we all do/need/visit. But what??? Supermarkets? Not sure.

[freedom-wedge]

Probably do not have any advocacy group looking after their interests. And I am sure that the current government is glad that this is the case... So I started thinking, how to find all these individuals that has some common nominators:
- Insurance will not cover their existing condition, and ACC is doing nothing for them.
- They would all be very frustrated and even scared re their future including their financial future.
- They are running out of money
- They are all injured to such extent that they can not work
- They do not know where to turn for help

Clearly there would be no way to find a database that holds them all. (Or if there is one, then there would be no way to get in there... you would have to know how to hack your self in to ACC and figure out how they all are categorized).

If you wanted to reach them all then you would have to somehow get the message in fron of their eyes that they could do some good re their situation by getting involved with the BIKEOI bikers.

Don't really have any great ideas at this stage... What bout some sort of mass text that had a request of being forwarded? Or an email re the same? Posters in Doctors Surgerys? Unions (yes I know it is a dirty word currently...) could forward a leaflet to all their members? Sport clubs, message boards, network sites, resthomes, schools (leaflet home to parents), pharmacies... I know I am missing something obvious, something that we all do/need/visit. But what??? Supermarkets? Not sure.

You have touched on a few good ideas, I think finding those people that have been both affected negativley by ACC but at the same time they are infuencial within their community is the key, the pass it on txt with a contact No will identify these sorts of people, who in turn will find others in the same situation. The message is simple, even if the government gets its way with the increased take from riders, their individual situation regards a solution by ACC wont change unless they stand with you and make it a joint campaign. Any exposure is good exposure, supermarkets, hospitals etc anywhere where people read notice boards, anywhere people care for others, and once the wave has started it needs to carry on way after the gov have backed down in order to help all those who have stood, my guess is that there will be many. An attention grabber is whats needed, something that says plenty with just a few words that people can easily respond to and then explains why its in everyones interests to have a common cause, even if they can not show at a protest they can protest by mail and co-ordinate, lets face it the original guy who called, is close to having nothing left to loose by the sounds. There are many areas that successive government departments have reneged on, after the big sales pitch, we need to think about this and remind those who were affected and have forgotten. There are 800,000 disgruntled people who are pissed at the anti smacking bill, no matter what your views or which side your on, that’s a lot of people to be ignoring, make use of this, after all its all about members of the public excersizing their right to be heard. Be positive about it all, even though there will be some real individual tragedies exposed in the process. Anyway this is a positive thread and expansion is needed.
Pedro