Video: Nick Smith getting yelled at in parliament

[Winston001]

I'm not so conviced, 96,000 rego'd motorcycles, 20,000 on hold (I think), that is a couple or two seats in parliament, more of a force across many marginal seats, have to play our cards right.

Yes one of the weird things about politics is MPs notice noise rather than substance. Even unreasonable but loud objections can scare them into backing down. The thought that they might lose votes tends to focus their minds too.

My thoughts are that this issue needs to be attacked in a calm and forceful way. Public motorcycle gatherings might feel good but are one-day wonders. Written submissions to individual MPs plus to various Ministers and personal visits are the best approach.

I'm not sure that the Maori Party or ACT are on board either, and Labour probably won't support all of the changes so protest is certainly worthwhile.

[jafar]

In fact, here's a radical idea (and totally hypothetical in case anyone thinks I've become even more deranged)........

As if that were possible

Imagine if they said "Ok, you've got 12 months to half the number of motorcycle accidents or we're going ahead with the increases."

Imagine what the ensuing peer pressure could do to combat irresponsible riding.

Probably nothing, the responsible will carry on being so & the rest will carry on as if nothing has happened. Sadly we are not that clever as a group.

[PrincessBandit]

In fact, here's a radical idea (and totally hypothetical in case anyone thinks I've become even more deranged)........

Imagine if they said "Ok, you've got 12 months to half the number of motorcycle accidents or we're going ahead with the increases."

Imagine what the ensuing peer pressure could do to combat irresponsible riding.

Don't think it would go across well with the ACC knobs though Steven, they want the money out of us one way or another. Motorcyclists halving their claims would be great, but they probably would make more money out of us via their exorbitant increases as opposed to what they would "save" by not paying out for us.

[nothingflash]

WOW he is so full of shit. Good to see that the other MPs are questioning him

Yeah - it seems everyone sitting there thinks he's a knob. If the shoe fits...

[Skyryder]

Much as I hate to argue the other side, we need to have our ducks in a row.

The ACC position is that if you choose to ride a motorcycle, then you place yourself at risk 16 times more than in other forms of mechanised transport. No fault involved, no blame, it's a free choice, but if you make that choice then you should contribute more to the pot because you've taken a risk.

In the same way employers ACC premium is assessed on the job risk. If you work with chainsaws, your boss will pay 6 times the amount compared with you working in an office. Hard to argue with.

No it’s not.

Sir Owen’s 1967 report proposed a single flat-rate levy on all employers and another flat rate on motorists, on the basis that everyone benefited from the work of people in risky industries such as aerial topdressing. Yesterday he disputed claims by ACC Minister Nick Smith that levies needed to reflect different accident rates in different industries and different kinds of vehicles because that would give employers and motorists more incentive to be safe.
“We are saying people are willing to risk killing themselves for the sake of a few dollars of saved premiums. That’s just ridiculous,” he said.


Essentially Smith is trying to argue that those who work in a high risk capacity and oppose an increase on different accident rates for their industy are willing to put themselves at risk for the saving of a few dollars. That as Owen rightly says is just plain ridiculous.

Skyryder

[Brian d marge]

A couple of points here

there isn't a funding deficit this year , ACC made a profit

IF IF

we go the fully funded model ( so that when baby boomer shuffle off or start claiming ...) we will have paid of our mortgage in one lump sum in 2019 or when ever ..

this looks great on any books

Acc is not the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff one of the five wood house principles is prevention

WHICH IS WHAT THEY WERE DOING

who paid for all those drive safely ads on TV

This is purely a a National party agenda they set out on 1993 and are still following

THEY TOLD YOU IN THE ELECTION THEY WOULD DO THIS


They have always said this


The whole Party philosophy is a use pays,Laissez-faire , monetarist neo liberal dream

this is where I and you. as individuals look after No 1 rather than the community caring for the others in our community

While on the face of it this may sound ok, just wait untill you have to start paying

Oh I fogot you are ...750 for ACC ......

and there are other policies waiting in the wings .... dont you worry !


Stephen

any one have a Student loan??? ,,,or kids working overseas rather than as a doctor in the local Hospital ??????????????????