ACC calls for submissions on cyclist levy proposal

[TerminalAddict]

so motorcyclists have been offended
bicyclists have been offended

I wonder if we could get ACC to propose a "Maori" tax.

Maoris are more likely to injure themselves therefore every Maori must wear a registration plate to identify themselves, and ACC will charge an ACC levy on being a Maori.

*that would certainly get rid of the apathetic NZ approach we are so famous for*

[R-Soul]

Hmmm now I am really in trouble.

Source http://www.ridestrong.org.nz/RS/foru...3890.aspx#3890

ACC calls for submissions on cyclist levy proposal
ACC has today released further proposals for increases to ACC levies as part of its annual levy setting process.
Earlier proposals included a proposal to increase motorcycle levies. A levy is now under consideration for cyclists.

ACC chairman John Judge said the need to introduce levies for cyclists was driven by many factors. In line with movements towards a user pays system for ACC with motorcyclists it makes sense to also introduce levies for other road users such as cyclists.

‘It seem unfair that other road users should be subsidising the cost of ACC for cyclists.
In 2008 there were 1,475 motorcycle accidents and 50 deaths costing 62,545 million dollars in entitlement claims.
In 2008 there were 1,170 bicycle accidents and 36 deaths costing 15,543 million dollars in entitlement claims. Cyclists paid no ACC levies.

An increase in the number of claims received annually, rising health costs and Scheme extensions have been major contributors to the need to explore means to increase levies to cover the current costs of the Scheme,’ he said. Private health insurer Southern Cross also cited rising claim numbers and healthcare costs increasing well above the rate of inflation as key drivers for their deficit reported earlier.

‘We are also taking a more realistic approach to estimating future costs and liability. Other factors such as the global recession have had a compounding effect,’ Mr Judge said.

Mr Judge noted ACC is required to develop its levy proposals under existing legislative provisions. However, the Minister for ACC is introducing amendments to the ACC legislation that will have an impact on the final levy rates set for 2010/11 – in particular extending the date by which the Scheme must be fully funded. These legislation change requirements mean that the cyclists levies are likely to be introduced six months after the increased levies for motorcyclists.

‘The ACC Board appreciates there’s a limit to how much New Zealanders should be expected to pay in ACC levies, and that many will view the prospect of levy increases at this time with dismay.’ We wish to stress that levy increases are not seen as the only answer to the challenges confronting the ACC Scheme – the focus must be on other ways to make the Scheme more sustainable and affordable in the long run.’

Cycle levies

Within the motor vehicle levy changes the ACC is proposing an introduction of cycle levies to take into account the fact that for several years, that other motorists have been subsidising cyclists.

As no national registrar of bicycles is currently maintained an exact figure for the number of cyclists using N.Z. roads is not available. Our calculation have been based on an active national cycling fleet of 92,000 cycles. Using this figure as a base for calculation the new levies reflect the fact that cycle riders are an estimated 14 times more likely to be involved in a road crash than car drivers and are far more likely to be seriously injured.
‘The proposed legislative change to extend the full funding date to 2019 would reduce the effect of residual claims on motor vehicle levies by $100,’ said Mr Judge. ‘However, whether or not this translates into an equivalent reduction in those levies will depend on how best to fund the account fully over the next 10 years. This is something the Board must determine.’

The following are the key elements of the proposed Cyclist levy.

1. While the cover for motorists and will be paid by motorists through licensing fees & petrol levy the cover for cyclists will be recovered solely from bicycle registrations.
   
2. While it was initially proposed that all cyclists of legal driving age (15 years and over) would be required to pay an ACC levy it seems unfair that parents would have to pay an ACC levy for school children. Cyclists who are attending primary, intermediate or secondary school will not be required to register their bicycles. Students attending tertiary education would be required to register their bikes. It is noted that many of these students already qualify for student loans which may be used to meet registration costs.
   
3. As with other road users cyclists will be required to register their vehicles with the national vehicle registration data base. This will be performed at any vehicle testing station. A registration number will be fixed to each cycle using a numbered tamper proof seal similar to that used on home power usage meters and several bike parks in New Zealand.
   
4. Registration of cycles also offers benefits for law enforcement and rider identification in the case of fatal accidents.
   
5. In line with other road users cyclists will be required to register each cycle they intend to use on road separately. Cycles that will be used exclusively for off road use will not require registration.
   
6. The amount of the ACC levy has not been finalised as yet, but will need to take into account that while cyclists are in the same risk group as motorbike riders they make no contribution to ACC levies through petrol purchasers. Even with the significant proposed increases in the rates payable by cyclists, car drivers will still continue to subsidise cycle drivers by $78 a year for the 2010/2011 year. An ACC levy of $300 to $500 dollars would be realistic.
7. Preventing further deterioration

‘Along with other changes, levy increases are needed to help avoid further deterioration in our financial position,’ Mr Judge said.
‘The proposed increases only deal with the current shortfall in funding and largely go towards paying the ongoing costs of existing claims – not future cost increases or increases in demand for services.

‘Government is proposing legislative changes which, if passed, will reduce the size of levy increases. When the Amendment is passed, the Board will reconsider its funding requirements and levy recommendations to the Minister. Despite this, the proposed rates we are releasing today show how bad the situation has really become,’ Mr Judge said.

Consultation
Mr Judge said the ACC Board’s final view on levy increases will be informed by consultation and it will then make appropriate recommendations for Government to consider and to make a final decision.

Further information, including consultation documents and actuarial reports relating to setting levy rates and the estimated outstanding claims liability, is available from www.acc.co.nz/consultation. Alternatively, call 0800 ACC RATES (0800222 728) or send an email with your request to consultation@acc.co.nz.

Making a submission
ACC is encouraging New Zealanders and affected organisations to have their say. Submissions should be addressed to:

By post:

ACC
P.O. Box 242
Wellington 6140

By fax: (04) 918 4395

By email: Consultation@acc.co.nz

Submissions must include:
Your name
Your Address
Your contact phone number(s)

Deadline for submissions 5pm, 10 February 2010

Thats a fantastic post -now take it and put in on the Silverferm website. Or on rugbyheaven.co.nz blog.

Nothing like shaking the hornets nest to make the govt back off a bit.

[scissorhands]

Cyclists are really hated by many motorists for slowing them down. Bikers just keep going cause we are narrow.

Usually a comment about the fluro lycra. Maybe bikers could add some nice bright colours?

[James Deuce]

Guys this is a spoof, I am not trying to fool anyone here.

However please don't mistake my original post in this thread as humour and Mods, please don't move it to the humour thread

I am an active cycle racer as well as a keen motorcyclist.

There has been some discussion on cyclist levies in the cycling community since the announcement of the motorcylist levy increases.

We long know that they have been looking for an excuse to register bicycles for other reasons.

The press release is a spoof with a very serious purpose. It is designed to highlight both the ridiculousness and unfairness of the motorcylists levy.

(I've long been a supporter of the 'Yes Men' methodolgy of drawing attention to political issues. Do a search on 'Yes + Men+ Spoof' in google if you haven't come across them before)

I think that we can get real support from all New Zealanders around this issue.
I originally announced this new ACC initiative (with a straight face) on a group ride with cyclists and the reaction was spectacular support for the motorcyclists position.

I intend to poster some of the key cycle routes with this 'ACC release'

I'm going back to mining service lanes and supporting any initiative to register bicycles and levy cyclists.

You had support for 2 seconds, but you blew it from my perspective.

Simply because you made me feel stupid for falling for it.

Daft way of raising support, and I hope it backfires further.

[k2w3]

It's called satire, Jimmy. I think it works well. Yes, you may feel a bit silly for being taken, but the fact you were taken shows that it's not beyond the realms of possibilty and is food for thought for those potentially in the firing line of ACC.

[James Deuce]

It's called satire, Jimmy. I think it works well. Yes, you may feel a bit silly for being taken, but the fact you were taken shows that it's not beyond the realms of possibilty and is food for thought for those potentially in the firing line of ACC.

It's not satire, it's just typical arrogant cyclist behaviour.

I don't feel a "bit" silly. Now isn't the time to take the piss on a motorcycle site. IMO of course.

[k2w3]

In what way is it arrogant? The man said that he crossed the topic with some cyclists and they became very much on-side. That's a good thing, right?

[Ixion]

Well, it fooled me , initially anyway.
I think it is, if anything, helpful to our cause.

What would be REALLY good would be if the wobbly gentleman could get some cyclists complaining to the media. Who would then go off to the Minister, who would deny it. But the seed would remain in people's minds

"Minister denies ACC plan to levy and register cyclists. No plans to do so he says". People think "he wouldn't be denying it if there were not a grain of truth in it. What are they plotting".

[davereid]

...it's not beyond the realms of possibilty and is food for thought for those potentially in the firing line of ACC...

It struck a nerve with me too !

The reality is that the cross-subsidy argument is really just a "size" argument.

The Hummer will come out of a crash with a Commodore best. The Commodore will come out of a crash with a Mondeo best. The Mondeo will come out of a crash with a Charade best.

In this debate, the motorcycle was simply the smallest vehicle.

Adding the cyclist and pedestrian to the mix just highlights the stupidity of the cross-subsidy system.

So while done in humour, it worked.

[Kiwi Graham:Me]

My first thought was 'ahhh I wondered when this would come in' So not so unbelivable eh. Who's to say that one day those that play competative sports will have to register too!

Thin end of the wedge I say.

[centaurus]

I've been banging on about this since the ACC issue started and looks like I was right.

What they're doing is pitting one road category against another, one at a time, using the age old technique called "Divide et Impera" (divide and conquer).

At the end of the day, they are planning to increase all ACC levies to insane amounts and add everybody that can be added to the payee list (probably including new born babies that ride in baby carriages because they are using the road too). They're just doing it one at a time so the targeted category will point the finger to other road categories and give them an excuse to move to the next step.

Make no mistake, after finishing with us, the cyclists, the sports people and god knows which other categories, they will turn on the car drivers and say: well... most claims for other road categories are actually from accidents caused by cars so it's only normal that they should pay more.

If we don't stick together (all of us, not just bikers), we are all screwed. It's just a matter of time.

I firmly believe that instead of pointing the finger to cyclists or others, we should concentrate in showing everybody that they will be next and they should stick with us in this matter. Remember that in the end, ACC is not loosing money. It's not the question of finding a way to fill up a budget loss. They just want to change their funding system so the more money the faster they can go to the new system. They won't stop at bikers.

[FastBikeGear]

Well, it fooled me , initially anyway.
I think it is, if anything, helpful to our cause.

What would be REALLY good would be if the wobbly gentleman could get some cyclists complaining to the media. Who would then go off to the Minister, who would deny it. But the seed would remain in people's minds

"Minister denies ACC plan to levy and register cyclists. No plans to do so he says". People think "he wouldn't be denying it if there were not a grain of truth in it. What are they plotting".

I can certainly do this. What would really help would be if someone can take my press release and make it into a nice PDF complete with ACC logo, etc for me.

Perhaps they could also change the submissions date to April the 1st (April fools day) for me at the same time.

I will then distribute this amongst fellow cyclists, hand it out on group rides, cycling shops, and distribute to the press. (I think as long as the press know in advance it is a spoof they will enjoy it)

Please PM me if you would like to assist with this campaign in anyway.

We can have a lot of fun with this and get a lot of press and public support as well.

If you would like to immediately help with this campaign please copy and email the original "ACC release" in this thread to everyone you know. This needs to be a viral campaign.



Kind regards
wobblyas

[StoneY]

Well I see it as counter productive myself

Spoofs like this will only damage credibility of the organisations the are seen condoning such carry on's

The short burst of so called sympathy it raises will be utterly lost if soneone discovers a Motorcycle rider (cyslist or not) penned it up

Just my opinion

[R-Soul]

Its not really them trying fill up a budget loss - the value of their investmenst dropped radiaclly due to global recession, and they are missing the value of the interest on the lost amounts. So they need to make it up.

But at the end of the day, when the recession is over, we have covered the shortfall, and the investments are making money again, do you think that they will drop the levies?

Any guesses?

Probably only if it is just before an election.

[FastBikeGear]

Also now under discussion here http://www.vorb.org.nz/acc-calls-for...l-t101719.html

and here http://www.ridestrong.org.nz/RS/foru...3909.aspx#3909