Should Phil Goff resign?

[oldrider]

Monopolies. The cause of almost all of the really really bad deals you can't avoid.

Publicly owned monopolies are easy to deal with, just sell half the business to some other bastard.

The privately owned ones you need to finness. I'd just take half their business and nationalise it. Simple.

Just remains to keep a lookout for colusive pricing strategies and hang any suspects by the balls.

I keep telling you idiots, all this governing shit is easy.

Case in point, ACC state monopoly, biggest rip-off around, name one satisfied customer!

[shrub]

Case in point, ACC state monopoly, biggest rip-off around, name one satisfied customer!

I could probably name several hundred thousand, but in my case about 15 years ago I fucked my back severely. At the time I was working in a white collar job and figured that a buggered back wasn't going to stop me so I kept on. Only problem was after about 10 minutes of sitting, standing or walking I was in severe pain. ACC paid for me to take a couple of months off work on 80% of a very good wage, paid for physio, paid for a new office chair and had a case manager keep an eye on things, and I was back on deck in no time.

My son binned his bike a couple of years ago and ACC paid for his physio and medical costs, my daughter came off her horse - same thing and last year I tore a muscle at the gym - self inflicted. I got immediate physio and ACC paid for that plus the ongoing and within a couple of weeks I was back at the gym.

Sure, there are always people that have been hard done by, but for every one of them there are thousands of very happy people. What's the alternative? What the Americans have? I don't think so Tim.

[shrub]

Why are rednecks so scared of gays?

I think the main reason most people are scared of gays is because they have a bit of an inkling that way themselves. Squeal little piggy...

[scott411]

Case in point, ACC state monopoly, biggest rip-off around, name one satisfied customer!

i am one,

I have had a broken femur, 17 dislocated shoulders, 2 ops on that shoulder, broken collarbones, wrists, thumbs, foot, and a 7 week stay in hospital with internal injuries, all covered by ACC, and all with time off work paid at 80% of my wages,

on all that time i had one claim attempt to be declined, that was for a shoulder that popped out as i rolled over in bed, and i sent them the 8 previous claim numbers and they admitted that it was still covered by an accident,

i do have a slight issue on how the goverment brings in the fees tho, ie the rego levy

[Ocean1]

Case in point, ACC state monopoly, biggest rip-off around, name one satisfied customer!

Sure, there are always people that have been hard done by, but for every one of them there are thousands of very happy people.

I think you're right, and compared to private insurance rates for similar cover it's bloody reasonable. But maybe John finds himself one of the hard done by. Wouldn't surprise me, he fits the profile, he's old to start with. Anyone not fitting the easy-to-use cookie cutter solution matrix often finds problems getting a fair deal from ACC. I work for myself, that proves to be a bad idea on many levels, the extra ACC costs and lower effective cover is a problem.

What's the alternative? What the Americans have? I don't think so Tim.

It's not a fair comparison. The Americans don't have an alternative, what they call health insurance is completely buried by what they call their legal system.

[Smifffy]

Goff's biggest mistake was in allowing himself to get beaten up by the media over it. Could you ever imagine Chairman Clark getting drawn into this debacle? It'd be more like:

(smile/frown/smile)"LOOK. The member concerned is entitled to his own views. He NEEDS to remember that to be EFFECTIVE in parliament he needs the SUPPORT of his colleagues. I WILL remind him of this later in the week. FRANKLY I think that you are making too much of this (insert first name of media flunkie)." (insert smile/grimace) "The FACT remains that the LABOUR PARTY promotes not just equality but SUCCESS FOR ALL NEW ZEALANDERS." (smile/frown/ look to draw Michael Cullen into the fray to mop up the stragglers).

[Winston001]

Goff's biggest mistake was in allowing himself to get beaten up by the media over it. Could you ever imagine Chairman Clark getting drawn into this debacle? It'd be more like:

(smile/frown/smile)"LOOK. The member concerned is entitled to his own views. He NEEDS to remember that to be EFFECTIVE in parliament he needs the SUPPORT of his colleagues. I WILL remind him of this later in the week. FRANKLY I think that you are making too much of this (insert first name of media flunkie)." (insert smile/grimace) "The FACT remains that the LABOUR PARTY promotes not just equality but SUCCESS FOR ALL NEW ZEALANDERS." (smile/frown/ look to draw Michael Cullen into the fray to mop up the stragglers).

Bling sent, that is very clever and spookily accurate. :

[Pussy]

Smiffy.... you forgot to add that she would be doing all the above WHILST still looking like the south end of a northbound horse!.....

[shrub]

Smiffy.... you forgot to add that she would be doing all the above WHILST still looking like the south end of a northbound horse!.....

And that's one of John Key's biggest strengths - a lot of men find him really attractive and it seems a lot of people choose who they want running the country based on their looks. I reckon Labour should get Alison Mau to run for PM - she's hot, she's blonde and she's a lesbian - hell, I'd vote for her.

Helen Clark was way too ugly to be a proper lesbian like the ones on the internet.

[MisterD]

And that's one of John Key's biggest strengths - a lot of men find him really attractive and it seems a lot of people choose who they want running the country based on their looks

Be as sarcastic as you like, but at least he puts his own photo on his billboards...

[shrub]

Be as sarcastic as you like, but at least he puts his own photo on his billboards...

Why wouldn't you if you looked as good as him?

[MisterD]

Why wouldn't you if you looked as good as him?

Photoshop...oh, the irony...

[shrub]

Photoshop...oh, the irony...

Damn, you noticed. Guess what - John Key's photo is also photoshopped on his billboards and just like Helen Clark's, only not as much because he is waaay prettier. And you're not going to believe this, but he has a team of bloody clever people telling him what to wear, what to say and how to behave so he creates the right image to make voters lurve him with the lurve of baby Jesus.

Why do you think he is so incredibly popular when he has actually achieved bugger all over the last 3 years? His press secretary Kevin Taylor is a very clever man and has a very good team working with him - Lesley Hamilton is someone I have huge respect for.

Helen Clark used to have the legendary David Lewis as press secretary, and when he left you could almost watch Labour's popularity decline. They never found anyone as good and that was a big part of losing the 08 election.

Yeah, I'm a cynic. I don't believe elections are won by the best party but by the party that has the best spin doctors because most people are too lazy to read and analyse policies and want to be told who to vote for just like they want to be told what shirts to wear.

[MisterD]

Yeah, I'm a cynic.

Me too...you can teach and advise until you're blue (no pun intended) in the face though - that "naturalness" that JK has, is uncoachable. When you hear a soppy lefty like Marcus Lush raving about how "it's great how he just answers the question" you know something different's going on.

I still won't be voting for him though, my cynicism levels have reached the point that I'm voting Libz this time around.

[Usarka]

I could probably name several hundred thousand, but in my case about 15 years ago I fucked my back severely.
Sure, there are always people that have been hard done by, but for every one of them there are thousands of very happy people. What's the alternative? What the Americans have? I don't think so Tim.

i am one,

I have had a broken femur, 17 dislocated shoulders, 2 ops on that shoulder, broken collarbones, wrists, thumbs, foot, and a 7 week stay in hospital with internal injuries, all covered by ACC, and all with time off work paid at 80% of my wages,

ACC is great when a) you're young-ish AND b) your injury is tangible.

Any injuries for the elderly (it's degenerative!) and things like brain injuries though they are complete wankers.

BUT we shouldn't complain about the lack of competition because thats what nick smith is wanting us to do so they they can privatise. We should be complaining about the performance and fairness of ACC (i mean come on who hasn't been to a physio who's been prepared to make up an accident to get ACC coverage?)