TV3 60 Minutes - ACC vs Bronwyn Pullar

[pete376403]

A bit surprised no one has posted about this so i'll start. A bit of delicious irony in seeing a former national party high flyer, her friend the former national party president, both of whom were friends of (former) national minister of ACC nick (lying bastard) smith, in a scrap with ACC and its chairman (national appointee) john judge. Hard to feel sad that smiths attempt to help his friend is what got him sacked - with friends like this who needs enemies.
Remembering of course that, following the national party election win, the former board of acc was replaced by a board more in line with the stated national party aims of selling acc, whereupon any number of lies, damned lies and statistics were produced that showed ACC was on the bones of its arse and fees, in particular the acc component of motorcycle registrations had to be raised to their current levels.
Mentioned in tonights program was the $3.4 BILLION profit made by ACC this financial year, which would make it an attractive buy for the big Australian insurance industry

http://ondemand.tv3.co.nz/60-Minutes...2/Default.aspx

[Woodman]

Was interesting when ms pullar said that she did not try to blackmail them and that she had the taped meeting and that nowhere during the meeting did she say something like "give me what I want and i will give you back the file". While its true she didn't actually say those words she did start the meeting about her ACC claim telling them that she had the file. Why even mention it if it was a seperate issue? Very fine line between blackmail and what she did IMHO.

But yeah ACC really need a shakeup, so basically good on her.

[Gremlin]

Was interesting when ms pullar said that she did not try to blackmail them and that she had the taped meeting and that nowhere during the meeting did she say something like "give me what I want and i will give you back the file". While its true she didn't actually say those words she did start the meeting about her ACC claim telling them that she had the file. Why even mention it if it was a seperate issue? Very fine line between blackmail and what she did IMHO.

She mentioned the existence of the file as being an issue that ACC needed to address. ie, she received all that highly sensitive information. Later in the show, it was clear ACC did bugger all to identify how it happened, focussing on shifting blame instead.

The managers in the meeting should have been fired by now. The tape clearly backs up the women's side, the managers are clearly lying, stating she threatened them. I believe she should have told them the meeting was being recorded though. A good lesson however, how an organisation can twist any words (or lie).

[Winston001]

With respect Pete, its an issue worth discussing but you've got on an irrelevant tangent.

Hard to feel sad that smiths attempt to help his friend is what got him sacked - with friends like this who needs enemies.

I don't like Nick Smith. I don't like Helen Clark either. Despite that I respect their abilities and they are both better Members of Parliament than many who enter the House.

As for Smith, he was asked to help someone he knew. You wouldn't help a person when you could? Smith wrote a bland letter. Even so as a Minister he has to be Caesars Wife and it was a stupid mistake. He paid the price and fair enough.

...following the national party election win, the former board of acc was replaced by a board more in line with the stated national party aims of selling acc

I'm not aware of any public statement leading to either recent election where National said they would sell ACC. Sources please.

[Brian d marge]

With respect Pete, its an issue worth discussing but you've got on an irrelevant tangent.



I don't like Nick Smith. I don't like Helen Clark either. Despite that I respect their abilities and they are both better Members of Parliament than many who enter the House.

As for Smith, he was asked to help someone he knew. You wouldn't help a person when you could? Smith wrote a bland letter. Even so as a Minister he has to be Caesars Wife and it was a stupid mistake. He paid the price and fair enough.




I'm not aware of any public statement leading to either recent election where National said they would sell ACC. Sources please.

Caesars wife was Hot....

Stephen

off top of head they have never said acc , but have said public utilites are open for review , and in line with their manifesto , of privitisation ...its a fair leap of faith .

[pete376403]

I have a very good friend who suffered a head injury in a bike (motorcycle) accident.

He has had pretty much the same run around as Bronwyn Pullar describes.

I agree that I went a bit off tangent, and as far as the "sell ACC" issue, I believed that it was being discussed in the time leading up to the bikoi, but I've been wrong before, and no doubt will be wrong again.

[MSTRS:Me]

I agree that I went a bit off tangent, and as far as the "sell ACC" issue, I believed that it was being discussed in the time leading up to the bikoi, but I've been wrong before, and no doubt will be wrong again.

The words from on high may not be 'sell acc' - but rather 'open up to competition'. Either way, it means the same thing...NZ will be ripped off.
I see a few letters to editors along the lines of "You were warned about what was going on, weren't you"...

[Brett]

She mentioned the existence of the file as being an issue that ACC needed to address. ie, she received all that highly sensitive information. Later in the show, it was clear ACC did bugger all to identify how it happened, focussing on shifting blame instead.

The managers in the meeting should have been fired by now. The tape clearly backs up the women's side, the managers are clearly lying, stating she threatened them. I believe she should have told them the meeting was being recorded though. A good lesson however, how an organisation can twist any words (or lie).

Agree. Mis-management at a gross level IMO. Sometimes I fear that our government departments are run by exceedingly overpaid bureaucratic monkeys.

[Usarka]

Nice one John Key, saying the she has a pre-existing mental condition. That happens to be the standard ACC line for everything these days, so at best he's misinformed. At worst....well I won't post my opinion of that on the internet.