BRONZ press release - ACC levy consultation, and the motorcycle ACC levy

[Drew]

the apathy of the majority beggars belief.

Firstly, repeat after me. Begs belief!

And secondly. Really? You were surprised that more people didn't show up?

I have no excuse for not showing up to the 'bikoi', whatever the fuck the word is meant to mean. I couldn't be bothered, and me doing wheelies everywhere was hardly gonna help anyone.

How many were there, 3000 or summat?

That's five times the number I would have predicted.

[Berries]

I have no excuse for not showing up to the 'bikoi', whatever the fuck the word is meant to mean.

Something to do with biscuits?

[Katman]

Firstly, repeat after me. Begs belief!

It's actually 'beggars belief'.

[Drew]

It's actually 'beggars belief'.

Yeah, a thousand years ago. The language has evolved since then.

[GrayWolf]

we did win some thing.We got the reduction pre meditated or not.What do you propose.Do nothing and moan and whine afterwards.I would rather try again than do nothing.

Have you seen me moan and whine? No, Was I at Bikoi? yes absolutely. I was a member of MAG in the UK, in the 1980's when the 'venerable' Peter Bottomley esq' attempted a bill to enforce compulsory leg protectors. Sadly this was pre internet days, so there is little to no information available on the net; but you would have seen what I would call 'Mass Action'. Mag got the federation of European Motorcyclists involved, and several other bike groups... From memory, I recall the mass protest in Hyde park resulted in 25,000+ motorcycles. THAT is mass protest. What was also commented in a very handy way on the National news was, how quickly said mass numbers got out of London with little to no traffic disruption, which proved a point of motorcycles and traffic flow.
What we could? have done better maybe, was the fact MAG had a weekend Rally organised, so rather than just turn up to protest, we also had a large well run, weekend rally to attend, MAGna Carta. Yes the protest avoided the possible major traffic disruption that could have been instigated, but the message was left, "we might just be back in the middle of a week, sometime soon". Just the sheer number of bikes was guaranteed to make National news.

I don't own a car, so if anyone has a 'right' to feel pissed off? I would be one of the 'few' transport riders, rather than the 'summer/weekend warrior's' that make up the majority of bike riders... THEY are the ones you need to get off their friggin arses!

[GrayWolf]

...and it will forever be that way Mark. Unfortunately, BRONZ are the ''powerhouse movement'' where ''biker rights'' are concerned and they may well enjoy flogging a dead horse, who knows?
Those who now give a shit are very minimal compared to three years ago and any on going ''protest action'' will be (dare I say it) laughed off and seen as a feeble attempt to keep the ever dwindling support alive.

The only fact of 09' that people fall back on now is, how many turned up in Wellington, and that number varies depending on who you talk to.

Maybe BRONZ/MAG etc should join forces, and try a 'protest+rally' a la MAGna Carta I mentioned in a previous post? Bikers here seem willing to travel inter island/distances for a weekender? Give them a Protest + a good time, we may just see a much greater number turn up at Parliment? Or like the MAGna Carta run, they organised a protest ride to a nearby destination (Hyde Park)... (Maybe Frank Kitt park near Te Papa would be possible??) Had a Stage set up, spent a period of time there, then we all rode back to the Rally site some distance away.. so 25,000 bikes were media recorded riding to, at, and riding from the protest venue, and it was a DISCIPLINED protest ride.

MAGna Carta had a long build up of 'advertising' etc to ensure decent numbers would turn up.....

[Big Dave]

Been a while since you posted Pixie. It's been great.

[ellipsis]

Mag got the federation of European Motorcyclists involved, and several other bike groups... From memory, I recall the mass protest in Hyde park resulted in 25,000+ motorcycles. THAT is mass protest.

...bikers who couldn't afford the fuel, carried their helmets and got the bus from Scotland for that one...thats commitment ...

[biker baz]

...bikers who couldn't afford the fuel, carried their helmets and got the bus from Scotland for that one...thats commitment ...

Sure is commitment. I did similar for the last Bikoi as had been rear ended & ripped a shoulder tendon. The Naked bus ride was fun & cheap. not often those two words are in the same sentence. Stayed in a backpackers by the station & walked up the hill for the protest. It was worth being there to hear some mean pissed off hairy bikers & bikeresses chanting 'Bullshit, bullshit'

[biker baz]

We can all have our 10cents worth by going to the acc website or email- levyconsultation@acc.co.nz BEFORE 15.10.13 at 5.00 pm closing time. My idea of a best case scenario is 100,000 plus emails saying - WHAT PART OF REDUCE THE M/C LEVY DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?

Don’t be shy even if big brother can illegally spy on us & if you are paranoid about it, write your email in word, save it onto an M-stick, go to an internet cafe & open a new free email address to send it by. That should take care of being put on a civil disobedience database or traced for any outstanding fines, overdue regos etc. Oops nearly forgot I think your name, address Phone &/or email need to be included so if you want to give a verbal presentation they can contact you. Some formats you can tick the box, others you must write you wish to make a verbal, usually at the end, but big letters at the start would do it too. Do it anyway, even if you don’t want to speak. They might think you really are pissed off, & to them it is a numbers game. That is when things might go our way. Add the public embarrassment of another bikoi to the minister Collins (ex police) unless she is multitasking or brown nosing & doing 2 jobs for the price of one.
As a diversion, at the last Bikoi to parliament, 2 of the nice policemen with lots of silverware on their shoulders, were discreetly taking photos of the noisiest banner waving protesters, so I took photos of them. They are stored at safe locations.

One thing that really does piss me off is that being the proud owner of a 650cc bike, I am paying the top levy rate for an extra 50cc.
Now to add insult to injury, ltsa classify it as a learner approved motorcycle because of the low power to weight ratio. WTF, my PTW is a PITA & my CCs are too!

AS IF the levy is fair & equitable anyway, this is patently UNfair.
Rider ability & experience aside, as the levy is based on the cc rating of the motorcycle, acc should adopt the same power to weight system as ltsa for a level playing field. If a learner rider has less experience, the slower speed does level out the extra risk, if any.
Importers are required to show the PTW so the info is easily available & could even be extended to cars (less 15% of course).
The real reason we are being screwed is probably less bikers vote national than car owners. So if we all promise to vote national maybe we can get 20% off. Oh well it wont happen as we are not politicians & at least have our integrity but not our wallets intact.
I will be spreading the message/rant to motonz, bronz, Ulysses, MNZ, m/c clubs, magazines, & forums. So if anybody has other points to add feel free to share.

Thanks to Riffer, BRONZ & Ken @ Ulysses for ideas. Here is sample letter to send feel free to copy, paste add etc. No pressure send B4 5pm TODAY

Thank you for this opportunity to comment on & add to the proposals for changes to ACC levies for the 2014/2015 year. My expectation is that new & previous ideas presented will be seriously considered & implemented in 2014/15. I also wish to make a verbal presentation as part of this consultation.

Proposed decreases of 15% to earners’ and motorists’ levies, and 17% decreases to employers specifically exclude a reduction to the ACC levy for motorcyclists without explanation. As a member of the motorcycling community I believe this to be a discriminatory measure and would like this to be implemented for motorcyclists as well.

ACC have claimed that motorcycle injury costs have increased markedly, resulting in a requirement for the levy to increase in recent years. Research undertaken by Dr Charles Lamb in 2010 clearly demonstrated that the opposite has occurred, despite the huge increase in the motorcycle fleet. Meanwhile, the Government have twisted the data to suit their needs by carefully manipulating timeframes to paint the dire picture they so desire in order to justify continuation of an increased levy on the motorcycle riders in New Zealand. This picture is a fallacy.
Because the ACC system is supposed to operate as a “No-fault” system we face a double whammy. Injury accidents that involve motorcyclists seem to be classed as “motorcycle accidents” even when the accident is directly attributable to the behaviour of a motorist. More attention must be given to the cause of the accident & as Dr Lamb found nearly half of accident reports are not complete which challenges the accuracy of existing data.

The fleet size has tripled if not quadrupled since the late 80’s and is growing faster than ever due to the hike in fuel costs. Yet motorcyclists now make up only 9 percent of all road users injured, compared to 21 percent in the early and mid-1980s. Perhaps the truth is the change from pay-as-you-go to fully funded model plus a move to ACC being a perk sell off to insurance companies is a more accurate explanation for their requirement for extra levies.

Motorcyclists are attending more training than ever. Information on, and availability of, good quality safety gear has never been more than it is now. Yet the levy stands, while other vehicles that have previously had raised levies now face a reduction, despite there being no evidence of any reduction in the costs these vehicle types incur on an annual basis and even less evidence of any extra training undertaken by these road users.

Local councils, Police and ACC are subsidising training and safety courses all over New Zealand and these courses are fully booked within days of announcement. Motorcyclists nationwide have taken to these training sessions at a very high uptake rate and it is not slowing down – in fact demand for more courses is increasing, and groups like Ulysses and BRONZ have created mentor programs and have for some time hosted beginner confidence rides organised to improve the standard of rider ability from day one. Bikers across the country are taking every opportunity available to up-skill themselves to become better and safer riders - yet this is not recognised by the very organisation that’s helping to sponsor the training. The levy remains unchanged.
In deciding to lower the levies for the 2014/2015 year, ACC had an opportunity to show motorcyclists that you recognised, appreciated and supported their involvement. This of course has been exacerbated – in the eyes of many motorcyclists - by your recent notice of a significant unbudgeted surplus of $3.6 billion. You could share it around & not use it as a back door revenue perk for the govt in addition to the dividend they are already paid. A 15% reduction in the motorcycle levy based on having earned it, not as of right, would cost at the 600cc plus rate & 110,000 vehicles, less than only 0.229% of the $3.6 billion surplus & no doubt the amount for other vehicles would be well covered with some to spare.

Discrimination does not exist in the earners a/c where an estimated cost is divided equally. In the motor vehicle a/c, following the insurance concept of greater risk through increased use is a commercial insurance way to maximise their profit & contravenes the fair & equitable original concept of ACC levies.
The same formula of total estimated cost divided by numbers of vehicles applied to the vehicle a/c would remove any discrimination & promote an attitude of equal responsibility for staying safe, rather than a she’ll be right it is not my problem attitude.

As to how the levy is collected changing to a petrol/diesel levy or license based would solve a lot of problems with the present system included with registration.
1) Every vehicle uses fuel regardless of being registered or driver licensed.
2) The amount would be affordable rather than a lump sum.
3) There would be no need to pay an ACC levy as part of registration on each vehicle owned, whether driven or not.
4) The levy would still be collected when the vehicle is driven. Also one person cannot drive multiple vehicles at the same time.
Whatever the formula it would be more effective overall combined with road safety initiatives & road re-engineering or added infrastructure. This may not be the individual responsibility of ACC but it is part of their problem. The performance of other departments is directly affecting accident & injury rates, so the responsibility is interconnected.
Because the ACC system is supposed to operate as a “No-fault” however, system we face a double whammy. Injury accidents that involve motorcyclists seem to be classed as “motorcycle accidents” even when the accident is directly attributable to the behaviour of a motorist.
To further the application of a level playing field & fairness to all, make the 15% reduction to other vehicles conditional on regularly taking driver training refresher courses, as has already been done indirectly to motorcyclists through the $30 motorcycle safety levy for each vehicle.
To not disadvantage owners of more than one motorcycle I propose the $30 safety levy be a one-time payment against the drivers licence, as there is not double the benefit for owners of more than one vehicle.
It follows that motorcyclists’ responsible attitude to self preservation be rewarded with the same 15% reduction as other vehicle classes.
This could only be a win-win situation for ACC.

The effectiveness of MOTONZ has been severely limited to minor issues & seems to be regarded as an ‘uncle tom’ front to push measures that only fiddle with the problem or are a token effort without solving any issue but are pretending something has been done.
Safety barrier design/ ‘cheese cutter’ wire rope barriers is one such issue that has been recognised overseas & either banned or replaced with something safer. These are proven practical low cost measures implemented to reduce death & injury to motorcyclists. There is ample credible research literature on this that seems to be ignored in NZ
The usual excuses of ‘It is another departments responsibility, there is no funding, or it is not in the budget’ are an avoidance of responsibility bordering on negligent.
It points to a need to coordinate departments & change preconceptions without creating another tax gobbling govt department, perhaps by including MOTONZ at a much higher level in the planning & decision making process.

As an example of coordinating departments: Most situations like repairs or accidents are unplanned & happen while the vehicles are registered. There is no facility available to put active registration on hold while the vehicle is not being used on the road & still retain the unused portion for future use. It is an unnecessary & increasingly unaffordable extra expense. A facility to put this unusable registration on hold, say in modules of one month, would ultimately lead to a safer & more compliant vehicle fleet.

Once registration has expired it can only be put on hold for a minimum of three months. If a repair or whatever takes only one month, it adds $41.53 to the cost of not using a vehicle if reregistered before the three months. If two months $83.06 added, if two months 29 days $123.20 added. This is an unacceptable & increasingly unaffordable added cost to an already expensive situation. Again modules of one month would be more user friendly than having to wait for the three months, or worse using the vehicle unregistered for that time. Again, such a facility would lead to a safer & more compliant vehicle fleet, as well as optimising revenue.

Increasing the levy for scooters & some other bikes has destroyed the cost advantage for the budget user. Scooters & motorcycles are an essential part of reducing peak time congestion with savings to govt from less need for new infrastructure.
Having a cc rating scale is not the answer for a fair spread of the levy.
For example a 650cc vehicle pays the top levy rate for an extra 50cc. However ltsa changing to a power to weight ratio for learner motorcycles also has some 650cc & larger motorcycles classed as learner approved motorcycles (LAM). Regardless of ability, this highlights the grossly unfair situation of a low power vehicle with a PTW less than some 250cc bikes, paying the top ACC rate designed to cover larger capacity sports bikes.
As manufacturers have to provide PTW figures for each vehicle, it would be easy for ACC to amend the existing classes to more fairly reflect the capability of each vehicle. Don’t wait until next year, do it now.