New ACC motorcycle levies confirmed

[sleemanj]

In answer to Question 12 we have an 'official' 55% of MC accidents involving another vehicle having no rider fault. Final sentence "No matter which way the analysis is done, motorcycles are higher risk". Combine those two and we are paying more for being the victim

Careful on the wording there, they are not saying 55% of motorcycle accidents are not the bikers fault. They are saying 55% of the accidents which involved a another vehicle are not the bikers fault.

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

Nick Smith is still propagating the lie that we have 5000 injury accidents instead of 400.

I am going to write a letter to Nix Myth and just ask one question.

Why do you lie so much?

[MSTRS:Me]

+1
Protests' to continue...until a more equatable levy can be set for all road users.

Abso-fucking-lutely.

+1
...and its' more about the philosophy of ACC that we need to fight for now

And that is something that we have already been arguing.

[Naki Rat]

I just checked online and a years Reg is $321. So it's actually an increase of $105 if it goes up to $426.....

Or did I read it wrong?

The amounts quoted are ACC levies only. They will have other rego charges added followed by GST so $426 will likely end up as $600+ total rego charge

[Ixion]

Phew. It's 1pm

I heard it this morning, a personal call from the Minister! But I had to promise to keep quiet until 1pm. So I have. Wasn't me that leaked it.

The full press release is

10 December 2009

Media Statement

Government announces 2010/11 ACC levy rates ACC levies for workers, employers and motorists will increase next year but less than those recommended by the ACC Board, ACC Minister Nick Smith says. “Setting these levy rates has been a difficult balance of minimising the cost increases on families and businesses, keeping the pressure on ACC to better manage its costs, and ensuring ACC’s long-term financial viability,” Dr Smith said. The Government has adopted the following rates: §The Earners’ Account Levy (paid by all employees and self employed to cover their non-work, non-motor vehicle injuries) will increase from $1.70 to $2.00 (including GST) per $100 of liable earnings from 1 April 2010. §The average composite employer and self-employed levy will increase from $1.31 to $1.47 per $100 of payroll from 1 April 2010. This levy excludes GST and is an average rate. Individual rates for industry groups may be higher or lower. §The ACC component of the motor vehicle license fee for a petrol car will increase from $168.46 to $198.46 from 1 July 2010 while the ACC petrol levy will remain at 9.90 cents per litre. “These levy increases are necessary because ACC’s claim costs have increased by 57% in the past four years. The Government is pushing out the full funding date for ACC from 2014 to 2019, pulling back on extensions to the scheme by the previous Government, and putting in place a wide range of cost-saving measures. “Initiatives underway this year covering physiotherapy, high-tech imaging, hearing, self-harm, rehabilitation, criminal disentitlements, and tighter income compensation will save more than $100 million per year and ensure the burden of fixing ACC does not just fall on levy payers. “The Government has opted for more moderate motorcycle levy increases than ACC recommended. Mopeds 50cc and under will pay $129.24; motorbikes up to 600cc will pay $327.70; and bikes over 600cc will pay $426.92. As part of the motorcycle levy, $30 will now be committed to injury prevention modelled on the successful programme in Victoria, Australia. My message to motorcyclists is the escalating costs of motorcycle accidents cannot be ignored but ACC wants to work with you on improving safety. “These levy increases are significant in that they will cost a person on the average wage an additional $148.50 per year ($2.86 per week) as well as $30 per car. The Government has rejected larger increases recommended by ACC and the Department of Labour because we are concerned about the broader economic impact on families and businesses at a time when the economy is beginning to recover from recession. “These levy increases are sufficient to stop any further deterioration in ACC’s overall finances but will be insufficient for ACC to close the gap between its assets and liabilities by 2019. We will be doing additional work in 2010 as part of the stocktake process to address the long term issues facing ACC. “Other minor changes include removing the exemption for hearses, collecting the ACC levy on biofuels, small changes in Work Account classifications and adjusting maximum and minimum liable earnings in line with the labour cost index and minimum wage increases. “2009 has been a challenging year for ACC with Board changes, measures to contain costs, legislative reform and significant levy increases. The early signs of improvement in rehabilitation rates, cost management and investment returns give me confidence that progress is being made in securing the future of our unique no-fault 24/7 ACC scheme.” Media contact: Simon Beattie 021 243 8271

I think the Minister has probably held increases down to the maximum extent he could.

I'm personally not happy with the fact that there is a capacity split, it makes the >600 class a target. And obviously, I'm not actually *happy* to pay more - but, if that size of increase had been suggested in the first place, I think we would not have seen any organised protest.

I am pleased that the mopeds have been kept separate- and although their increase is significant it's not absurd.

Do we continue to protest ?

IMHO, yes. But, we need to change target a bit. Less focus on the Minister, more on ACC , and on the "overall" ACC issues.

We have to be careful not to be "captured" so that the protests just become a Labour party implement. And to bear in mind that as far as non-motorcycles ACC issues go, we are simply the same as any other New Zealanders.

Our specific grounds for complaint has largely been neutralised. I think we would have a had time getting Joe Q to accept that increases that size are totally unjustified. (It would actually have been simpler if the Minister had elected to play hard ball).And we will leach off a lot of biker support. In essence , the Minster has reduced the volume from outrage to grumble.

So we need to realign to a longer , less furious campaign aimed at a change in the basis of ACC .

Personally I'm happy to see the $30 going to an injury prevention fund. I have concerns that it will just become a slush fund, but the Minister has indicated that he wishes to work with motorcycling organisations. So, let's wait and see on that.


And - all said and done , we ALL need to remember that the fundamental problem is still there. We are falling off our bikes far too often.

Fix THAT problem and the rest goes away. So, stop bloody falling off, OK ?

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

I just checked online and a years Reg is $321. So it's actually an increase of $105 if it goes up to $426.....

Or did I read it wrong?

the acc levies in that $321 is something like $252 the $426.92 is just ACC plus the actual rego which is about $120 + GST

still going to be 600 odd bucks to register a large bike...

[bogan]

Remember the protest on the 19th in Auckland

and one in palmy the same day, get as many towns doing protests on this day to show Nick what he can do with his proposed increases would be a good idea I reckon. Theres no justification for charging different amounts for road users under the no fault ACC scheme.

edit, and why are they still splitting on a CC basis, its not done for cars

[Gremlin]

If anyone is interested... here's the rises in percentage...

Looks like mopeds are being done the worst, then big bikes and trucks.

Now... where to find a <600cc non-petrol bike

edit: pic updated with dollar difference as well

[Babelfish]

All I can ask is PLEEEEASE can we ride Lambton Quay this time and park outside Parliament??? They can divert the fucking traffic and feel the noise a little more!

We still need to be in negotiation mode. As mentioned earlier in this thread we're currently subjected to classic union bollocks and there is no way in hell I am happy paying an ounce more given the information that has risen to the surface.

I currently pay enough for my car and bike and through work given the reserves shown and no snivveling cock sucker of a bloke like Fucknob Smith is going to convince me otherwise until the stop presenting such a dumb arse/dodgy/underhanded/condescending/rod munching image.

I smell a good rimming in the air, and I'm really hoping we do it to them before they do it to us.

[riffer]

The amounts quoted are ACC levies only. They will have other rego charges added followed by GST so $426 will likely end up as $600+ total rego charge

I've worked it out thusly:

Licence Fee $24.50
ACC Levy $426.92
Other Levies $1.64
Administration $6.72
GST $57.47

Total $517.25

Up from $321.24 on 3/7/09

[bogan]

If anyone is interested... here's the rises in percentage...

Looks like mopeds are being done the worst, then big bikes and trucks.

Now... where to find a <600cc non-petrol bike

Marine Y2K running on kero should do the trick! or an electric, you able to put the $ increases on that sheet as well as the %

[santiago]

The amounts quoted are ACC levies only. They will have other rego charges added followed by GST so $426 will likely end up as $600+ total rego charge

Naki Rat is right, once again the media has the terminology all buggered up. They say "registration rates", which isn't even correct, the correct term is "licencing fee". Registration applies when you buy a new or unregistered used bike off the showroom floor and is $382.67 for bikes over 61cc's. "Licencing", what you pay annually is now $321.24 over 61cc's and includes ACC, GST and the actual licence fee. If the ACC levy increase for bikes over 61cc's is presumably $426.92, then by the time GST and the licence fee is added, the cost will be around $600. Still way too high, if BRONZ and Ulysses call this a victory its a Claytons one. Protest and disruption is still needed IMO. Whats the bet they'll sneak it up again next year as well.

[Okey Dokey]

I don't give a fuck what the actual rise is...that prick was given notice on 17th Nov and at all opportunities before and since. He knows what he was likely to stir up with any increase at all (beyond that applied to cars, for 'fairness's sake ) so he will now reap the benefit of his ill-judged decision.
CUNT!!

My feelings exactly. I also agree with the suggestion that we move on from him and focus back on ACC. He never even responded to my letter, although I heard back from Don Brash, Jacqui Dean, and ACC. And he was the one most closely involved, as Minister.

[santiago]

I've worked it out thusly:

Licence Fee $24.50
ACC Levy $426.92
Other Levies $1.64
Administration $6.72
GST $57.47

Total $517.25

Up from $321.24 on 3/7/09

There you go, actually not as bad as I thought, lol

[bogan]

I've worked it out thusly:

Licence Fee $24.50
ACC Levy $426.92
Other Levies $1.64
Administration $6.72
GST $57.47

Total $517.25

Up from $321.24 on 3/7/09

yeh that what I thought, the bastards have snuck it up significantly in the last half year so now they can say the increase is only $100, when its 2 hundy more than last time I did mine, and my Bros still costs more than an R6