WTF National privatising ACC?

[Headbanger]

ACC can burn in hell.

The sooner the better.

National are champions.

[Oakie]

I think they were looking at privatising parts ... not the whole thing

Ah ha ha. Does this mean the affected units could be refered to as ACC's private parts?

[SPman]

Notice how National didn't admit to it until they were virtually forced to!

National admits it

In the face of damaging leaks from the insurance industry, National has finally come clean and admitted it: if elected, they will privatise ACC again. Not by selling it, but by removing the ACC's statutory monopoly, a monopoly which has protected New Zealanders for over thirty years. The benefit to the insurance industry? $2.1 billion of new business, and $200 million in profit. The benefit to the New Zealand people? Higher premiums, worse coverage, and the erosion of entitlements. It's clear then who John Key and the National Party are working for - and it isn't us.
Another thing we should keep in mind is that Key only admitted this policy because he was forced to. If the insurance industry hadn't been so open in its gloating, he would have kept it secret right up until the election, then sprung it on us after the fact. That's dishonest and undemocratic. But then, this is the party which gave us the "moral obligation to lie"...

Regardless of individuals experiences with ACC and their personal opinions, it's a worry that National are not revealing any of their "policies", should they become Government, unless they are forced too, by leaks! So, what else are they intending to privatise - ie - sell off to their mates again!
And don't give us that bullshit about "private enterprise can run business more effectively than Government" - that old shibboleth has been well and truly blown out of the water - private enterprise run things more effectively for themselves, they're only in it to make money - any substantial benefits to the country, if they happen at all, are purely coincidental!

[MSTRS:Me]

SPMan - that excerpt you quote is most likely a roll-out of the same crap that was touted the first time round. It turned out to be untrue then, and so it is now. The doom and gloom merchants (paid by the Labour Party?) just can't help themselves, can they.
The facts are that it was cheaper and better for the clients to go private and still is. The only reason it was done away with before was that ACC couldn't compete on price or service and Nanny could not have that.

[MisterD]

it's a worry that National are not revealing any of their "policies", should they become Government, unless they are forced too, by leaks!

Have the Government announced an election date? No. So why should the opposition announce any policies?

[trustme]

ACC are the most infuriating ,uncooperative & inefficient bunch of mind fucks you will ever deal with. With the possible exception of IRD or WINZ ,DOC, LTSA , well actually just about any govt dept
Sack em all ,privatise the lot

As a business owner I liked the system that National set up where we had a choice & we were able to reduce costs, I cant say that the return to ACC as the sole provider has been a positive step in any way

[Oakie]

Have the Government announced an election date? No. So why should the opposition announce any policies?

Touche!

10chars

[Motu]

I wasn't happy last time National were in and privatised ACC - all the drama of finding another provider....and it was all on their terms,not ours.Like compulsory 3rd party it will be a feeding trough for insurance companies.

[Robert Taylor]

Have the Government announced an election date? No. So why should the opposition announce any policies?

I can well understand why they are hesitant to announce such policies as its a given that Frankensteins sister and her little puppy dog are going to get very very nasty. Especially as a severe electoral drubbing looks more and more likely.
Contrary to popular misconception this Government is most definitely not for the working man.

[alanzs]

My son broke his arm snowboarding in the US and it cost $60,000 US. He was in hospital overnight.
ACC may not be the best way to go, as it is a bureaucracy and all that it entails, but the options can be extremely brutal to the average person. Dealing with an insurance company, which is PURELY PROFIT DRIVEN makes ACC look like a cakewalk, trust me...

[Ocean1]

I've got an issue with the juxtaposition of the words "accident" and "compensation". Always did have.

It attempts to divorce the cause of harm from the associated costs, removing almost all of the link between behaviour and consequence.

If you are aware of the financial and social costs of the effect of continually reinforced poor behavioural choices then you can’t help but understand that the current cultural focus on “blameless insurance” is patently unsustainable.

But then, so much of our social policy is…

[RiderInBlack]

I've got an issue with the juxtaposition of the words "accident" and "compensation". Always did have.

It attempts to divorce the cause of harm from the associated costs, removing almost all of the link between behaviour and consequence.

If you are aware of the financial and social costs of the effect of continually reinforced poor behavioural choices then you can’t help but understand that the current cultural focus on “blameless insurance” is patently unsustainable.

But then, so much of our social policy is…

Jee I always wondered why the Americans where so responsible Where's that Tui

[trustme]

Wow, thats deep Ocean

[Mike748]

I don't understand why we must sell assets/privatise sectors etc to make them effective and efficient.
Why can't the goverment get the right people in to shake things up, that way savings or profits can benefit us and not going offshore.
A private organisation won't step in to save us money, they will generally look to increase profits by reducing costs.

[Mully]

Wow, thats deep Ocean

Deep!! Ocean!! Geddit??? Priceless.

I don't understand why we must sell assets/privatise sectors etc to make them effective and efficient.
Why can't the goverment get the right people in to shake things up, that way savings or profits can benefit us and not going offshore.
A private organisation won't step in to save us money, they will generally look to increase profits by reducing costs.

You'll find a lot of large (multi-national) companies are like this too. Long-term employees who no-one would dare to question decide what they will and wont do. Government agencies are all about spending their budgets so they get more next time, so they are overstaffed. Senior management of these Depts are more interested in covering their arses and feathering their own nests.