By DANIEL JACKSON
A failure to show its services were "culturally appropriate" may have cost the Northland Emergency Services Trust its contract with ACC to carry accident victims.
The community-owned trust's Sikorsky helicopter has flown more than 4000 people in the nearly 12 years it has been operating.
But its application to have its two-yearly contract renewed with the Accident Rehabilitation Compensation and Insurance Corporation was turned down last week.
The trust has taken an injunction out against ACC, and a hearing is scheduled for the High Court at Auckland next Thursday.
In a speech to Parliament last night, New Zealand First MP Brian Donnelly said the decision was based on half-baked political correctness.
He later released a copy of a letter sent to trust chairman John Bain by ACC Healthwise general manager David Rankin, explaining the reasons for turning down the tender.
Dr Rankin said the trust had not provided evidence of a good working relationship with treatment providers, emergency service providers or quality assurance processes, or protection of claimants' rights.
"Furthermore, the information on how the provider was going to provide culturally appropriate services was lacking."
Dr Rankin said there was no detail on how the trust would meet reporting requirements or lodge claims.
"Generally, the proposal did not demonstrate that processes and policies are in place that would suggest that the provider should be selected for a contract."
Mr Bain told the Herald he could not believe the reasoning behind the decision. The service carried anyone, regardless of race, creed or politics.
The trust had Maori representation on its board and the helicopter had been twice blessed by Maori.
He said the trust had received no calls from ACC and, as far as he knew, no one had investigated the trust's services beyond the paperwork of the tender.
"No one has ever rung; no one has ever asked a question of us."
Mr Bain held out little hope that the trust would keep the contract.
"The way they have dug in to save face, I would suggest it would be a big change for ACC to swallow a bitter pill and admit they made a mistake."
He said the helicopter was owned by the 135,000 people who lived in Northland and he feared for other community initiatives.
"All of a sudden, anything that is done in the community can be wiped out by the swipe of a pen by some ill-advised people."
The Herald could not contact Dr Rankin last night.
'Inappropriate' rescuer ditched
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.