Public meeting in Whangarei on changes at ACC

A meeting to inform the public about recent changes to how ACC claims will now be dealt with has been organised in Kamo this Saturday. PHOTO/FILE

Recent changes about how Accident Compensation Corporation claims are being dealt with and ways to improve them will be discussed during a public meeting in Kamo tomorrow.

ACC advocate in Whangarei Jeannette Brock is organising the meet to update the public about the changes, what is and is not working well, and to receive public feedback on how the government entity can improve its performance.

She said there has been a change recently in ownership of ACC's in-house disputes resolution services for claimants known as FairWay Resolution.

A trust now owns shares in FairWay Resolution and the beneficiaries are its employees.

Ms Brock said hopefully the change in ownership from a Crown entity to an independent body would mean ACC claims would be thoroughly and quickly investigated.

"People are really pissed off with how ACC is investigating their claim. I've had 85 cases so far this year alone that are going to review hearings.

"We want people to not just sit and listen at the public meeting but to come up with ideas about how we are going to change the attitude of ACC in terms of looking into injury claims.

"The common theme coming across is that ACC's decisions are not independent and they are taking too long to make them," she said.

She invited ACC Whangarei branch manager Arran Clement to attend the public meeting but he said both him and his acting manager were unavailable that day.

Tai Tokerau MP Kelvin Davis and a representative of Northland MP Winston Peters will be present.

The meeting starts at 10am at the Kamo Club and is expected to last about one hour.