ACC backtracks on Māori/Pasifika targets after Act and National stoush

Act's pressure on ACC minister Scott Simpson has led to a change to a tender. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Act is welcoming ACC’s backdown on Māori and Pasifika claim targets in a tender after the party complained it breached Cabinet’s expectations.

It follows a stoush between coalition partners Act and National over the tender that seeks a supplier to reduce work-related injuries in the manufacturing sector, which ACC minister and National MP Scott Simpson initially endorsed.

The tender in question included a target of 5461 claims being saved in 10 years and of those, at least 18% must be from Māori and 11% from Pasifika.

Two weeks ago, the Herald reported how Act was exerting public pressure on Simpson after he disagreed with Act’s position that the tender was “inconsistent” with a Cabinet Office circular, which dictates public service delivery should be based on need, not race.

Act MP Laura McClure publicly released a letter to Simpson, encouraging him to reconsider after Act’s efforts to change his mind privately weren’t successful.

ACC Minister Scott Simpson asked the agency to review the tender. Photo / Hagen Hopkins

Simpson then changed his position, later admitting his initial judgment was incorrect, and asked ACC to review the tender.

A new tender document was released today and featured notable changes.

The original tender sought a supplier that would deliver “outcomes-focused programme initiatives” to reduce injuries, focusing “particularly on Māori and Pacific communities”.

The revised tender no longer specified a focus on Māori and Pacific communities.

The claim reduction targets for Māori and Pasifika were also absent from the revised tender.

McClure said she was “grateful” Simpson had acted on her party’s concerns.

“Using race as a proxy for vulnerability is lazy and unscientific,” she said in a statement.

“ACC contractors should look at all factors that contribute to accidents, such as hours worked, job type, and experience level – and target services accordingly to minimise accidents across the board."

In a statement, Simpson said he was “pleased that ACC have listened” in updating the tender.

ACC deputy chief executive Andy Milne acknowledged Simpson’s request to review the tender and confirmed a new version had been issued with targets removed.

“We invite suppliers to propose programmes and initiatives focused on outcomes for the wider manufacturing sector, including all individuals and communities within it."

Adam Pearse is the Deputy Political Editor and part of the NZ Herald’s Press Gallery team based at Parliament in Wellington. He has worked for NZME since 2018, reporting for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei and the Herald in Auckland.