Posts by Hilary Stace
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Thanks for writing this Shel. I'm a bit late catching up, but I am listening.
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Happy Birthday, Russell, and thank you for all the good you have done for so many people.
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Abundance of caution
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Fabians video channel - ACC Futures discussion is on it.
I am very pleased that Steve Maharey is the new Chair of ACC. There might be some progress now.
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Access: The case for a Royal Commission…, in reply to Sacha,
I think they are re-doing their webpage and will be able to post it there then. But do you have to sign up to Facebook just to view some material? Last week some of us spoke at the Wellington Fabians. That video should be on their website soon.
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I am not sure about a Royal Commission any more. They can be long and convoluted and this government has said no more of them. But I would still like an inquiry in to accident compensation and income support, even by a Parliamentary Select Committee. I will be watching the latest social insurance employment initiative carefully. We could be setting up another two-tiered approach to support, rather than something simple and universal.
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Access: The case for a Royal Commission…, in reply to Marky Ramone,
Depends what for. Some things easier, some things require a bit of persuasion and maybe legal intervention.
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Hi Rosemary. You are right. ACC Futures was started mainly by lawyers and unionists who want ACC to work better. Addressing the ACC/MoH disparity is not a major focus of the 2018 manifesto, as other issues are considered more urgent. But it is part of the agenda, and is important to me.
It is a voluntary organisation with many people who bring a variety of perspectives and ideas about how to have a better, more equitable system. Everyone is welcome to join the lively google group. (By the way there was an unwaged $45 fee for the seminar yesterday.) Many people had worked very hard to make a successful forum and it was a worthwhile day. Much of it was livestreamed on the ACC Futures Facebook page and that video is probably still available if you want to see the range of topics that were discussed.
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Thanks Spikey. I think some of the day will be livestreamed on the ACC Futures Facebook page. It is also easy to join ACC Futures Coalition which is a online google group.
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Access: The case for a Royal Commission…, in reply to Sacha,
Very important to future proof the principles and any future improvements. I'm sure there are people who have thoughts on how to do that. In the late 1990s the National Government partially privatised it which was quickly reversed by the incoming Labour government, but National policy in the 2008 election was to reprivatise. I think that was one of the motivations for unions and advocates starting ACC Futures. Privatisation was avoided through strong campaigning, although Nick Smith as Minister did some pretty drastic cuts to eligibility most of which still haven't been reversed.
I think this current government is looking at how to make 'foundational' changes in policy in many areas which are not readily overturnable by a different government. Part of it is to have improvements which are so enduringly popular that there is political risk in changing them.