ACC Minister must help sexual violence survivors

The Green Party is calling on ACC Minister Nikki Kaye to remove the obligation for sexual violence survivors to be diagnosed with a mental illness before being allowed additional ACC-funded counselling.

Green Party MP Jan Logie and survivor advocate Louise Nicholas today launched a new campaign and petition to demand that survivors don’t need a mental illness diagnosis in order to have their sensitive claims proceed.

“Being the victim of sexual violence is not a mental illness,” Ms Logie said.

“Being subjected to sexual violence is trauma enough. Being a victim of sexual violence on its own should qualify survivors for the help they need.

“It’s great to hear the Minister Nikki Kaye say she’s open to a better way of helping the survivors of sexual violence. Removing the obligation for them to be diagnosed with a mental illness is an appropriate start.”

The petition is available here: http://action.greens.org.nz/remove_the_barriers

Under current ACC practice, in order for survivors of sexual violence to have their ACC sensitive claim approved, they must be diagnosed with a psychiatric condition. Up to 16 hours of one-on-one therapy is initially available when someone lodges a sensitive claim with ACC, however accessing help after that requires a diagnosis.

“In many cases this labelling of sexual violence survivors can be re-traumatising and stigmatising, and is a significant deterrent for those who need treatment.

“ACC needs to change its processes so that people are able to access the help that they need,” Ms Logie said.

More information is available here http://www.parliament.nz/en-nz/pb/business/qwa/QWA_03866_2016/3866-2016-...

Action

Gender-Affirming Care is a Human Right

Submit on the Ministry of Health's consultation on Gender-Affirming care.

Action

Hauraki open letter

Sign our open letter to protect the Hauraki Gulf Marine Reserves

Action

Ditch the Bootcamps - Make a submission

Make a submission on the Oranga Tamariki (Responding to Serious Youth Offending) Amendment Bill. Help us call for an end to the Bootcamps.

Action

Treaty Principles Submission Guide

Make a unique submission on the Treaty Principles Bill.

Action

How to get involved - Treaty Principles

Information on how to make a submission, volunteer or run your own event.

Action

Submit for Climate Action

Submit today to ask the Government to commit to strong Climate Change targets.

Action

Build Dunedin Hospital

Take our poll on how the Government should spend its money, and email Christopher Luxon telling him your thoughts.

Action

Oil & Gas Quick Submissions 2024

Sign the quick submission to save the oil & gas ban!

Action

Stop Fast-track Destruction

Join our call to stop the Fast-track Approvals Bill.

Action

Protect te reo Māori

Sign our petition asking Minister Erica Stanford to keep prioritising the teaching of te reo Māori.

Action

Cut the Coal Petition | Join the movement

Fight back: Tell the government that coal mining is not our future.

Action

Protect Our Freshwater

Join our Green MPs in calling for the government to protect freshwater. Proposed changes to the Resource Management Act threaten New Zealand's...

Volunteer

The Greens are proud to be driven by passionate people like you. Today we need your help to take action on the biggest issues facing Aotearoa. Volu...

Action

Expand Voting

Now more than ever, young people in Aotearoa are impacted by Government decisions, and they deserve to have a say. We are calling on all Members of...

Action

End Intensive Winter Grazing

Sign the petition to Labour Ministers, to move faster in bringing regulations into force and end intensive winter grazing.

Action

Local Events

We have activists across Aotearoa / New Zealand who are working hard to build a brighter future for our kids and grandkids. This page lists upcomin...

Latest Health Announcements

Story

Covid Inquiry report underlines need to invest in Health

The Green Party says the report from the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Covid-19 Response underlines the need for proper investment in our he...

End of free RAT tests means more exposure to virus

The end of free Rapid Antigen Tests today is another sign the Government is giving up on the challenge of protecting the community from Covid-19.

Greens stand in solidarity with Buller community

The Green Party stands in solidarity with the Buller community in its silent protest for better healthcare.

A step forward on cancer drug funding but more to do

The Green Party welcomes the announcement of more funding for cancer treatments and medicines, however, calls for more to be done to address the se...

Scrapping Māori Health Authority tramples over Te Tiriti o Waitangi

The Green Party condemns the Government’s latest trashing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in rushing through legislation, without any public input, that wi...

Cruel move to put tobacco profit over people’s health

Sacrificing the health of our rangatahi to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy few is a deeply cynical move and shows this Government is more influenc...

Story

Govt’s sanctions regime fails us all

The Government’s newly released data paints a damning picture: the sanctions regime targeting beneficiaries is an abject failure.

Sanctions regime to create more hardship for families

Yesterday the Government passed cruel legislation through first reading to establish a new beneficiary sanction regime that will ultimately mean mo...

Govt continues to punch down

The Government’s new initiative to get people off the benefit won’t address the core drivers of poverty such as low incomes, lack of access to adeq...

Louise Upston cherry-picks data to punch down on the poor

The Government has very conveniently cherry-picked data from the latest MSD projections to justify its cruel agenda and punch-down policy when it c...

Soaring benefit sanctions push more into poverty

Sanctions on beneficiaries have sky-rocketed since the Coalition Government came to power, pushing more families into poverty.

Govt more interested in punishing beneficiaries than ending poverty

The expansion of compulsory money management and introduction of mandatory community service for beneficiaries reheats failed policies that have no...