The Green Party will ensure that Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) functions ethically and equitably, in a way that is aligned with the Woodhouse principles of community responsibility, comprehensive entitlements, complete rehabilitation, real compensation, and administrative efficiency. ACC will be expanded into income support and treatment for injuries, disability and illnesses, no matter their origin.
Vision
A holistic social security, health and disability system focuses on promoting good health, reducing the risk and impact of illness, disability and injury, and improving quality of life.
Values and Principles
Decisions relating to accident compensation must be consistent with the following values and principles:
- Honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi: Compensation and rehabilitation for Māori who are injured should ensure that whānau, hinengaro, tinana and wairua are upheld through those processes.
- Social Responsibility: Rehabilitation and compensation should be equitably applied for all people suffering impairment, regardless of whether that impairment has been caused by injury, illness or other disability.
- Appropriate Decision-Making: Assessments about health and quality of life should be based on expert advice, plus the lived experience of the individual and their whānau, which includes mātauranga Māori.
- Non-Violence: Health promotion, and prevention of illness and injury through violence, should be a priority for health investment.
- Ecological Wisdom: Living and working within healthy ecosystems is part of preventing illness, disability and injury.
Strategic Priorities
The Green Party’s strategic goals include:
“High quality healthcare (...) will be available to all.”
Actions in this policy that will help achieve this include:
- Initiate a Law Commission review of the Accident Compensation Act to bring the operational detail into line with the purpose, and the Woodhouse Principles of community responsibility, comprehensive entitlements, complete rehabilitation, real compensation, and administrative efficiency. (1.1)
- Ensure income support and rehabilitation support for disabled people and people with injuries are equitably provided based on need, through an extension of the ACC scheme into an Agency for Comprehensive Care that includes income support and treatment for injuries, disability and illnesses, no matter the origin. (2.1)
- Revoke requirements of co-payments to treatment providers. (2.6)
- Ensure earnings-related compensation is cut only when a claimant can realistically obtain and sustain suitable work. (2.9)
Connected Policies
The Accident Compensation policy sits within the overall framework of the Health Policy. It is also connected to Household Livelihoods and Disability Policies.
