02-Jun-2011 11:20
By Andrew Dickens
So 3 years must have passed.
Because every 3 years the airwaves burst out in debate about the Accident Compensation Corporation being opened up to private business.
Nick Smith and National are having another crack.
Poor old Owen Woodhouse. In 1967 after years of deep thinking he recommended a no fault scheme for injuries. By 1974 it was in place. The rest of the world, lost in a mire of litigation and fault, were instantly jealous.
Now old, Owen must sigh at the Johnny-come-latelys who after a moments contemplation think they can re-invent a world leader.
They are what I like to call the Right-Lite.
The most politically correct people in the world; they follow mantras and don’t consider the detail. They have simple slogans that demean their opponents.
Nanny state. PC gone mad. State owned is bad. 4 legs good, 2 legs bad. Orwell had it wrong. Right-Lite think they are in charge of the Animal Farm.
ACC is not perfect. But a country that hasn’t experienced the nightmare of litigation from private accident insurance in nearly 40 years should not abandon a scheme that has enabled New Zealanders to be New Zealanders.
ACC has allowed us to kayak and bungee jump and ski and zorb without calling a lawyer first to make sure he/she is on call.
So really, the only beneficiary of this are insurance companies and I think they donate more to National than any other party. And compare Western Pacific to the EQC. And consider the money that already flows out to the Australian banks and then consider who will own the insurance companies that will benefit from this change.
Respect Owen Woodhouse in his final years. He did good.
And fear Right-Lite. Because in a country like ours. So isolated and yet open to the buffets of international finance the mantra has to be pragmatism. And sometimes state owned can be the best option.
Andrew Dickens is Executive Producer for Marcus Lush Live