Scott Simpson: ACC Minister on the ACC pausing a $45 million sexual abuse-based initiative

The ACC Minister denies his comments last week played into the agency now pausing its sexual violence prevention programme. 

Scott Simpson suggested he was looking at narrowing the scope of ACC responsibilities to sexual abuse victims.

ACC has confirmed it's paused the nationwide rollout of Hikitia - as it aligns itself with Government plans.

Simpson now says there's no connection, and he has no intention to shed ACC's responsibilities. 

"All they've done is just pause this programme while they have a look at it, evaluate it and make sure that they're getting the best results for the victims of sexual violence."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
ACC has pressed pause on a forty five million dollar
sexual violence prevention campaign, which has only been running since September. Now,
this is only days after the ACC Minister suggested that
ACC might shed its responsibility for claims from sexual abuse
victims and the ACC Minister of Scott Simpson Hay Scott, Hello, heavar.
Are they are these two things connected? Are they pausing
this campaign because you may actually shed the responsibility for

(00:22):
the claims?

Speaker 2 (00:23):
No, not connected at all, and there's no intention to
shared responsibility. But ACC's an independent Crown entity, as I
think we all know. All they've done is just pause
this program while they have a look at it, evaluate
it and make sure that they're getting the best results
for the victims of sexual violence. That's probably a good

(00:43):
thing for them to do, to make sure that the
program's working.

Speaker 1 (00:46):
Did you not say last week though on Friday, that
the government could make changes that would mean ACC would
not need to pay those claims.

Speaker 2 (00:54):
No, different matter completely. This is a program that ACC has,
as in its own dependent way, decided to pause and
have a look at to see whether it is being
effective or not.

Speaker 1 (01:05):
No, I know you said ACC is not shedding responsibility.
Did you not say on Friday that it may in
fact shed responsibility.

Speaker 2 (01:12):
No, I did not. What I said was that there
have been a number of court cases that extend the
range of expectations that ACC is meant to provide. So ACC,
I just want to assure you and listeners heither that
ACC will always be available to support victims of sexual
violence and there's no consideration of any proposals otherwise.

Speaker 1 (01:36):
All right, Scott, thank you very much, Scotsimpson, ACC Minister,
I just I'm just going to read this to UK.
On Friday, Scott Simpson told the Post that it was
a live and current question as to whether the government
might make changes that meant claims that arose from the
Court of Appeal ruling, which is about sexual abuse weren't
funded through ACC. Quote. What I'm saying is perhaps we

(01:57):
need to have a conversation as a nation about what
is the best vehicle to provide that care, support and
assistance and whether it's ACC that to end quote. That
to me sounds like he has raised the possibility and
suggested that ACC might in fact shed it. Just the
opposite of what he just told us.

Speaker 2 (02:14):
I'm all right for more from Heather Duplessy Allen Drive.
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