Mike's Minute: ACC and their race-based policy

It is being reported as a scrap, which I'm not sure is accurate.

But if it is, it is a shame and probably a lesson for the combatants, who are both supposed to be on the same side.

But under MMP, is anyone on the same side?

Act are concerned about ACC and their current desire to solve safety issues in the manufacturing sector.

But by putting a race-based lens across it, ACC want people who have answers, or programmes, for injuries to Māori and Pasifika.

This of course is not what the Government is supposed to be about and a Cabinet edict says so.

The shame of this is both sides, in fact all three sides, are at one on the issue.

They campaigned on the issue and they campaigned on it because the last Government got so obsessed with Māori issues and language and acquiescing to everything cultural that a large swath of voters got thoroughly sick and tired of it.

So why we are here after a year-and-a-half and a Cabinet instruction is beyond me.

The fact ACC, or any Government department, are still trying this on is the real problem.

It goes to a theme we have highlighted too often this term and that is that a public service don’t appear to be neutral, or operating under the instruction of the Government of the day, but rather to their own beat.

There is no good news in two parties seemingly debating a formally agreed approach with each other and there is no good news in a department continuing to do something they shouldn’t.

We have enough to deal with at the moment without previously agreed approaches being re-litigated or disavowed.

Obviously work safety is not a race-based problem. It is an industry or sector problem and ACC should know this. Even if they didn’t, they should be following instruction.

Act are on the right side of this.

But they shouldn’t have to be given the point of Government is enactment of policy, not endless re-litigation.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
It is being reported as a scrap, which I'm not
sure is accurate, but if it is, it is a
shame and probably a lesson for the combatants who are
both supposed to be on the same side. But under
the MMP, I ask you this simple question, is anyone
really on the same side? See what's happening here is
ACT are concerned about acc and their current desire to
solve safety issues in the manufacturing sector. But by putting

(00:20):
a race based lens across it, here we go again.
ACC want people who have got some answers or run
some programs for injuries to MARII and PACIFICA. This of course,
is not what the government is supposed to be about,
and a cabinet edict says so the shame of this
is both sides, In fact, all three sides. I thought
we're on the same page on the same issue. They

(00:41):
campaigned on the issue. They campaigned on it because the
last government got so obsessed with mari issues and language
and acquiescing to everything cultural. A large sway of the
vote has got thoroughly seckin tired of it all. So
why are we here after a year and a half.
And while we're here in a cabinet instruction. Why are
we here? It's beyond me the fact ACC or any
government department is still trying this on. I would have thoughts.
The real problem and goes to a theme that we've

(01:02):
highlighted too often this term and on this program, and
that is a public service who don't appear to be
neutral or operating under the instruction of the government of
the day, but rather to their own beat. There is
no good news in two parties seemingly debating a formally
agreed approach with each other, and there is no good
news in a department continuing to do something they shouldn't
be doing. We have enough to deal with at the moment,
don't you think without previously agreed approaches being re litigated

(01:25):
or disavowed. Obviously, work safety is not a race based problem.
It's an industry problem or a sector problem. ACC should
know this, and even if they didn't, they should be
following instruction, act or on the right side of this.
But they shouldn't have to be, given the point of
government is enactment of policy, not endless relitigation. For more

(01:46):
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