ACC deja vous

Written By: - Date published: 3:38 pm, October 22nd, 2009 - 12 comments
Categories: uncategorized - Tags:

Here we go again.   July 1st 1999 and Prime Minister Jenny Shipley opens ACC  to competition. I’d forgotten it was one of the last things they did, the effects on workers and the whole bullying culture of ACC seemed to go on and on…

Modern day National, having just announced its opening ACC to competition again, seems to have learned a thing or two from Labour in the intervening years.  They’re setting up a steering group chaired by former Labour Minister David Caygill.

The Steering Group is chaired by former Labour Cabinet Minister and former ACC Board chairman David Caygill and contains independent advisors Dr Neil Quigley and Gordon Smith. It also comprises current ACC Board chairman John Judge, and senior officials from Treasury, Department of Labour, and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Shades of Jim Bolger’s appoointment as Chair of Kiwi Bank without the wow factor.  It also looks like John’s inclusive approach doesn’t extend to having anyone on this board representing workers.

12 comments on “ACC deja vous ”

  1. BLiP 1

    Another National Ltd® election promise bites the dust – sit back and watch as the fuckers spin this as “competition” and not privatisation.

  2. John Dalley 2

    I wait expectantly to Labours warning that they will unwind private ACC as soon as they are back in government.

  3. SHG 3

    “vu”.

  4. Scott 4

    Caygill was one of the rogernomes back in the 84-90 Labour government.

    A logical choice given what the government intends to do to ACC.

  5. gitmo 5

    Arghhhhhhh your french grammar is a disgrace………. but you’ve astutely captured the most interesting part of the process with the appointment of previous Labour ministers into the mix.

  6. kaplan 6

    Perhaps it’s a play on a question from NACT Ltd. to the insurance industry:
    “Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?”
    Excuse my French…

  7. Tom Semmens 7

    A Quigley, a Caygill a Judge and assorted Treasury officials. Same names, same snake oil, same outcomes.

  8. Jim McDonald 8

    It’s more than deja vu, mate.

    “Former Prime Minister Dame Jenny Shipley” has just being appointed to chair Genesis: http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/2982393/Jenny-Shipley-Joan-Withers-to-chair-SOEs

    Former policies and political figures/senior public officials are being brought out, dusted and rolled out by this fresh Govt … to help resurrect old ideologies??

    It is like the return of etc etc (prolly too polite to type here). Anyway, I hope we are not seeing signs of cronyism appearing.

    • gitmo 8.1

      “Anyway, I hope we are not seeing signs of cronyism appearing.”

      When have we ever seen signs of cronyism disappearing – I’m getting on and it’s been rampant in NZ for decades.

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