ACC must not be left to fix the problems identified in a crucial report concerning the disputes resolution process without independent oversight, claimants' advocacy group Acclaim Otago says.
Acting ACC Minister Nathan Guy announced yesterday the 20 recommendations in the report of Miriam Dean, QC, would be addressed.
The Government has proposed increasing the amounts claimants can receive for legal expenses by 14.9%.
Ms Dean's report was commissioned last year in response to an Acclaim Otago report ''Understanding the Problem''.
The advocacy group praised ACC Minister Nikki Kaye for commissioning Ms Dean's report, saying it demonstrated courage.
''The question now is, who is going to do what to fix the problems?
''Cabinet has left much of that up to ACC, who has its own incentives in this process, and historically low levels of public trust and confidence,'' Acclaim Otago said in a statement.
Lead researcher of Acclaim Otago's report, Warren Forster, of Dunedin, said ACC would be ''wearing too many different hats''.
Mr Forster said the legal costs review, while welcome, was only one of 20 action points.
ACC was unlikely to voluntarily adopt greater oversight of its medical expert system, which is one of the biggest problems.
''There need to be institutional arrangements to prevent, resolve and learn from these huge systemic problems that keep arising.''
ACC needed to disclose how much it spent on legal and medical costs, as at present this was not known, Mr Forster said.
''We need ACC to be able to account for public funds and we need to know how much ACC is paying its internal and external representatives for similar services.
''Without that information, we can't have a proper discussion about what a level playing field looks like.''
Dr Denise Powell, the Acclaim report's co-author, said Ms Dean's report identified ''serious underlying issues''.
''We have to remember that to get to this point has required Acclaim to take access to justice issues to the United Nations and undertake a large-scale research project. Up until this independent report, our claims had fallen on deaf ears at ACC,'' Dr Powell said.
In a press release, Mr Guy said Ms Dean had interviewed Acclaim Otago, lawyers and advocates, medical organisations, specialists, disabled people's organisations, ACC and others.
''Ms Dean's report finds that many of the issues raised by Acclaim are valid, and it recommends a number of possible improvements,'' he said.
''One recommendation is to increase the review costs paid to people challenging ACC decisions, to ensure they receive a meaningful contribution towards these costs.''
Review costs for claimants' expenses have not been adjusted for inflation since 2008.
Yesterday, the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment released a discussion paper for consultation seeking feedback on increasing review costs by 14.9%.
