22 Mar 2016

Law society rejects plan for ACC Tribunal

10:38 am on 22 March 2016

ACC appeals should still be heard in court and not at a new Tribunal, says the Law Society.

The government is investigating whether to set up an Accident Compensation Appeal Tribunal to replace the District Court for situations when ACC disputes cannot be resolved by a review hearing.

It says a tribunal would reduce the time it takes to deal with appeals while maintaining a fair process.

But the Law Society's ACC committees convenor, Don Rennie, told Nine to Noon a Tribunal would not have enough independence.

"We must maintain the right to go to court to have our decisions made. Once a judge is appointed, the judge had the independence from the executive and from government and makes a decision based entirely on the law."