Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Labour calls for ACC inquiry

Updated at 9:45 am on 26 June 2012

The Labour Party is calling for an inquiry into how ACC handles long-term claimants after the corporation revealed it had cut the number of people receiving long-term compensation by more than 3500 since 2009.

Labour's ACC spokesperson Andrew Little says that's evidence the organisation is forcing out claimants, but the corporation says it is simply a reward for rehabilitating people early in the claims process.

In the 2008-2009 year, 14,417 people had been receiving weekly compensation for more than a year.

By the end of May this year, the number had dropped to 10,773.

Mr Little says a drop of that magnitude has not come about simply because of better rehabilitation.

Prime Minister John Key says long-term claimants do represent a big cost to ACC but he expects people to be treated fairly.

Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand