Beneficiary takes on ACC and wins - her reward, a Christmas dinner
TOMMY LIVINGSTON
Last updated 16:44, December 23 2016
CHRISTEL YARDLEY/FAIRFAX NZ
Labour MP Sue Moroney accused ACC of using bullying tactics against Jacqui Scott.
For the past several years, beneficiary Jacquie Scott has been provided with a Christmas dinner from Meals on Wheels, funded by ACC.
But earlier this month the 64-year-old, who has trouble standing unaided, and cannot cook for herself, was told her annual Christmas roast, with pudding and cake, would be replaced by a standard meal.
ACC would not give her an explanation for its decision, and backed down only when asked questions by Stuff on Thursday.
Jacqui Scott hoped she would get her usual Christmas dinner this year - ACC said no, you'll have standard fare.
When approached for comment, the corporation repeatedly declined to say why it had denied Scott her meal.
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"We are pleased that we've been able to arrange the additional festive items for Jacqui's Christmas meal," a spokeswoman said.
ACC claimant advocate Mike Dixon-McIvor, who was helping Scott in her battle, said: "There is no good reason to justify that behaviour.
FAIRFAX NZ
ACC claimant advocate Mike Dixon-McIver said there would have been an uproar if Corrections were to have made a similar decision to deny a Christmas meal to prisoners.
"It would create a riot in the prisons if Corrections did that on Christmas,"
Labour MP Sue Moroney said it sounded as if the corporation was using bullying tactics.
"That is placing vulnerable people in a more vulnerable situation," she said.
"ACC, out of all government departments, should be treating people with dignity and respect.
"The people who are there have suffered a trauma, and are there out of no fault of their own."
Scott, who is on ACC as a result of a rape in her home at Christmas 2004, said the news she would get her dinner was a relief.
"It is good, it is brilliant. But I should not have had to do that."
"And why, all of a sudden, have they changed their mind? Where are the answers?"
Scott, of Hawke's Bay, is reliant on ACC due to the complications caused from surgical mesh inserted into her after the rape.
Being denied her Christmas dinner was "the last straw", she said.
"It put me under a lot of stress, but it is more the principle. I feel like I am being bullied, that is the honest truth."
She said having the dinner withheld was hard.
"I want to feel normal, like everybody else. Christmas is hard for me to handle, at the best of times.
"Sometimes I just like to shut myself away. It would be nice if I could sit down and have some kind of a Christmas."
Dixon-McIvor, who launched a hunger strike against ACC in 2013, said he was brought to tears by her treatment.
He believed ACC owed her an explanation for its initial decision to withhold the meal.
- Stuff
http://www.stuff.co....hristmas-dinner
