Allison and the Herald have for a year-and-a-half pursued the issue of weekly compensation, which the Government has admitted could affect about 1000 to 2000 people.
Previous ACC minister and now deputy PM Carmel Sepuloni pledged to look into the issue in 2021.
But there has been no progress on it and Peeni Henare now has the ministerial portfolio.
“My focus for this term continues to be improving the scheme by helping the Government and ACC to understand and act on barriers driving disparities in access and modernising the scheme,” Henare said.
“Changing eligibility for weekly compensation from the date of someone’s injury to the date of their incapacity would be a significant change for the Accident Compensation Scheme,” he added.
“I know that there are a range of views on the scheme, including on weekly compensation, which will be considered in our future work on ACC.”
Allison said he was disappointed no progress would be made until at least the next election.
He said for years, he never asked for help.
“Most of that time I contributed to ACC. Then finally when I needed ACC they failed me due to a meagre 72-hour window.”
He said the case affecting him had already been in front of the NZ judicial system and proven in a court of law. In July 2021, child abuse ring member Wayne Moonie was jailed.
Allison said he sometimes felt Government pledges to look into the compensation case “were all just a crock of shit”.
He added: “It’s almost more abuse, psychological abuse.”
He added: “What’s ironic is if I went out on the town, got blind drunk then drove and wrapped my car around a tree and ended up unable to work I would be covered without question for all injuries and 80 per cent of whatever I was earning.”
He said in contrast, the abuse he and others suffered as children had nothing to do with choices or poor decision-making on their part.
“I don’t understand how they come to their decisions,” Allison said of ACC.
“How can I honestly look another survivor in the eyes and encourage them to come forward and seek closure?”
Allison’s local MP, Simeon Brown of National, said the advice and data officials were using to assess the issue should be released.
“It’s incredibly frustrating for Roger. He’s been advocating for himself and others in similar situations for some time.”
Allison’s local MP, National's Simeon Brown, said the advice and data officials were using to assess the issue should be released. Photo / Mark Mitchell
“This is clearly an issue for people in situations like Roger where they fall through the cracks,” the Pakuranga MP added.
“The minister should at least want to work to realise the size of the problem...the number of individuals in similar situations to Roger and the potential costs that those may have on the ACC system.”
Henare told Brown, in a letter forwarded to the Herald, that the Government had previously considered the issue.
“I regret to inform you that, apart from the Amendment Bill currently before the Education and Workforce select Committee, I do not intend to progress any further reforms to the Accident Compensation Act 2001 this term.”
