Dear Accident Compensation Corporation,

According to the ACC and MBIE Briefing Paper: update on the response to the
Miriam Dean Review and next phase of work to improve disputes performance (12 December 2018):

10(b) Finish implementing the remaining Miriam Dean work - procuring a Navigation Service that will advocate on behalf of ACC claimants.
23. ACC is funding a free independent service which advocates, supports and prepares claimants to dispute or review an ACC decision. The navigation service will be capable of advocating for claimant’s interests, assisting them to raise complaints or disputes where appropriate, and support them to prepare effectively for a review hearing if required. “Navigation” also captures all the functions which the services may provide in the absence of a dispute, such as assisting claimants to access entitlements and engage confidently with ACC in the future.
44. ACC is finalising the model for the Navigation Service, which will be complementary to independent review provider services. A competitive tender process is planned to commence by the end of 2018. We expect the Navigation Service to be up and running in 2018/19 and see about 4,000 claimants per year, approximately four times the current number of claimants accessing ACC-funded advocacy services. The service will have a focus on accessibility to people of diverse cultural backgrounds, particularly Māori claimants, as well as people with different abilities and needs. The tender process will be aligned with the tender process for independent dispute resolution services.

Access to representation (p 15)
 ACC is funding a free independent navigation service to support claimants to dispute or review a decision. The service will be capable of advocating for claimants’ interests; assisting them to raise complaints or disputes where appropriate, and supporting them to prepare effectively for a review
hearing if required.

Please note, the contract ACC provided to me in OIA response GOV-027543, which was the contract between ACC's and Te Ahi Kaahe (a navigation service, according to ACC's website) states on p 8:
"The Provider will not take on the role of advocate for, or provide legal representation to, the ACC Kiritaki."

This would imply that none of the ACC funded Navigation Services provide "advocacy" as envisioned and as stated in ACC's report to MBIE. Thus, who provides ACC funded advocate services?

Please provide me with the complete list of free independent services which provides services that is capable of "advocating for claimant’s interests, assisting them to raise complaints or disputes where appropriate, and support them to prepare effectively for a review hearing if required."

Please provide me with copies of the contracts between ACC and the service organizations who provide free advocate services funded by ACC.

Please provide all information, rules, regulations, policies, internal memos, rules, and government responses regarding the "free advocate services" that ACC funds, and the function of the ACC funded advocates.

Yours faithfully,

AS Van Wey