12 July 2024
Joe
[FYI request #27520 email]
Kia ora
Your Official Information Act request, reference: GOV-033563
Thank you for your email of 6 July 2024, asking for the following information under the Official Information
Act 1982 (the Act):
[…]
This is a request under section 2(5) and 12 of the OIA for information about ACC’s funded
Navigation Service Providers and Advocates.
Request 1: Please provide the name of all ACC funded advocates and navigation service providers,
who were contracted to ACC from 2018 to present.
Request 2: For each of the named ACC funded advocates and navigation services providers, please
provide:
(a) the dates in which they were contracted to ACC; and
(b) a copy of their contract with ACC which includes, service agreements, and the fee and
payment structure; and
(c) the number of reviews in which the ACC funded service provider represented a claimant in a
review as the claimant’s advocate; and
(d) the number of District Court appeals in which the ACC funded service provider represented a
claimant in a District Court appeal as the claimant’s advocate; and
(e) the number of High Court appeals in which the ACC funded service provider represented a
claimant in a High Court appeal as the claimant’s advocate; and
(e) the number of appeals to the Court of Appeals in which the ACC funded service provider
represented a claimant in a High Court appeal as the claimant’s advocate.
Request 3: In the event that the answers to Request 2(b)-2(e) are non-zero, I request:
(a) the number of reviews found in favour of the claimant when the ACC funded service provider
acted as the claimant’s advocate; and
(b) the number of District Court appeals found in favour of the claimant when the ACC funded
service provider acted as the claimant’s advocate; and
(c) the number of High Court appeals found in favour of the claimant when the ACC funded
service provider acted as the claimant’s advocate; and
(d) the number of decisions by the Court of Appeal that were found in favour of the claimant
when the ACC funded service provider acted as the claimant’s advocate
If ACC does not hold the requested information in a readily accessible manner, please obtain the
information directly from your service providers (ACC funded Advocates, ACC funded Navigation
Service Providers, FairWay, and/or the ICRA). Please refer to sections 2(5), 12 and 14 of the OIA.
1. ACC is required to make a decision about whether to grant or refuse your request as soon as
reasonably practicable and within 20 working days of receiving the request.
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2. ACC considers that there are features of this request that are similar to features of a significant number
of other requests made to ACC recently.
3. Unfortunately, these similarities mean that ACC has to enquire if your request is one of multiple
requests to ACC made by one requester, on their behalf, or by a related group of people acting for a
common purpose. These requests have not all been made under the same name and some have been
made anonymously.
4. These information requests require considerable expense and effort for ACC to respond to and will
likely require even more expense and effort to produce the information sought. ACC has been
considering how best to respond to each of them, including whether any of the requests may be
combined under s18A(2) of the Official Information Act 1982 or whether any should be declined.
5. In order for ACC to make a decision on this request, ACC requests that you advise:
a. whether your request is or is not one of several related requests,
b. if so, which are the related requests,
c. your full name and confirmation of your identity, and
d. the reasons for all of the requests.
6. We ask that this information be provided as soon as possible to enable us to make a decision on your
requests. This may include ACC extending the timeframe for responding, charging for the request, or
refusing to grant the request because:
a. ACC has already provided this information in an earlier request; and/or
b. the information requested cannot be made available without substantial collation or research;
and/or
c. the request is frivolous or vexatious or the information requested is trivial; and/or
d. the request may relate to matters including proceedings under Part 5 of the Accident
Compensation Act 2001.
7. If you would prefer, this information can be provided confidentially to ACC at the following address:
Christopher Johnston, Manager OIA Services, ACC, PO Box 242, Wellington 6140. Any personal
information/documentation provided to establish your identity will be used solely for that purpose and
destroyed after. Please reference this request when doing s9, GOV-033563.
8. We look forward to receiving the information requested at paragraph 5 You do not have to answer all
of ACC's questions if you prefer not to. But whether and how you answer ACC’s questions are relevant
to how ACC should respond to your official information request, including whether your request should
be declined.
If you have any questions about this letter, please get in touch
You can email me
at [email address].
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If you are not happy with this letter, you can also contact the Ombudsman via
[email address] or by phoning 0800 802 602. Information about how to make a complaint
is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz. Ngā mihi
Christopher Johnston
Manager Official Information Act Services
Government Engagement
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