Dear Accident Compensation Corporation,

I am writing to respectfully request all Official Information and policy in relation to ACC's Acknowledgement message from the ACC Review Unit that is usually returned automatically to a claimants email address, upon their email lodgment submitting their application for review of a decision that they would like reviewed.

A copy of such an "Acknowledgement message from the ACC Review Unit" email received to my personal email address on Fri 13/11/2015, 9:17 p.m., in response to an application for review I lodged 2 minutes prior on Fri 13/11/2015, 9:15 p.m. (outside ACC's core business hours) is copied below;

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Acknowledgement message from the ACC Review Unit
ACC Review Applications <[email address]>
Fri 13/11/2015, 9:17 p.m.
You
Thank you for your email, this is to confirm that The ACC Review Administrator has received your email.

If your email is a review application please see below information:

Ø Your application will be loaded within 24hrs of when it was received (between Mon to Fri 8.30pm – 5pm)

Ø Please ensure that you have the correct ACC claim number/ACC45 number/full name/postal address recorded on your review application

Ø If you’re an advocate/solicitor/family member acting on behalf of the client, please ensure that you have authority to act to do so. An Authority to Act form (ACC5937) can be downloaded from the ACC website http://www.acc.co.nz/search-results/inde...

Ø A confirmation letter advising of your review application details will be sent to by post

AUTHORITY TO ACT – if you’re acting on behalf of the client, please ensure that you have authority to do so:

Ø The client can send in a signed letter to confirm you have authority to act on their behalf

Ø Client to sign an ACC5937 (Authority to Act)

Ø Client to sign your company authority to act form

REVIEW APPLICATIONS – can be sent to ACC Review Unit using the below information:

Ø Email: [email address]

Ø Post: ACC Review Administrator ACC Review Administrator
Level 11 Justice Centre PO Box 242
19 Aitken Street Wellington
Wellington

If you would like more information in regards to your application for review, please contact your case manager in the first instance or if you have any questions in regards to the lodgement of a review application please call 0800 101 996.

Kind Regards

Review Unit Administrator

Disclaimer:

"This message and any attachments may contain confidential and privileged information. If you believe you have received this email in error, please advise us immediately by return email or telephone and then delete this email together with all attachments. If you are not the intended recipient, you are not authorised to use or copy this message or any attachments or disclose the contents to any other person"

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In response to my OIA request to being supplied with all Official Information and policy in relation to ACC's Acknowledgement message from the ACC Review Unit that is usually returned automatically to a claimants email address upon their email lodgment submitting their application for review of a decision that they would like reviewed, I would expect the Corporations response to specifically address, albeit not be limited solely to providing me with the following official information;

1. Please provide official information, including ACC's policy, that confirms whether the Corporation is able to deactivate/switch off the automatic Acknowledgement message from the ACC Review Unit, that is automatically generated and returned to an ACC claimant's email address from which they have lodged an application for review of an ACC decision, from being sent to selected ACC claimants (such as clients the corporation has placed in the remote claims unit), and or claimants selectively chosen by ACC who have lodged applications for review.

2.In the event that ACC is able to deactivate the automatic Acknowledgement message from the ACC Review Unit, from being forwarded to a claimant who has lodged an application for review , please provide me with the selection criteria/policy that the Corporation must use to be able to remove a claimant from being able to be provided with an automatically generated email Acknowledgement message from the ACC Review Unit confirming receipt of a claimant's application for review of an ACC decision.

3. In the event that ACC is able to deactivate the automatic Acknowledgement message from the ACC Review Unit, from being forwarded to a claimant who has lodged an application for review , please provide me with the legal and human right's reasoning that permits ACC being able to use such a restriction and eq being able that the Corporation must use to be able to remove a claimant from be able to be provided with an automatically generated email Acknowledgement message from the ACC Review Unit confirming receipt of a claimant's application for review of an ACC decision.

4. If ACC are able to deactivate the Corporations' automatic review application acknowledgement email as noted above from being sent to a claimant, does the Corporation have an obligation to advise the claimant that they have taken such a step. (Please provide a copy of such a letter5

5. If ACC are able to deactivate the Corporations' automatic review application acknowledgement email as noted above from being sent to a claimant, is this step taken when a claimant has been placed on a communication plan... Please provide copies of ACC's policy on the use of communication plans, and how a claimant can seek review with the corporation on the validity and reasonableness of the Corporation placing them on a communication plan.

6. If ACC are able to deactivate the Corporations' automatic review application acknowledgement email as noted above from being sent to a claimant, is this step taken as part of ACC's risk mitigation strategy seeking to reduce ACC's liability with respect to ACC decisions that are under review and could fall in favor of the claimant, costing the corporation a significant amount?

under s16(2) of the Official Information Act, my preferred way of receiving a response is by email to the address from which ACC received the original request, not by post.

Please note that this is a new stand alone OIA request with effect today and I thank you for your time and assistance and look forward to receiving the official information.

Yours faithfully,

David Lawson