Hayes Joanne: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeHayes Joanne: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 20 May 2014. Volume:699;Page:18083. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]8.JOANNE HAYES (National) to theMinister for ACC: What reports has she received which show New Zealanders could pay lower ACC levies in 2015?Hon JUDITH COLLINS (Minister for ACC): As I announced last week Budget 2014 indicates the Accident Compensation Corporation is on track to provide further levy cuts for New Zealanders of around $480 million in 2015-16 following more pleasing results over the past year. Today ACC announced it will go out for public consultation on the 2015-16 levy rates. ACC continues to improve its financial situation transforming the way it supports injured New Zealanders back to independence and building on its investment returns. As a result it is proposing reductions in the workers and earners accounts and the motor vehicle account. New Zealanders can take part by submitting to the ACC by 5 p.m. on Tuesday 17 June 2014. Consultation papers are available on ACC’s website. The Government will make its final decision after ACC’s public consultation but we anticipate the bulk of these cuts will be for motor vehicle levies along with the possibility of a levy reduction for employers and the self-employed.Joanne Hayes: What factors are taken into account when determining levies?Hon JUDITH COLLINS: Each year ACC assesses the levy rates required for future levy years. The assessment is based on a number of factors including actual and projected claims costs returns on investment interest rates and the number of registered motor vehicles. Due to changing patterns of these and other elements the amount that ACC must collect may change each year. ACC is successfully managing these factors in order to provide a scheme that is fair for levy payers and for clients. Following the consultation process and receiving ACC’s recommendations the Government will make a decision on levy rates also taking into account public interest considerations such as the economic environment. It is also important that any decrease in ACC levies is sustainable and provides consistency for households and businesses inthe long term. Nobody wants to be the Government that has to put up levies as we had to do after Labour left ACC in such a mess.Joanne Hayes: How is ACC addressing car safety in the consultation process?Hon JUDITH COLLINS: What an excellent question. As well as reducing average motor vehicle levies ACC is also proposing the introduction of risk rating for cars in 2015. Risk rating would mean the cost of levies would more closely reflect the level of risk associated with a car. All car owners would pay lower levies under ACC’s proposed changes. Owners of the safest cars would receive the largest levy cut. The proposal is for the implementation of four bands for light passenger vehicles based on how vehicle design affects injury outcomes. Each band would have a different levy rate based on the combined risk of injury to the vehicle occupants—Grant Robertson: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I think there are rulings about tabling press releases but I would encourage the Minister to table that press release she was reading out there.Mr SPEAKER: Order! And that is not a point of order but I think the point the member was attempting to make is that the answer was certainly going on for a long long time.