Upston Louise: Urgent Debates — Accident Compensation Corporation—Release of Personal Information 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Upston Louise: Urgent Debates — Accident Compensation Corporation—Release of Personal Information 
[Sitting date: 20 March 2012. Volume:678;Page:1088. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
LOUISE UPSTON (National—Taupo) 
: 
 I have heard some fantastic contributions from this side of the House on this topic of urgent debate. I just do want to reiterate the fact that we have such enormous confidence in the Minister for ACC and her ability to act on this so quickly. Because as the previous speaker the Hon Craig Foss has mentioned the thing that is really central to this is that New Zealanders at large have a confidence in ACC and its ability to deal with an issue like this when it arises. If we think about the number of people who have had their information released in this unfortunate manner what they need to know straight away is that there is a Minister who takes it seriously that there is an organisation that is pulling out all of the stops to get on top of the issue and to not only deal with those who have been directly affected by it but also to take the necessary steps to make sure that this kind of issue cannot occur again. 
As we have heard in the House today the Minister has received a comprehensive report. There will be further information that comes to light with the terms of reference that ACC is working on with the Privacy Commissioner as it is just really important that they are able to work together on this to progress it. The Minister has received the initial report as Craig Foss was talking about. We now have a situation where ACC has set up this 0800 number which people affected are able to ring and it has a specialist team who are responding to the people who have had their privacy breached and those respondents are a specialist pair of people who are trained to deal with this type of situation. I am confident that they will be dealing with this most carefully and responsibly. The fact is that there is a press release that has gone out earlier today which has all the details about it. If there is anyone who is listening to Parliament today who has been directly affected I would encourage them to contact that specialist team on 0800 745 254. That number is available and being operated from 8.30 in the morning until 5 p.m. This is about a direct process whereby people are able to get the support they need because it is that confidence in ACC that is really important. 
We have seen from the Minister the fact that she is on top of this issue. ACC has acknowledged that it made a mistake and I think that is the first thing you do if you handle something badly—to front it and acknowledge the errors that have occurred. Rather than getting into the politics of it the focus is actually on those people who have been affected. For those constituents who are affected up and down New Zealand the first priority rather than squabbling about the politics—which I know is what the other side of the House is always wanting to engage in—is actually to deal with the issue at hand to make sure that those people who have been affected are able to get the support that they need. 
The Minister is also happy that ACC has outlined very clearly some changes that need to be put in place to make sure that this sort of issue does not occur again and to be able to implement them. Mr Deputy Speaker I know that you have heard a lot about this particular issue and the fact that the Minister and ACC are doing what needs to be done to resolve this so I shall leave it at that. 
The debate having concluded the motion lapsed.