Hutchison Paul: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Hutchison Paul: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:622;Page:17385] 
12.  
Dr PAUL HUTCHISON (National—Port Waikato) 
 to the  
Minister for ACC 
: Does she agree with ACC policy that has resulted in ACC declining to pay the helicopter expenses of rescuing a badly injured shepherd in Central Otago; if so why? 
Hon RUTH DYSON (Minister for ACC) 
: 
 In this case it is difficult to determine which is the more appropriate action: to financially reimburse the helicopter pilot for going to the aid of an injured person or to strictly adhere to the 111 call policy. It is important though that the safety issues take priority in any situation. 
Dr Paul Hutchison 
: Does she believe that the employees at the Alexandra Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) office who supported Mr Burdon’s claim were like the majority of New Zealanders unaware that in a remote rescue they needed to call 111; if not why does she believe that they disagreed with ACC’s head office and believed that compensation should be awarded to Mr Burdon? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: I am confident that the local ACC staff were aware of the 111 call policy which is in place so that properly equipped and trained personnel respond to an injury. But I understand as I said in the answer to the primary question that it is a difficult balance as to whether to financially compensate the person who went to the aid of the injured person or to strictly adhere to the 111 call policy. 
Helen Duncan 
: Can the Minister tell the House why ACC insists that emergency requests for air ambulances come through the 111 system? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: I certainly can. It does so because it is safer. ACC contracts with services that are medically equipped for emergencies have trained personnel aboard and can communicate with local hospitals and other services as required. To send a poorly equipped ill-trained rescue vehicle could in fact threaten the life of an injured person rather than assist that person. 
Peter Brown 
: How does the cost of the helicopter that is referred to compare with the costs paid for the treatment of the prisoner in jail who is receiving accident compensation treatment? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: I regret I have not come to the House prepared with that calculation. 
Dr Paul Hutchison 
: Why is ACC planning to cut the number of air ambulance services to only seven major centres in New Zealand and what will the Minister do if someone has a serious accident at the top of the East Coast and dies because the aircraft could not reach him or her in time? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: I believe that that sort of scaremongering is totally inappropriate when a discussion document was released for consultation only yesterday. I would prefer to hear the results of submissions to that document and then to consider the issue properly. 
Dr Paul Hutchison 
: Is the Minister then prepared to take note of the view of an experienced helicopter pilot who says: “No way could a helicopter from Hamilton get a badly injured person from Whakatane or Gisborne to a hospital in within 1 hour especially if they have to wait for a local emergency 111 service to decide if a helicopter may be called. People will die.”? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: Yes I certainly will listen to the views of that experienced helicopter pilot.