Bayly Andrew: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeBayly Andrew: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 15 October 2015. Volume:709;Page:7287. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]5.ANDREW BAYLY (National—Hunua) to the Minister for ACC: What recent announcements have been made on ACC levies?Hon NIKKI KAYE (Minister for ACC): The ACC board has announced its levy consultation which proposes to reduce ACC levies by $450 million in 2016-17. I have also announced a number of issues that I will be consulting onas Minister including a potential reduction in the motorcycle safety levy. On top of this I am consulting on a long-term funding policy. It is about ensuring that we can withstand economic shocks while not over-collecting levies. The proposals include potential reductions across all three levied accounts and another potential dramatic reduction in the average motor vehicle levy from $190 to $130. The indicative reductions if confirmed will take total levy cuts since 2012 to around $2 billion. These reductions are possible only because of good financial management. This is great news for New Zealand.Andrew Bayly: Why is the Government able to deliver significant ACC levy reductions?Hon NIKKI KAYE: The Government and the ACC board have through a series of measures improved the performance of the scheme from a $4.8 billion hole in the accounts in 2008 to being fully funded. These measures include improvements in rehabilitation rates sensible changes to entitlements improvements in investments and assets better management of claims improved injury prevention and the appointment of an excellent people and leadership position such as the outstanding chair Paula Rebstock. The ACC board has been very successful in growing—Tracey Martin: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. On several occasions New Zealand First members have been asked to sit down due to the length of their questions. I understand that under the Standing Orders answers should be somewhat concisealso. These are patsy questions from the Government to its own Minister.Mr SPEAKER: Order! I thought the member was present yesterday when I gave a very clear ruling that it is my job to adjudicate on the length of answers and I will do so. The member may at some time in the political future have the opportunity to occupy this Chair at which stage she will be the adjudicator. The Hon Nikki Kaye—has the answer been finished?Hon NIKKI KAYE: No.Ron Mark: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker.Mr SPEAKER: Order! I just want to give a very clear ruling to the member. If he wants to relitigate that rulingin any way I will take a very dim view of it.Ron Mark: In those rulings and in the advice that you gave us yesterday you referred to our needing some training. It would help. We have booked in some training—Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member is—Ron Mark: It would help to have available for that training the criteria upon which you make your assessmentsif you could do that please.Mr SPEAKER: I look forward to the opportunity. I was unaware that the member is booked in for training. I look forward to the results of that training being very fruitful to the way that this House runs. [Interruption] Order! No the member is only wasting time and he will be leaving the Chamber in a minute. Does the Minister wish to complete her answer? [Interruption] If the Minister could complete her answer quickly.Hon NIKKI KAYE: The ACC board has been very successful in growing the scheme’s assets from around $10 billion in 2008-09 to around $31 billion now. That is because of a good National Government.Andrew Bayly: What is different about the levy consultation this year?Hon NIKKI KAYE: This year’s levy consultation is notable in that ACC’s proposed levy rates factor in the removal of residual levies. The combined effect of removing the residual levy and the proposed work levy reductions could see around 75 percent of businesses paying fewer levies. This year’s levy consultation also features a website for the first time—www.shapeyouracc.co.nz—where people can submit their own ideas and discuss ideas put forward by others.Sue Moroney: If she fixes through this consultation process the many problems and errors with her new motor vehicle levy risk rating system will she refund the overcharging of the errors made in levies charged this year as a result of those errors?Hon NIKKI KAYE: I disagree with the statements she made in that question.