Staff 'hard-hearted'

Press, 30 August 1980, Page 20

Staff 'hard-hearted '

PA Wellington Accident Compensation Commission officers are hard-hearted and concerned only with paying out as little money as possible, according to the secretary of the Police Association (Dr R. A. Moodie).

He said many policemen who went to the commission were dealt with impersonally and with little concern for their mental health. The commission officers’ concern appeared to be to offer as little compensation as possible. Dr Moodie’s assertions have been described as rubbish by the commission’s director of compensation, Mr H. Lynch. Anybody could make the general claims Dr Moodie had, Mr Lynch said, but

until a specific complaint was made to the commission it was difficult to act. There had been no.complaints from the Police Association.

The commission provided an extensive counselling service for people who required it. Counselling officers were employed throughout the country. There were 14 in Auckland alone.

Mr Lynch said the commission was bound by. legislation to the amount it could pay an injured person and it could not answer complaints regarding payments. Dr . Moodie’s complaints about the commission followed recent claims by policemen. One policeman was seeking compensation for an ear bitten off during an on-duty scuffle. ; "The response was that

the ear was not worth anything,” Dr Moodie said. It was only , after further correspondence that’’ compensation was paid; • The impersonal appraisal of damage and the attempt to pay as little as ’possible was what annoyed. Dr Moodie said. . He likened commission officers to insurance assessors. i - : "

“If you have been shot you need to deal with sqmeone who cares and not someone who is assessing how much damage there is ’ to your body,’-’ he said. Dr Moodie said policemen were now helped by legal officers when . they sought compensation. This was also happening in other organisations. ;