Saturday 28 December 2013

Gifts that make you think...2014 A year for change.




Bridget Williams published a book edited by Max Rashbrooke with the title ‘Inequality’, A New Zealand Crisis. And a dear friend gave it to me as a Christmas gift and based on the past he always gives books that make you think and by doing so you have to reconstruct, reorganise and reconsider your own history in regard to the subject of the book. It’s his cunning way of educating me by indirect means. And I thank him for doing so. I’m always willing to learn but not so willing sometimes to accept that I need to do so.



The year before he gifted me a book titled ‘The Life and Death of Democracy’ by John Keane, a massive book of 958 pages and to be honest it has taken me almost a year to read it. It took me step by step through the beginnings of democracy, though the twisted and often reversed and even irrational meaning of what democracy meant at that stage of its development. The abuse and hidden agenda of those who claimed democracy as a model yet did the direct opposite was incredibly breathtaking in its scope and stretched across the known world. No matter whether they were Creek or Roman, English, French or American, democracy was for the most part used to control and maintain the status-quo of the rulers of the time rather than improve the lot of ordinary people; they were simply pawns in the dangerous game of power and sometimes murderous [most of the time] politics and still are today. America, Russia, the Middle East, the UK and Israel murder at will, yet call themselves democratic, China does the same only it doesn’t muddy the waters by calling itself democratic as does North Korea. Our government fails to speak out against US / Israeli State sponsored murder and by failing to do so supports the behaviour.



This years gift was a superb follow up because ‘Inequality’ has been and still is the desired state of affairs for those who have gained power ether through a so-called democratic process or other more direct means such as war, dictatorship or colonization as occurred here in New Zealand. In today’s jargon they, the real rulers, are known as the 1% to 10% as against the remaining 90% and especially the bottom 20%. Right wing governments are simply a tool used by the 1% to maintain their position of power.



Inequality has grown at a faster rate in New Zealand when compared with nearly all other developed nations over the last ten years. It has really sped up over the last six years, one could say that it is sprinting towards the governments’ unstated but obvious goal of massive poverty and the complete destruction of what is now falsely called the middle class. Their lies are gigantic in their boldness, for example they state that New Zealanders are earning more and this proves that wages are rising…that is crap…New Zealanders are simply working longer hours, or working two jobs to make ends meet. Without the Working for families’ tax credits most families couldn’t manage.



In fact the government is clearly following a policy of corporate welfare by allowing hugely profitable companies like Rio Tito, Pak-n-Save, Food Town, McDonald's and even Sky City and Warner Brothers etc to not have to pay a living wage.



The government ceased running the country from the moment Roger Douglas sold us down the river and Ruth Richardson presented her mother of all budgets, and the corporates took control and economists pretended that they were scientists and their so-called vocation was science based when if fact it is a dice throwing game played by legalised and government certified crooks.



Somebody in a blog the other day wrote that John Key was as bent as a three dollar note, now the writer may be accurate or otherwise. What I do know is that John Key reached the conclusion early on that if he was to become a millionaire he couldn’t do it by learning a trade, or by teaching, or by becoming a member of the armed forces, or do anything that he now wants you to do.



So he became a money mover…not of his own money, because he had none. He quickly realised that people with money, be they organisations or individuals are by nature gluttonous and desire more. So if he was going rip off anyone they were the best choice. He knew that if he directly stole their money chances were he could end up in prison. So he like an eager wee beaver he nudged shoved and crawled his way into positions where he could manipulate massive profits for his greedy masters and thereby ask for ever larger bonuses. And they adored him for his greediness so they gave him the nickname ‘the smiling assassin’, and as we all know assassin’s normally shoot their victims in the back.



Roger Douglas gave him his big break when he opened up the market for the NZ dollar, and Key grasped it with both hands, there was no stopping him. From off shore tax havens in the Cook Islands etc, to Australia, Singapore, and London and as a bit player on Wall Street he gathered his spoils. While the bubble burst and financial markets imploded on themselves and hundreds of thousands of people in the US and else where lost their homes, their employment, Key meantime crept back to NZ carrying his swag on his back and set about using those ill-gotten gains to buy success with his new goal of becoming the Prime Minister.



He had to buy success because he was totally devoid of any community, social or ethical background that could link him to being a popular political leader. So he recreated his so-called working class background…you know State house and all that solo-mum stuff which on investigation proves little more than PR spin.



Of course the first thing he did was to pander to the 1% to which he now belonged and cut income-tax from 38 cents to 33 cents for them and himself…and that was a huge boost to inequality…and each year it has got worse…and he did while upping GST which he had promised not to do. And you know the rest…his forgetfulness, his complete about face on his various promises. His weakness and timidity in international affairs and his direct support for anyone who has more money than him simply proves

the point that he’s yet another hollow-man.



So if you are a tradesman or woman, be proud you’ve done something John Key hasn’t or couldn’t, if you are a Service man or woman be proud for you are doing something that John Key couldn’t. If you are Nurse, Teacher, Cleaner, Social Worker, you are all doing something John Key can’t. For you all live in the real world where interaction and mutual collaboration and empathy exists, if you are a Pensioner or Beneficiary you are closer to the real world than the Prime Minister. He’s part of the one percent and you are part of the 99%...and you have the vote, the PM realises the power that gives you and he will lie to get your vote. He will send out his underlings, Bill English, Steven Joyce to speak on his behalf, because he simply can’t remember what he said, was he for or against the rugby tour? He even told us that he led the charge on passing the law on gay marriage…what rubbish it wasn’t even a government bill…read what he said in May of 2012 and then in November 2012…He is as bent as a three dollar bill, takes credit when a opposition bill passes and can’t remember that his best mate is now boss spy at the GCSB…so while he rests in his mansion in Hawaii and you work your guts out to pay the bills just remember your day is coming this election year. Oh and by the way have a great New Year and stay safe…Drive carefully.  




Friday 13 December 2013

Hypocritical MP's Rule.





This from Truth-Out: [Greg Palast]

“I can't take it anymore. All week, I've watched Nelson Mandela reduced to a Barbie doll. From Fox News to the Bush family, the politicians and media mavens who body-blocked the anti-Apartheid Movement and were happy to keep Mandela behind bars, now get to dress his image up in any silly outfit they choose”.


Nelson Mandela.
Now Truth-Out was talking about the US, but we here in New Zealand via our government was even more hypocritical, in fact the sickening words of Don McKinnon and Jim Bolger were disgustingly and plainly hypocritical and false and the childlike behaviour of ‘I want to be liked’ John Key was so puppet like that it was truly embarrassingly demeaning to Nelson Mandela and our own anti-Apartheid movement. Our anti-Apartheid movement had guts and a sense of justice as they grew from a few hundred into many hundreds of thousands. Whereas Bolger and McKinnon along with Muldoon supported South African Apartheid in very practical terms…they were gutless and spineless. Truth-out went on to say:

Poor Nelson Mandela; When he's not a doll, he's a statue. He joins Martin Luther King as another bronzed monument whose use is to tell us that apartheid is now "defeated" - to quote the ridiculous headline in the Times.

It's more nauseating than hypocrisy and ignorance. The Mandela Barbie is dressed to serve a new version of racism, Apartheid 2.0, worsening both in South Africa - and in the USA.

The ruling class creates commemorative dolls and statues of revolutionary leaders as a way to tell us their cause is won, so go home. For example, just months ago, the US Supreme Court overturned the Voting Rights Act, Dr. King's greatest accomplishment, on the specious claim that, "Blatantly discriminatory evasions are rare," and Jim Crow voting practices are now "eradicated."

Here in New Zealand South African style Apartheid still exists in the various right-wing political movements that abounded, while small in number they have corrosive fingers deeply embedded in the National Party and via Winston Peters  New Zealand First, remember he too supported Muldoon, McKinnon and Bolger in treating Nelson Mandela. Other strange groupings such as ‘The One NZ Foundation’, the almost defunct ACT party, the ‘One Law for all’

While I believe strongly that NZ shouldn’t move to ban such movements because racists need an outlet to expose their anger publicly so that their twisted version of history can be countered. Racism in various countries around the world often has covert support from National Governments and state governments, the US and Australia standout amongst our so-called allies for this practice. Truth-Out went on:


The ruling class creates commemorative dolls and statues of revolutionary leaders as a way to tell us their cause is won, so go home. For example, just months ago, the US Supreme Court overturned the Voting Rights Act, Dr. King's greatest accomplishment, on the specious claim that, "Blatantly discriminatory evasions are rare," and Jim Crow voting practices are now "eradicated."

"Eradicated?" On what planet? The latest move by Florida Republicans to purge 181,000 voters of color - like the stench from the shantytowns of Cape Town - makes clear that neither Jim Crow nor Apartheid has been defeated. They're just in temporary retreat.

Nevertheless, our betters in the USA and Europe have declared that King slew segregation, Mandela defeated apartheid; and therefore, the new victims of racial injustice should just shut the f$#! Up and stop whining.

I don’t believe that the desire for government supported Apartheid would  be supported by a majority here in NZ and that the majority supports the view that the Treaty of Waitangi is a conciliation approach designed by us and is in fact I believe modeled on the same principles of Nelson Mandela's reconciliation pathway.   

Thursday 12 December 2013

Hero Battles on: ACC lies again.





Mike Dixon McIver...Does ACC want him dead.
The latest news is that arbitration has fallen over.  ACC is claiming that it's because Mike refused ACC's offer to go to arbitration.  This isn't true.  He was very close to accepting the offer and was in the process of finalising the terms when ACC withdrew from terms that had already been agreed arbitration would proceed upon.  Now it's become apparent that ACC is refusing to agree that arbitration includes the opt-in "fairness and justice" provision under the Arbitration Act.  This is appalling behaviour from ACC.  Here are some of the links again.

https://www.facebook.com/mike.dixonmciver

http://tvnz.co.nz/seven-sharp/thursday-23-may-2013-5446105/video

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/9450493/I-m-willing-to-die-says-ACC-activist

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/8705976/ACC-advocate-declares-war-on-corporation

http://www.3news.co.nz/ACC-agrees-to-arbitration-with-Dixon-McIver/tabid/423/articleID/323405/Default.aspx

Below is the latest from Scoop:

Concern for 75-year-old on 42nd day of hunger strike outside ACC in Aitken St
December 11, 20130 comments

News from Beneficiary Advocacy Federation
The Beneficiary Advocacy Federation of New Zealand is very concerned for the welfare of Mike Dixon McIver, a long time ACC advocate, and once a fellow beneficiary advocate. He is a 75 year old man on day 42 of a hunger strike, protesting his treatment by the Accident Compensation Commission. He is camped outside ACC in Aitken Street in Thorndon, surrounded by the buildings accommodating Justice and Defence.

“He may appear to be an ordinary man fighting the state for his individual serving of justice, but this man is putting his life on the line for all of us,” says Kay Brereton, media spokesperson for the Beneficiary Advocacy Federation of New Zealand.

“There are two levels to this; one is a man in his seventies who feels so attacked by a corporation that he feels his only viable option for redress is a hunger strike. This is a very drastic action which has a lasting impact on your health, and this of course magnified if you are a 75 year old type 2 diabetic.”

“People around the country are starting to become aware of Mike’s protest; many are interested in his story, and keen to support his battle against the giant corporation.”

“One of these people yesterday made me aware that there is also a psychological impact of fasting, which may make one more committed to the cause the longer the fast goes. Her father had fasted for 40 days in a protest action many years ago and she well understood the impact fasting had on both his body and mind.”

“Yesterday at Gisborne, and other ACC offices across New Zealand, Mike’s supporters gathered as a show of support. Protests will continue in Gisborne, an area where Mike’s advocacy and generosity of spirit made him many friends.”

Meanwhile Mike’s protest in Wellington continues with supporters dropping by all the time.

“It is concerning enough a 75 year old man putting his life at risk because he can see no other recourse, a man’s life is on the line and we must do what we can to bring his hunger strike to an end.

“But what he is willing to die for is bigger than this; we don’t have recourse when a government corporation makes a mistake or even a series of mistakes which significantly impact on our health and well-being.

“This bigger issue is one that concerns us all. That a government corporation, department, or Ministry can commit negligent actions which ruin a persons life, and not be held responsible for their negligence.

“The people I spoke to on the street yesterday also spoke of the frustrations they have had in dealing not just with ACC but with many government service agencies. While most public servants strive to give good service to the public, some do not, an institutional tolerance of negligence seems enable the growth of serial, and sometimes malicious negligence by some individuals. As customers or clients we are supposed to be ‘glad for what we get’, and not complain.

“Mike’s case isn’t simply poor service, it is the betrayal of a relationship, Mike was an advocate helping ACC clients to deal with the corporation, he knew many people within the corporation well, and had professional working relationships with them. The corporation charged him with fraud without so much as prior interview. This was found to be grossly negligent.”

“Mike’s case is extreme, but many people have their life, their health, and their ability to feed themselves and their children affected by the negligent action of an official. These ‘mistakes’ are often fixed and entitlement is restored, but it is usual that not even an apology is offered to the person who went with money, medical treatment, or some other form of entitlement.

“I’m not sure that Mike will be able to change the culture of acceptable negligence, but I believe he’s willing to die trying.”

People can support Mike on Facebook: an open group ‘SUPPORT MIKE DIXON MCIVERS STAND AGAINST ACC’ is growing fast

Friday 6 December 2013

Chester the porky teller


Kerry James Borrows, stretcher of the truth.

Have you heard of a person named Kerry James Borrows? Well he’s an old chap who is the National Party MP for Whanganui known as Chester Borrows. He’s an ex-policeman turned lawyer, now that’s a strange mix, never-the-less one would assume that he would have an elementary   understanding of the word truth. Policemen always tell the truth don’t they? Al least that’s what the police PR machine tells us on a daily basis. You know: “I swear to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God”

This policeman / lawyer proclaimed “new” measures by the government to detect and deal to (alleged) fraudsters; you see this wee chap is also Associate Social Development Minister in the Key / Dunne / Banks / Maori Party government.

In his eagerness to reveal some good news for the government this strange Associate Minister had an unknown back bencher ask a patsy question [a patsy question is one written by the minister and given to a back bench nobody to ask so that the minister can read a press release to the house during question time].

Borrows smiled gleefully and revealed that because the IRD and the Social Development Ministry are now working together for the first time they had caught three thousand plus fraudsters and saved the country fifty million dollars. He was so proud of his masterly effort that he grew six inches while telling of his brave deeds.

But deep down in his ex-policeman’s padlocked heart he knew he was stretching the truth to breaking point. He knew he was talking crap of the highest order, he knew he was doing a Steven Joyce Sky City style bull-s*** deal.

But Borrows had been instructed to spin his line as a vital part of National’s on-going war against the poor; the unemployed; solo-mums; widows; etc.

He knew that none of the 3000 so called fraudsters had been convicted, or even charged. He knew calling someone a fraudster was calling them a criminal…but none of them were criminals because none of them had even been charged and convicted.

He knew this because he was a policeman, but alas he couldn’t bring himself to tell his big boss that he wouldn’t lie and thereby demean thousands of innocent beneficiaries. So he bit his tongue, swallowed his pride and told a few whoppers and porkies.

There are far more people who avoid paying the correct of tax and who are costing the country billions in lost income than there are solo mums ripping off the system and the IRD and MSW have been working together since 2001 by sharing information so as to prevent solo mums and others from ripping off the system. In fact, just a short while back it was proven that because of poor management that the MSD ripped itself off to the tune of many millions, and that many of the biggest fraudsters were MSD staff

Note: MSD plan to send staff around to solo mums homes to check if the toilet seat is up...they are recruiting sacked ex-police for this vital task...lets hope they are better at that than catching young male rapists in Auckland.

This from: Frank MacSkasy:  


Borrows was asked:

Over what period of time were these 3,139 cases detected?

Borrows replied; “From 18 March to 14 July 2013 the information sharing agreement detected 3,139 cases of benefit fraud which resulted in the cancellation of a benefit.”

When did IRD and WINZ begin sharing information?

Borrows; “In May 2012 an Order in Council was passed that allows for Inland Revenue to share information with the Ministry of Social Development. To support this a memorandum of Understanding was signed by the Chief Executive of the Ministry of Social Development and the Commissioner of Inland Revenue.

This has led to a new programme of work in which Inland Revenue provides the Ministry of Social Development with income and employer information for all working age people in receipt of a benefit. In September 2012 a test of the information sharing agreement was undertaken to ensure data integrity and system compatibility. Full information sharing for the detection of undeclared earnings commenced in March 2013.

How many prosecutions have been undertaken of all nine cohorts listed above?
Borrows replied,

Information about the number of prosecutions undertaken is refused under section 9(2)(f)(iv) of the Official Information Act. This part of the Act allows me to refuse your request as the Ministry is still in the process of deciding whether to prosecute these individuals, therefore this matter is still under active consideration. While I understand that there is a significant public interest in the functions of the Ministry, I believe that in this case the public interest does not outweigh the necessity to protect the Ministry’s investigation and prosecution process.”

I take it from his response that “as the Ministry is still in the process of deciding whether to prosecute these individuals, therefore this matter is still under active consideration” – that no prosecutions have taken place up until the time of the letter being written.
Not one single person out of the  3,139 cases was prosecuted.
Not. A. One.

So the alleged fraud was either of an insignificant nature (one or two weeks) – or the cases were so flimsy and ill-defined that a Court would have thrown out the charges.
Or they weren’t “fraud” at all.

How many have been convicted?
Borrows’ response,

Prosecutions stemming from these cases are still in progress, and I am advised that none have yet been resolved. As such there have been no convictions to date.
No convictions?

So much media hype surrounding 3,139 cases – and not a single prosecution or conviction.
It seems apparent that this was little more than a propaganda exercise and useful only to beef up National’s ‘tough-on-welfare-abuse” image. Any serious fraud is never countenanced by any government and prosecutions are relentlessly pursued.

Isn’t nice to know that we have such honest and trusty types like Kerry James Borrows running our country…still we are lucky he is no longer in the Police Force.

Thursday 5 December 2013

NZ's crazy few on view.


Jono Naylor.

It’s a real funny country is New Zealand; it’s led by some real funny and odd individuals and some really strange political parties. Here in Palmerston North we have a balding but youthful Mayor named Jono Naylor and he is one of those really strange modern Christians who dreams up new ways of helping the needy. He for example suggests that the PNCC should hire the local rugby club to clear the CBD of the dozens of beggars and legal high users from its streets and byways of his small city. Just what tactics they would use that’s within the law has not been made clear. Would they for example form a scrum around and over a beggar and pretend that his begging bowl was a rugby ball and ruck it back to the waiting half back and by doing so clear the footpath of the beggar.




Colin Craig.
Then we have that strange but news worthy Colin Craig the Conservative leader who believes that bashing kids should be made legal, so good Christian men and women can not spare the rod in raising their offspring. Who believes that man hasn’t walked on the moon, that evolution should not be taught and that creationism should be forced down children’s throats and that vapor from jet aircraft is spreading throughout the world behaviour control chemicals on all those below. But wait there is more; he also believes that young NZ women are just too sexy and free with their favours. That climate change is a hoax because god wouldn’t allow it to occur and if it is true its because wants it to occur…beat that for nuttiness.

Further up the pecking order we have another self professed Christian of the male gender, and he too has some wacky views and thoughts that we should note. For example he believes that all Maori youth do is sit around idly and take drugs and plan robberies. And that whose that believe in gay marriage are all sinners in the eyes of god.
He also believes that truth is the most important quality in life, yet he told lies about donations received from his once best friend Kim Dotcom and his new found friend Sky City casino. In fact he is awaiting trial over those very public issues. And John Key thinks he is a very trustworthy we chap…his name is John Banks New Zealand's most honest political party leader.

Yet there are still other nutters that find their way to the surface of the pond, break clear of the mud and slime of man made pollution. Groups like the ‘One Law for All’ party who when their members are imprisoned via the legal process argue that they were wrongly imprisoned.

One radio commentator on our local Access Radio [Don Esslemont] even claimed that after watching a TV One video clip of ex wife and daughter of Alan Titford when they spoke to media, “Looked as if they were not telling the truth”, what he failed to tell his listeners was that the very same Allan Titford was not only found guilty of abusing his wife and daughter but also found guilty of burning down his own house and trying to blame others…he was also found guilty of other acts of arson and fraud…29 crimes in all for which he received 23 years in prison. One of my blog readers sent me these comments:

Janine said...

“Titford was well-known up here as a racist, a liar, an all-round nasty and evil man. He bought that Aranga property (for about $100,000) knowing full well that it had an urupa on it and that there was a likely Te Roroa claim. He prevented the Te Roro people from going to their urupa, told lies about their actions against him (I know these people personally and know their side of the story) and manipulated the Crown into paying him over $3 million dollars. He burnt his own house down and blamed Te Roroa. The list goes on and on. I am not a supporter of "lock 'em up and throw away the key" - but there are always exceptions. Titford is one of them.
     
So there you go, no doubt there are hundreds of other weird and strange human beings that inhabit our small nation. But there are some common factors, all of the above are males, three of the four profess to be Christian, I don’t know about Titford, I’ll leave you to decide if those two factors have anything to do with the behaviour of them all.

Tuesday 3 December 2013

John Banks last cup of tea.



ACT Party leader John Banks will stand trial for electoral fraud.

The High Court decision, released this afternoon [Tuesday 3rd December 2013] by Justice Paul Heath, says there is "no real challenge" to the evidence presented to the District Court Judge Phil Gittos.




"In those circumstances, there is no basis on which I should interfere with the District Court Judge’s decision to commit Mr Banks for trial," the judgement says.

 So the ex-minister of Small Business has at last run out of excuses or lies or loss of memory and will now have to start remembering some well known public events. Like taking money from Kim Dotcom, Sky City to name but two, rides on helicopters, flattering Mrs. Kim Dotcom, various cups of tea and Gin and Tonics with John Key.



Of course he has been a lame duck leader since his dishonesty was made public, and I doubt if ten people would vote for him in Epsom even if John Key paid them to do so.



The Act Party will have to start looking for a new leader as of now. Who will it be?



Sir Roger Douglas knighted by the Nats for his services to the ultra right, or maybe Richard Prebble that super salesman who kissed the holy toes of Sir Roger Douglas and Sir Michael Fay and sold off the BNZ and NZ Railways.





Or could it possibly be, that still living ex-National Party leader [who was stabbed in the back while overseas by Jenny Shipley], and Reserve bank boss and Treaty of Waitangi expert Don Brash will he get the job, possibly but the latest rumour doing the rounds suggests that Don Brash is taking over the leadership of the ‘One Law For All’ Party since its hero [Allan Titford] has been jailed for 25 years



Here is the line of the events that has led to the ultimate charging of John Banks, which has proven that the PM really stretched the truth [as usual] when he told Parliament that the Police had found that John Banks had not committed any crime.



In October, Judge Gittos ruled there was enough evidence to send Banks to trial over allegations he knowingly signed a false donation return during his 2010 Auckland mayoral campaign.


Banks sought an urgent judicial review following the decision in the High Court.



It is alleged Banks signed a return, which declared donations from internet mogul Kim Dotcom and from SkyCity as anonymous when he knew who made them.



The prosecution was brought privately by retired Wellington accountant Graham McCready after police declined to prosecute.



The Solicitor-General has since taken over the case and will prosecute Banks at trial.

But Banks claims there were a myriad of factual inaccuracies in the District Court judgment that will send him to trial.


However, Justice Heath did not believe those errors "had any material impact" on the decision to commit Banks to trial.



"On the judge's view, a fact finder could infer that Mr Banks deliberately refrained from checking the donations part of the return so that he could distance himself from claims that he had knowledge of the failure to identify the two donors in question. Whether or not that can be proved beyond reasonable doubt by the Crown at trial is an entirely different issue."



It is likely the trial will take place before next year's general election.

Friday 29 November 2013

Part Two Mike Dixon-McIvor vs ACC



My hero of the week 75 year old Mike Dixon-McIvor has continued his one-sided battle with NZ most aggressive and repressive state controlled organisation the ACC.

Paula Rebstock ACC's hit woman.
Mikes guts might just pay off…he may yet beat Nationals ACC’s iron fisted board chairwoman Paula Rebstock specially appointed hit person put in place to prepare  ACC for voter bribes in election year 2014. This is the woman who voted against helping the families at Pike River…

The plan was simple, create a mythical financial problem [Nick Smith was in charge of that until he was caught out helping out a good friend and was sacked].

Up the charges, and put your own selected and highly rewarded doctors to refuse payments in place and when the claimants are forced to appeal, use your own controlled appeal board members to hear that appeal.

To read more about that nasty and degrading period go to:


Mike Dixon-McIvor, A true Kiwi Hero.
Mike has not given up the fight, and so far all the cheap bribery attempts by ACC to wriggle snake like out of their self inflicted wounds have been rejected by this brave and enduring Kiwi battler. This from TV 3 News:

He's spent the past 27 days on a hunger strike outside ACC headquarters in Wellington, but 75-year-old Mike Dixon-McIver could soon be going home.

The corporation's agreed to enter arbitration with him to end a six-year battle, but there's just one more thing he's waiting for before he does.

After ACC unsuccessfully prosecuted him for fraud in 2007, Mr Dixon-McIver has been fighting for damages and it has cost him his health and his income.

"They have to be seen to meet the consequences of their actions above an apology," he says.

He picketed ACC in May this year, and it agreed to enter mediation, offering him $90,000 in compensation. But he refused.

"It wouldn't even cover seven years of lost income," he says.

It's been a long month for wife Jolene, who has watched her husband lose 12kg.

"[I've] mainly worried about his health because he's a diabetic, and also his drinking hydration levels, we've had a few really bad days," she says.

Arbitration will see a judge decide the outcome of this saga, and the decision will be legally binding on both parties.

ACC says its continuing discussions with Mr Dixon-McIver, and there could be a resolution to arbitration in about three months.

He says he's prepared to go home tonight if ACC gives him the $90,000 too, but it refused.

"Well they offered it in the first place and that was supposed to be as a sign of good faith - if they withdraw it now, then we're back to the bad faith," he says.

Bad faith, that will see his hunger strike continue a little longer.

3 News

Read more: http://www.3news.co.nz/ACC-agrees-to-arbitration-with-Dixon-McIver/tabid/423/articleID/323405/Default.aspx#ixzz2m24xtEhN

Tuesday 26 November 2013

Now here is a battler hero.


A 74 year old hero takes on ACC: Mike Dixon-McIvor.

An embattled ACC advocate has "declared war" on the corporation, launching an around-the-clock picket of its head office.

After more than 20 years of acting as an ACC advocate, Mike Dixon-McIver has spent the past six years locked in a battle with the corporation after it tried to prosecute him for fraud.

That case was thrown out and a judge awarded Mr Dixon-McIver, of Upper Hutt, full legal costs. But the corporation has refused to go to mediation to discuss damages.

This has infuriated Mr Dixon-McIver, who addressed a crowd of supporters at 12pm from atop a cherry picker parked outside ACC's Aitken St office.

He plans to camp outside the office until ACC agrees to his terms.

"Until they do I'll be sleeping on this footpath and I'll be available to give anyone help and advice, 24 hours a day."

Mr Dixon-McIver then tried to deliver a written notice of his picket to the office, but was barred from entering the premises by security.

His plans to throw a barbecue for supporters were scuppered after he was unable to get a permit, so he served hotdogs out of the boot of his car instead.

After several months of talks, ACC broke off contact about a mediation meeting after Mr Dixon-McIver delivered a starting figure for damages and losses of $4.69m.

The fraud charges against him were laid in 2007 and stem from advice he provided to a client in 2003 about how to fill out reimbursement forms for his home-help services.

The charges were dismissed in November 2008 by Judge Michael Behrens, who believed Mr Dixon-McIver was motivated by good intentions.

Soon after the decision, Mr Dixon-McIver suffered a breakdown that left him severely depressed and unable to work.

The couple survived "on the smell of an oily rag" as they tried to deal with the fallout, he said.

"He was so traumatised by it all, he could hardly work for the first six months, he was so frightened and ashamed," his wife said.

In 2010, struggling under mounting debt, he was declared bankrupt, and in November 2011 applied to the court for costs against ACC.

In January, Judge Behrens delivered his decision, making the rare order for ACC to pay full legal costs of $13,000 to Mr Dixon-McIver, as he was "without blame".

"It was an extraordinary allegation, given Mr Dixon-McIver's occupation," the judge said.

He also said of ACC investigator Timothy Trask: "My impression is that Mr Trask was for some reason blinded by his wish to proceed against Mr Dixon-McIver before he had examined the evidence with more care."

However, he also noted there was no evidence of malicious intent on ACC's behalf.

ACC spokesman Glenn Donovan said in a statement it accepted Judge Behrens' criticism of the decision to prosecute.

The corporation would be happy to sit down to mediation with Mr Dixon-McIver and address his concerns, but his excessive monetary expectations meant this would be unproductive.

Human rights lawyer Michael Bott, who represented Mr Dixon-McIver in his initial proceedings, said ACC had "bullied and bludgeoned" him.

"Really, if the department had any ounce of decency, they should look at what they did to Mr Dixon-McIver. They made his life a living hell."
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WHAT IS AN ACC ADVOCATE?

An advocate is someone who can be nominated to speak to the corporation on behalf of a claimant.

Often they are part of an independent organisation, but some individuals act on their own as private advocates.

An advocate has good knowledge about the workings of ACC and can assist people if they encounter problems during their claim process.

TIMELINE

2003: ACC claimant Colin Shingleton approaches Mike Dixon-McIver for advice about how to fill out his home-help reimbursement forms.

2006: Mr Shingleton's landlady, Sharron Alexander, is charged with fraud, with the Ministry of Social Development alleging she was receiving money from Mr Shingleton's ACC payments as well as the domestic purposes benefit.

She is convicted but the decision is overturned on appeal.

2007: Fraud charges are laid by ACC against Mr Dixon-McIver, Mr Shingleton and Ms Alexander.

Nov 2008: Judge Michael Behrens throws out all charges before the trial starts. Soon after the decision, Mr Dixon-McIver has a mental breakdown and is unable to work.

2010: He is declared bankrupt after using $10,000 earmarked for tax payments to pay his lawyer.

Dec 2011: Mr Dixon-McIver files an application for costs against ACC.

Jan 2013: Judge Behrens awards Mr Dixon-McIver his full costs of $13,000, stating he was ''without blame''. ACC has paid the costs.

May 2013: ACC sends a letter to Mr Dixon-McIver, stating it will not meet to discuss damages as there was ''no merit'' in the claim. For more detail go to:

 http://tvnz.co.nz/seven-sharp/acc-hunger-strike-video-5723009

http://tvnz.co.nz/seven-sharp/thursday-23-may-2013-5446105/video

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/8705976/ACC-advocate-declares-war-on-corporation