[Greens-Media] ACT Govt drops the ball on insurance?

[Manderson, Roland]

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ACT Greens MLA Deb Foskey MEDIA RELEASE
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8 Sept 06


ACT Govt drops the ball on insurance?

ACT Greens MLA Deb Foskey has questioned the ACT Government's commitment to community organisations following the recent announcement that the pooled public liability insurance for community groups will end from the start of next year.

"The cost of public liability insurance went through the roof after the HIH collapse" Dr Foskey said today.

 "In order to help out community organisations, who otherwise might have closed down, the ACT Government got together with NSW and some insurance companies in 2002 to put together a group buying project - the Community Care Public Liability Insurance Scheme."

"Such an approach was all about social outcomes, rather than business competition. That meant it needed permission from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to run."

 "Earlier this year, the ACCC decided - in the interest of competition - not to allow the scheme to continue. Unfortunately neither the Government nor the insurance companies chose to argue the point."

 "Now community organisations are receiving alarming advice that they will need to buy new policies. Something which is nearly always more expensive, and occasionally impossible."

"The ACT Government was proud to announce the scheme in 2002, and again when the ACCC continued it in 2004."

 "In the June 04 announcement Chief Minister Jon Stanhope said a great deal of work had been done "to provide continuously available, affordable public liability insurance to the ACT community sector"."

 "Given its recent lack of interest, however, it looks as if the onus is back on the ACT Government to work with the sector to ensure that those hard won gains don't unravel."

 "The ACT Government could regain some of its lost respect if it now announces how it will ensure community organisations are not further disadvantaged" Dr Foskey said.

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Roland Manderson   Media Advisor
ACT   Greens    MLA  Deb  Foskey  
Legislative Assembly for the ACT 
ph(02)62050551      m 0412241379
====== www.debfoskey.com ======= 
  
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