Total payments made to the top 10 highest-paid assessors
A. Skeptical made this Official Information request to Accident Compensation Corporation
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From: A. Skeptical
Dear Accident Compensation Corporation,
Under the Official Information Act 1982, I request the following information regarding payments made to assessors over the last five years (2020-2025):
Information Requested:
Total payments made to the top 10 highest-paid Impairment assessors,
Vocational assessors or similar
For each of the top 10 earners in each category, please provide:
Total amount paid (2020-2025)
Annual breakdown by year
Number of assessments completed (if available)
Yours faithfully,
Tim
From: Government Services
Accident Compensation Corporation
Kia ora,
Thank you for contacting ACC’s Government Services inbox.
If your request falls within scope of the Official Information Act, we
will endeavour to respond as soon as possible, and no later than 20
working days after receipt of your request. If we are unable to respond
within the statutory timeframe, we will notify you of an extension.
The information you have requested may involve documents which contain the
names and contact details of individuals. Please let us know whether you
are seeking that information as part of your request. We may need to
consult before deciding whether we can release this information, and this
may take a bit more time. If we do not hear from you, we will assume that
you do not require it.
For more information about Official Information Act requests, please
visit: [1]Ombudsman New Zealand | Tari o te Kaitiaki Mana Tangata.
If your request relates to your claim, or you’d like more information
about lodging a claim, please contact ACC’s claims team at 0800 101 996
or [2][email address].
For personal information requests or privacy matters,
please visit [3]Request for personal information (acc.co.nz).
For general queries, please visit: [4]Contact us (acc.co.nz).
Ngâ mihi,
Government Services
PO Box 242 / Wellington 6011 / New Zealand / [5]www.acc.co.nz
ACC cares about the environment – please don’t print this email
unless it is really necessary. Thank you.
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2. mailto:[email address]
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http://www.acc.co.nz/
From: Government Services
Accident Compensation Corporation
Kia ora Tim
Thank you for your request on 10 July 2025 asking for the following
information under the OIA:
Under the Official Information Act 1982, I request the following
information regarding payments made to assessors over the last five years
(2020-2025):
Information Requested:
Total payments made to the top 10 highest-paid Impairment assessors,
Vocational assessors or similar
For each of the top 10 earners in each category, please provide:
Total amount paid (2020-2025)
Annual breakdown by year
Number of assessments completed (if available)
Before we respond to your request we need some further clarification.
Clarification needed
We understand that your request is for:
o the number of referrals undertaken and the total payments made to the
10 highest-paid Impairment Assessors who undertake permanent
impairment assessments by calendar year since 1 Jan 2020
o the number of referrals undertaken and the total payments made to the
10 highest-paid Medical Assessors who provide assessments under the
Vocational Medical Services contract by calendar year since 1 Jan 2020
Please confirm if our interpretation of your request is correct by 23 July
2025. Otherwise, please provide further clarification of what specific
information you are seeking.
If we do not hear from you, we will progress your request as it stands.
Ngā mihi
Christopher Johnston (he/him)
Manager | OIA Services
* PO Box 242, Wellington 6011
ACC cares about the environment – please don’t print this email unless it
is really necessary. Thank you.
show quoted sections
From: A. Skeptical
Dear Government Services,
The interpretation is correct , please include the name of the provider aswell
Yours sincerely,
A. Skeptical
From: Government Services
Accident Compensation Corporation
Kia ora
In the course of consulting with relevant providers about your request, we
have been asked about the reasons for your request. While there is no
requirement to supply a reason for a request made under the Official
Information Act 1982, such information may be useful to third parties that
are the subject of a request when they are considering their feedback in a
consultation process.
If you agree to provide some comments about the reasons for your request,
could you provide these by Monday 11 August 2025.
Ngâ mihi
Christopher Johnston (he/him)
Manager | OIA Services
* PO Box 242, Wellington 6011
ACC cares about the environment – please don’t print this email unless it
is really necessary. Thank you.
show quoted sections
From: A. Skeptical
Dear Government Services,
Kia ora Christopher,
Thank you for your email.
I am aware that under the Official Information Act 1982 there is no requirement for a requester to provide reasons for an information request. My request therefore stands on its own merits and should be processed accordingly.
However, for the avoidance of doubt, there is a strong public interest in the release of this information. Payments to impairment and vocational assessors directly concern the use of public funds and the independence of assessments that can materially affect claim outcomes. Transparency in this area is important for public confidence in ACC’s processes and assists claimants — including myself — in making informed choices when selecting an assessor.
Please note that any refusal, redaction, or delay will need to be justified under the specific withholding grounds of the Act. I will not hesitate to refer the matter to the Ombudsman if I consider the response inconsistent with the Act’s purposes.
For reference, I note Ombudsman guidance that “a requester does not have to provide a reason for their request” (see OIA Guide, Office of the Ombudsman) and the principle affirmed in Kelsey v Minister of Trade [2015] NZHC 2497, that the Act should be interpreted in light of its purpose to promote openness and accountability. The presumption is in favour of release unless there is a clear and lawful ground for withholding.
I look forward to receiving the information within the statutory timeframe.
Ngā mihi,
A. Skeptical
From: Government Services
Accident Compensation Corporation
Kia ora,
Thank you for contacting ACC’s Government Services inbox.
If your request falls within scope of the Official Information Act, we
will endeavour to respond as soon as possible, and no later than 20
working days after receipt of your request. If we are unable to respond
within the statutory timeframe, we will notify you of an extension.
The information you have requested may involve documents which contain the
names and contact details of individuals. Please let us know whether you
are seeking that information as part of your request. We may need to
consult before deciding whether we can release this information, and this
may take a bit more time. If we do not hear from you, we will assume that
you do not require it.
For more information about Official Information Act requests, please
visit: [1]Ombudsman New Zealand | Tari o te Kaitiaki Mana Tangata.
If your request relates to your claim, or you’d like more information
about lodging a claim, please contact ACC’s claims team at 0800 101 996
or [2][email address].
For personal information requests or privacy matters,
please visit [3]Request for personal information (acc.co.nz).
For general queries, please visit: [4]Contact us (acc.co.nz).
Ngâ mihi,
Government Services
PO Box 242 / Wellington 6011 / New Zealand / [5]www.acc.co.nz
ACC cares about the environment – please don’t print this email
unless it is really necessary. Thank you.
Disclaimer:
"This message and any attachments may contain confidential and privileged
information. If you believe you have received this email in error, please
advise us immediately by return email or telephone and then delete this
email together with all attachments. If you are not the intended
recipient, you are not authorised to use or copy this message or any
attachments or disclose the contents to any other person."
References
Visible links
1. https://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/
2. mailto:[email address]
3. https://www.acc.co.nz/contact/request-fo...
4. https://www.acc.co.nz/contact/
5. http://www.acc.co.nz/
http://www.acc.co.nz/
From: Government Services
Accident Compensation Corporation
Kia ora
Please find attached our extension letter to your official information
request dated 10 July 2025. If you have any questions about the response
you can contact us at this [1]address, for all other matters please use
our contact form at: [2]https://www.acc.co.nz/contact/ alternatively give
us a call on 0800 101 996.
If you are having trouble viewing the PDF, please ensure you have the
latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader. To download this freeware please
click [3]here.
Ngâ mihi
Christopher Johnston (he/him)
Manager | OIA Services
* PO Box 242, Wellington 6011
ACC cares about the environment – please don’t print this email unless it
is really necessary. Thank you.
Disclaimer:
"This message and any attachments may contain confidential and privileged
information. If you believe you have received this email in error, please
advise us immediately by return email or telephone and then delete this
email together with all attachments. If you are not the intended
recipient, you are not authorised to use or copy this message or any
attachments or disclose the contents to any other person."
References
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2. https://www.acc.co.nz/contact/
3. https://get.adobe.com/nz/reader/
From: Government Services
Accident Compensation Corporation
GOV 041434 Appendix.xlsx
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GOV 041434 Response.pdf
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Kia ora A. Skeptical
Please find attached our response to your official information request
dated 10 July 2025. If you have any questions about the response you can
contact us at this [1]address, for all other matters please use our
contact form at: [2]https://www.acc.co.nz/contact/ alternatively give us
a call on 0800 101 996.
If you are having trouble viewing the PDF, please ensure you have the
latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader. To download this freeware please
click [3]here.
Ngâ mihi
Christopher Johnston (he/him)
Manager | OIA Services
* PO Box 242, Wellington 6011
ACC cares about the environment – please don’t print this email unless it
is really necessary. Thank you.
Disclaimer:
"This message and any attachments may contain confidential and privileged
information. If you believe you have received this email in error, please
advise us immediately by return email or telephone and then delete this
email together with all attachments. If you are not the intended
recipient, you are not authorised to use or copy this message or any
attachments or disclose the contents to any other person."
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. https://www.acc.co.nz/contact/
3. https://get.adobe.com/nz/reader/
From: A. Skeptical
Dear Government Services,
Curious why you did not name the assessors instead you just write assessor.
My oia request was very clear that the assessors were to be naned
Yours sincerely,
A. Skeptical
From: Government Services
Accident Compensation Corporation
Kia ora,
Thank you for contacting ACC’s Government Services inbox.
If your request falls within scope of the Official Information Act, we
will endeavour to respond as soon as possible, and no later than 20
working days after receipt of your request. If we are unable to respond
within the statutory timeframe, we will notify you of an extension.
The information you have requested may involve documents which contain the
names and contact details of individuals. Please let us know whether you
are seeking that information as part of your request. We may need to
consult before deciding whether we can release this information, and this
may take a bit more time. If we do not hear from you, we will assume that
you do not require it.
For more information about Official Information Act requests, please
visit: [1]Ombudsman New Zealand | Tari o te Kaitiaki Mana Tangata.
If your request relates to your claim, or you’d like more information
about lodging a claim, please contact ACC’s claims team at 0800 101 996
or [2][email address].
For personal information requests or privacy matters,
please visit [3]Request for personal information (acc.co.nz).
For general queries, please visit: [4]Contact us (acc.co.nz).
Ngâ mihi,
Government Services
PO Box 242 / Wellington 6011 / New Zealand / [5]www.acc.co.nz
ACC cares about the environment – please don’t print this email
unless it is really necessary. Thank you.
Disclaimer:
"This message and any attachments may contain confidential and privileged
information. If you believe you have received this email in error, please
advise us immediately by return email or telephone and then delete this
email together with all attachments. If you are not the intended
recipient, you are not authorised to use or copy this message or any
attachments or disclose the contents to any other person."
References
Visible links
1. https://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/
2. mailto:[email address]
3. https://www.acc.co.nz/contact/request-fo...
4. https://www.acc.co.nz/contact/
5. http://www.acc.co.nz/
http://www.acc.co.nz/
From: Government Services
Accident Compensation Corporation
Kia ora
Thank you for your email below.
As advised in our response letter, we have withheld assessor names for
privacy reasons, under section 9(2)(a) of the Act. In doing so, we have
considered the public interest in making the information available and
have determined that it does not outweigh the need to protect our
providers’ privacy.
As per our letter, if you are not happy with this response, you can
contact the Ombudsman via [1][email address] or by phoning
0800 802 602. Information about how to make a complaint is available
at [2]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz.
Ngā mihi
Christopher Johnston (he/him)
Manager | OIA Services
* PO Box 242, Wellington 6011
ACC cares about the environment – please don’t print this email unless it
is really necessary. Thank you.
------------------- Original Message
show quoted sections
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #31543 email]
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information. If you believe you have received this email in error, please
advise us immediately by return email or telephone and then delete this
email together with all attachments. If you are not the intended
recipient, you are not authorised to use or copy this message or any
attachments or disclose the contents to any other person."
References
Visible links
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2. http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/
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From: A. Skeptical
Kia ora Christopher,
Thank you for your response of 6 October 2025.
I note that ACC has withheld the names of the assessors under section 9(2)(a) of the Official Information Act 1982 (to protect privacy). I respectfully disagree that this section applies in this context.
The information I requested concerns payments made by ACC to external assessors engaged under contract to perform statutory functions using public funds. These are not private individuals acting in a personal capacity; they are professional service providers whose identities are already known to claimants, often advertised publicly, and who act as part of ACC’s delegated system for determining rights to compensation.
There is a strong public interest in knowing:
which assessors receive the highest total payments from ACC,
whether a small number of assessors dominate the assessment market, and
whether financial concentration may create incentives or perceived conflicts that could affect independence.
The Ombudsman has consistently recognised that section 9(2)(a) does not justify withholding names of publicly funded contractors or service providers where accountability and transparency are at issue (see Ombudsman Case Note W47355 and similar findings regarding medical and legal service providers engaged by public agencies).
Accordingly, the balance under section 9(1) clearly favours release. If ACC considers there are any exceptional circumstances, I would expect those to be set out in detail, along with the specific prejudice ACC believes would result.
Please therefore reconsider this decision and release the assessor names.
If ACC maintains the refusal, please treat this message as a request for an internal review, and confirm ACC’s final position so I can refer the matter to the Ombudsman under section 28(3) of the Act.
Ngā mihi,
A. Skeptical
From: Government Services
Accident Compensation Corporation
Kia ora,
Thank you for contacting ACC’s Government Services inbox.
If your request falls within scope of the Official Information Act, we
will endeavour to respond as soon as possible, and no later than 20
working days after receipt of your request. If we are unable to respond
within the statutory timeframe, we will notify you of an extension.
The information you have requested may involve documents which contain the
names and contact details of individuals. Please let us know whether you
are seeking that information as part of your request. We may need to
consult before deciding whether we can release this information, and this
may take a bit more time. If we do not hear from you, we will assume that
you do not require it.
For more information about Official Information Act requests, please
visit: [1]Ombudsman New Zealand | Tari o te Kaitiaki Mana Tangata.
If your request relates to your claim, or you’d like more information
about lodging a claim, please contact ACC’s claims team at 0800 101 996
or [2][email address].
For personal information requests or privacy matters,
please visit [3]Request for personal information (acc.co.nz).
For general queries, please visit: [4]Contact us (acc.co.nz).
Ngâ mihi,
Government Services
PO Box 242 / Wellington 6011 / New Zealand / [5]www.acc.co.nz
ACC cares about the environment – please don’t print this email
unless it is really necessary. Thank you.
Disclaimer:
"This message and any attachments may contain confidential and privileged
information. If you believe you have received this email in error, please
advise us immediately by return email or telephone and then delete this
email together with all attachments. If you are not the intended
recipient, you are not authorised to use or copy this message or any
attachments or disclose the contents to any other person."
References
Visible links
1. https://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/
2. mailto:[email address]
3. https://www.acc.co.nz/contact/request-fo...
4. https://www.acc.co.nz/contact/
5. http://www.acc.co.nz/
http://www.acc.co.nz/
From: Government Services
Accident Compensation Corporation
Kia ora
Thank you for your follow up email below.
ACC maintains its position as outlined in our response.
We reiterate that if you are not happy with our response, you may lodge a
complaint with the Office of the Ombudsman.
Ngâ mihi
Christopher Johnston (he/him)
Manager | OIA Services
* PO Box 242, Wellington 6011
ACC cares about the environment – please don’t print this email unless it
is really necessary. Thank you.
show quoted sections
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