Acclaim Otago (Inc)

 

Acclaim Otago (Inc) is a support group for injured New Zealanders and their families. We are an incorporated society based in Dunedin with members throughout New Zealand. Established in 2003, we have been advocating for systemic change to improve the lives of injured people ever since. We are active in the area of human rights in New Zealand.

On the 17 April 2016 we were accepted as a Non-Government Organisation (NGO) in Special Consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council.

We are a completely independent body with our own constitution and management. Our committee consists of 12 members; all are volunteers and the majority are disabled by injury (9) with the remainder having a spouse or child with a disability caused by injury. To our knowledge, Acclaim Otago is the only organisation in New Zealand specifically designed by and for persons with disabilities caused by injury.

We receive no external funding (including from government) and have an annual budget of between NZD $3000 and $4000. We are not affiliated in any way to any other group or national body.

Since 2005, Acclaim Otago has had a seat on ACC’s Consumer Outlook Group, which provides advice to the ACC CEO on issues facing consumers and for the last year has been a member of the Advocates and Representatives Group (ARG) providing direct input into policy and strategy at ACC. We have good working relationships with Members of Parliament from across the political spectrum and seek to work collaboratively to improve the experiences of injured New Zealanders.

We are actively involved in presenting both written and oral submissions. The most recent has been a huge undertaking preparing a “Shadow Report” to the United Nations committee for the Convention on the Rights of People with Disability (CRPD).

We have also been involved in inquiries and legislative changes including the following:

• Review of the Way in Which Physiotherapy Services are Funded and Accredited by ACC – undertaken by David Goddard QC.

• Review of the Accident Compensation Corporation Fraud Unit – undertaken by Martin Jenkins.

• Reviews resulting from Privacy Breaches – undertaken by both the Privacy Commissioner and KPMG.

We hope we have been able to make a difference, no matter how small, in each and every one of our member’s lives. Living with an injury and its effects is not easy. Together we can make a difference.