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The Government will make a second attempt to get controversial changes to the ACC scheme through its first reading in Parliament.

Prime Minister John Key said yesterday that the Government would move the House into urgency from today to push through changes to the “boy-racer” legislation and the victim levy bill.

National is negotiating with ACT and the Maori Party for the votes to pass its ACC changes after being forced to shelve the first reading of the proposed legislation last week through lack of support. Progress is being made, but it’s a little too early to tell whether it will be this week,” Key said.

“We’re in negotiations with our partners.

Motorcyclists bear the brunt of the levy increases, but all motorists, and most workers, will pay more from next year.

ACC Minister Nick Smith has unveiled a range of levy increases and changes to entitlements, and a move to shift the full funding of the scheme out to 2019.

The Government will need to get the legislation sent to a parliamentary select committee soon if it is to have any hope of making the changes law by February.

The Maori Party is pushing for tougher criteria proposed for disability payments to be dropped in return for its support, while ACT wants the Government to investigate part-privatisation. If it does not, the ACC’s even steeper levy increases will take effect.

ACT had said it would look at supporting the bill and had put its policy to introduce competition into work place accident insurance on the table.

Mr Key met with Act leader Rodney Hide last night seeking support for the ACC bill.

PROTEST AGAINST CHANGES

Anger over the Government’s plans continued yesterday, with protests in the main centres over proposed cuts to entitlements.It is National Party policy to investigate opening up the part of the scheme that covers work-related personal injuries to private competition, and ACT was likely to push for that.

Victims of sexual abuse are angry that they would need to prove they had suffered mental trauma as a result of sexual abuse before getting ACC-funded treatment.

Victims of sexual abuse are angry that they would need to prove they had suffered mental trauma as a result of sexual abuse before getting ACC-funded treatment.

The ACC proposals include a threshold of a 6 per cent hearing loss before a person is entitled for assistance for hearing aids.

The New Zealand logical Society yesterday accused the Government of turning its back on thousands of people whose hearing has been damaged at work. .

Society president Lesley Hindmarsh said thousands of people with occupational hearing loss, who were previously entitled to ACC help for their hearing aids, may no longer be eligible

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The Government is considering opening ACC’s work account to private competition as part of a deal to get ACT’s backing for its stalled reforms.

In a sign of National’s sensitivity on the issue, ACC Minister Nick Smith’s office refused to comment yesterday on any talks between the parties.

But ACT leader Rodney Hide confirmed he had put a proposal to National and expected a reply early next week.

Employers and the self-employed make contributions to the work account to cover work-related injuries.

It is understood ACT is offering to back the ACC reform bill if National pledges progress on its own election promise to “investigate opening the work account to competition”. “They’ve gone away and then we will pick it up next week.

Mr Hide was confident a deal could be struck. I don’t think there will be any problems.

Mr Hide said private sector competition would be “ACT’s way”.”

National also said it was committed to competition and choice as the best way to ensure ACC’s efficiency. It’s hard for them to argue against, philosophically.

“National agree with it philosophically.

Dr Smith’s proposed bill would push out the date for fully funding the scheme by five years to 2019, lift levies and trim some entitlements.”

Labour leader Phil Goff said an agreement on Mr Hide’s terms would amount to privatisation. It needs to be passed by February to stop even bigger fee rises. . A spokesman said Maori Party MPs would consider the issue at Tuesday’s caucus meeting.

If talks with ACT fail, National’s other option is to seek Maori Party backing.

A spokesman for Dr Smith declined all comment yesterday, and would not confirm whether any talks with other parties were planned or were under way.

The party is likely to want a softer line on cuts to wage compensation entitlements, especially for seasonal workers.

But Prime Minister John Key said yesterday there were valid arguments to look at the idea, and it was in his party’s policy.

Earlier in the week Dr Smith said consideration of opening the scheme to competition was not a priority. Let’s see how things go. “We haven’t conducted that yet.

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Government insiders confirmed there was some “back and forth” of proposals between National and its support parties