New members join ACC Board

ACC Minister Ruth Dyson today welcomed two new members, Dr Janice Wright and David Collins QC, to the board of the Accident Compensation Corporation.

Dr Janice Wright is a Wellington-based economist, specialising in risk analysis, economic evaluations, estimation and risk management. Janice has worked in many areas of the government sector, with a particular interest in health economics. She joined the ACC board in August.

David Collins, QC, is a practising lawyer with a strong professional and academic interest in ACC. He is currently chair of the ministerial advisory panel on work related gradual process, disease or infection. Dr Collins is an honorary member of Victoria University Faculty of Law, vice-president of the New Zealand Law Society and a member of the Wellington Crown Prosecution Panel. He joined the board in October.

“Janice Wright and David Collins have a wealth of economic, health and legal experience that will prove invaluable to the governance of ACC,” Ruth Dyson said.

“I warmly welcome these two new members to the board. I look forward to their contribution to ACC which has been invigorated by the government’s restoration of a public, comprehensive accident compensation scheme and our new focus on injury prevention, rehabilitation and compensation.”

The new members take over from Noeline Munro, chair of ACC's investment committee, and ACC deputy chair Anthony Ractliffe, who also chaired the audit committee. Both have served six years on the board.

“I want to thank the outgoing members for their untiring support and guidance during their time on the board,” Ms Dyson said.

ACC board members are appointed for three years, with the opportunity to be reappointed for a further three years.

Current ACC board members are David Caygill (chair) Ray Potroz (who begins a second three-year term this month), Tord Kjellstrom, Gregory Fortuin, Brenda Tahi, Eion Edgar, Janice Wright and David Collins.