Bikers fired up against proposed ACC levy increases

Their roar of indignation could well be louder than the roar of their bikes as South Canterbury motorcyclists prepare to protest against possible ACC levy increases.

Bikers Rights Organisation of New Zealand (Bronz) members are planning a protest ride through Timaru on October 31. There is also talk of petitions and visits to politicians in light of the suggested changes to ACC levies which could mean owners registering a 126cc to 600cc bike would have to pay $511 a year, more than double the current fee of $252. Owners of bigger bikes could be paying $745 a year, up from the present ACC levy of $252.

Timaru Bronz president Morris Jones asked which planet the bureaucrats were on to come up with such suggestions. As a motorcyclist with a 40-year accident free record, the proposed fee increases irk him. He asked whether there was a secret agenda to get motorcyclists off the road.

"I am beginning to understand how a minority or ethnic group feels when they are discriminated against," he said, suggesting the proposed levy increase was " sheer and outright discrimination against motorcyclists".

He said he did not know of any Timaru Bronz member in the past decade who had required ACC assistance for an injury they had caused, although there had been some injured and killed by other motorists.

Although the ACC system was set up as a no-blame system, he considered motorcyclists were being asked to pay for ACC's problems.

"The bureaucrats have once again made a blunder in running this department into the ground and obliviously expect by just throwing more money at it, it will solve the issue, and by picking on a small ... group of motorcyclists, it might go some way to alleviate some of their bad decision-making policies."

Mr Jones said that with ACC levies going up, vehicle ownership was starting to become a luxury.

If the changes go through, his own ACC levies – for his work car, the family car, his bike and the campervan – would double to $2000. He said taking out his own insurance would be cheaper.

The Government has published a draft bill to enact the ACC changes announced on Wednesday but it is still looking for support to get the bill through a first reading in Parliament.