Tetraplegic disputes $30k motel bill
A tetraplegic man is fighting ACC and the Ministry of Social Development over a $30,000 debt, accumulated after he was put up in a motel when there were no suitable homes with wheelchair access.
Both organisations stopped funding the motel even though John Horsfield, 53, had nowhere else to go. He was thrown from a scooter in February 2015, while travelling at 70 kilometres an hour.
”I landed squarely on my back. If I had rolled I would’ve broken my arms and legs,” he said.
Ministry of Social Development regional commissioner Gagau Annandale-Stone said Horsfield didn’t qualify for emergency housing support, because he had significant cash assets, including a large ACC pay-out. “We advised John that we were no longer able to make the emergency grant non-recoverable, and he would need to pay it back,” he said.
Poll: Do you think NZ should ban social media for youth?
The Australian Prime Minister has expressed plans to ban social media use for children.
This would make it illegal for under 16-year-olds to have accounts on platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X.
Social media platforms would be tasked with ensuring children have no access (under-age children and their parents wouldn’t be penalised for breaching the age limit)
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Do you think NZ should follow suit? Vote in our poll and share your thoughts below.
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0% Other - I'll share below
Paint it orange with Resene for Arthritis NZ!
Buy any orange Resene testpot 60 ml at your local Resene owned ColorShop in November and Resene will donate $1 to Arthritis NZ!
The more orange testpots you buy, the more will be donated.
$100 Briscoes winners
Congrats to our winners of the $100 Briscoes vouchers:
Miriam Comans from Hataitai
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If you're a winner, get in touch here before 20th November.
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