The Herald asked Dawson why it was deemed necessary to incur the additional expenses, amounting to almost $200,000, to secure Main\u2019s early departure by just a few months, especially at a time when the organisation was trying to control costs and defend those measures to New Zealanders.<\/p>\n
ACC spokeswoman Megan Heffield replied: \u201cACC has nothing additional to add to the information provided in the OIA response.\u201d<\/p>\n
ACC board chairwoman Jan Dawson refused to explain why the public insurer swallowed costs of almost $200,000 to secure chief executive Megan Main’s early departure.<\/p>\n
On July 28, Main told the Herald in an interview that her early departure was by longstanding agreement and had been announced in December last year.<\/p>\n
She said the earlier date worked for her and her family and that, since a turnaround plan for the agency was in place, it was the right time to hand over the reins<\/a>.<\/p>\n Main did not respond to the Herald\u2019s questions this week, including a request to explain the payment made in lieu of notice.<\/p>\n The interview <\/p>\n In the July interview, the Herald asked Main: \u201cDo you get compensated for leaving early, which is to say paid for longer than you\u2019re working, outside of holiday and the usual?\u201d<\/p>\n Main replied: \u201cNo. No. I announced back in December that I was finishing up early, so that\u2019s, that\u2019s, that\u2019s the story.\u201d<\/p>\n The Herald again asked: \u201cSo there\u2019s not an exit payment of any kind associated with that departure?\u201d Main replied: \u201cNo. No.\u201d<\/p>\n No announcement was made either by Main or the ACC last December indicating that Main would leave before her contract ended in November.<\/p>\n ACC issued a press release in mid-December; it announced Main\u2019s decision not to seek reappointment<\/a> when her five-year term ended in late 2026.<\/p>\n The cost of an interim chief executive<\/p>\n Main\u2019s salary in the fiscal year 2024-25, the last year for which it has been disclosed, was $714,000.<\/p>\n ACC deputy chief executive Stewart McRobie became acting chief executive when Main left. He has received a \u201chigher duties allowance\u201d in this role.<\/p>\n ACC did not disclose the value of that allowance, but said McRobie\u2019s salary, including the allowance, was an annualised $570,138.<\/p>\n New hire Sid Miller took up the top job at the agency on Monday.<\/p>\n A turnaround plan<\/p>\n At the end of last year, ACC\u2019s net deficit was $1.5 billion, and its outstanding claims liability was a whopping $63.6b, which eclipsed the $51.1b investment scheme intended to meet the cost.<\/p>\n By many measures, the agency has been in decline<\/a> for more than a decade.<\/p>\nACC Minister Scott Simpson said the hefty departure payment made to CEO Megan Main was a matter for the agency’s board to explain. Photo \/ NZME<\/p>\n