How and why we can help
A&E Advocacy is an independent, Hamilton‑based advocacy service providing clear, practical, and confidential support for people navigating ACC disputes and employment conflict. The service is built on more than a decade of frontline, managerial, and policy‑level experience inside the very systems clients are trying to understand — ACC and Employment Mediation.
I founded A&E Advocacy to give individuals a fair, informed, and steady voice when dealing with complex, high‑stakes situations. I bring a unique combination of 12 years inside ACC, 3.5 years as a Regional Manager leading MBIE’s Employment Mediation Service, and a formal legal qualification from the University of Waikato.
My background means I understand not just the rules, but the culture, pressures, and decision‑making processes inside these agencies — insight that helps clients feel prepared, supported, and heard.
ACC Expertise (12 years)
My career at ACC spanned operational, leadership, and executive‑level support roles, giving me a 360‑degree understanding of how ACC makes decisions and resolves disputes. Key roles included:
- Private Secretary to the Minister for ACC — supporting ministerial decision‑making, briefings, and high‑level issue management
- Support to ACC General Managers — working directly with senior leadership on strategy, operations, and complex case matters
- Lead of Frontline Complaints Resolution Teams — managing teams responsible for resolving client complaints quickly and fairly
- Lead of Complaints Investigation Teams — overseeing formal investigations into escalated or sensitive matters
This experience means I know how ACC interprets legislation, how decisions are escalated, and what evidence or arguments genuinely influence outcomes.
Employment Dispute Expertise (MBIE)
Before founding A&E Advocacy, I served as the Regional Manager for MBIE’s Employment Mediation Service for 3.5 years. In this role, I was responsible for:
- Overseeing mediators across the Central and Southern Regions
- Ensuring high‑quality, independent dispute resolution
- Managing complex or high‑risk employment matters
- Supporting both employers and employees through the mediation process
This gives me deep insight into how employment disputes are assessed, negotiated, and resolved — and how to prepare clients for mediation in a way that reduces stress and improves outcomes.
Legal Qualification
I hold a formal qualification in law from the University of Waikato, providing a strong foundation in statutory interpretation, rights‑based frameworks, and procedural fairness. While I do not act as a lawyer, this legal grounding strengthens my advocacy work and ensures clients receive accurate, principled guidance.
How I Work
A&E Advocacy is built on three core principles:
Clarity — translating complex maters into plain language
Fairness — ensuring clients understand their rights and options
Respect — supporting people through stressful and often emotional processes
I take a calm, structured, and evidence‑based approach to every case. Whether you’re challenging an ACC decision or facing an employment dispute, you’ll have someone beside you who understands the system from the inside.
What I Can Help With
- ACC disputes
- ACC cover and entitlement challenges
- Employment conflict
- Preparation for mediation
- Support during difficult conversations
