Paula Rebstock is the new chairman of New Zealand’s Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC), where she will be joined by three new board members in a shake-up following a privacy breach.

Ms Rebstock has been interim chairman since John Judge, two other directors and the CEO left in June after the personal details of more than 6700 claimants were sent to a client in dispute with the ACC. She is also chairman of the Insurance and Savings Ombudsman Commission.

The new board members are Trevor Janes (Deputy Chairman), Des Gorman and Kristy McDonald QC. They join three existing directors. One more director will be named later in the year.

The NZ Privacy Commissioner has criticised the ACC for its handling of claimants’ personal details.

ACC Minister Judith Collins says the appointments “underline the Government’s commitment to genuine culture change and will lead to a more balanced and comprehensive approach to the governance and operation of the ACC”.

Mr Janes is a financial adviser and consultant to the public and private sectors. Professor Gorman is Professor of Medicine at the University of Auckland and Ms McDonald has served as chairman of the Mental Health Review Tribunal for 10 years. She has practised in criminal, public and administrative law.