ACC minister Nick Smith says he has been careful not to personally criticise ACC board members, but the board must accept responsibility for the corporation's financial position.
The Labour Party is critical of Dr Smith for gagging the board, while at the same time publicly criticising its financial management.
The minister this week sacked the chairman and will appoint a new board before the end of March.
Dr Smith says the board can rightly be held accountable for its part in ACC's financial woes.
Last week, the Government said ACC's liabilities were almost $22 billion - more than double its assets.
Dr Smith said ACC's costs rose by 12% a year under the previous Labour-led government, from $1.4 billion in 2000 to $3.2 billion now.
