GOLDEN CARD FOR A GOLDEN AGE

A "golden age card" for people over 65 is a feature of the New Zealand First policy
for senior citizens announced by Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters recently.

The new electronic card will record the holder's entitlements and guarantee the following:

A retirement income that will never fall below 65 percent of the Net Average Wage for
married couples and incrementally move towards 72.5 percent.

A comprehensive review of the method by which superannuation is calculated to overcome historical anomalies.
A rise in the April 2006 adjustment to 68 percent of the Net Average Wage, for married couples.
This is an increase of $18 a week for couples.
Singles will rise by just over $10 a week.

Change the rebate for non-qualified spouses to bring it into line with
the widows and domestic purposes benefits.

Reduced medical and pharmaceutical costs for senior citizens irrespective of location.

Transport concessions which will make public transport travel more affordable
for senior citizens.

Reduced line charges for power, gas and telephones.

Savings incentives through generous interest rate schemes for seniors through
New Zealand owned financial institutions.

Raise the level of rates rebates available and the qualifying income and
require local authorities to publicise this scheme on rate demands.

A voluntary discount scheme where the private sector is encouraged to provide
enhanced services to our valued senior citizens.

In addition to the golden age card New Zealand First will address other areas of
serious concern for senior citizens.

These include:

• More funding for the eldercare sector, including specific funding
  ring-fenced for the wages of caregivers in the sector.
• A review of the size, structure and location of the future demands
  of the eldercare sector to ensure appropriate forward planning for our ageing population.
• Assure equity of access to health and disabilities services by
  removing income and asset testing for older people needing long stay
  geriatric hospital care and
  removing asset testing for long stay geriatric private hospital care.
• Implement and enforce national standards for geriatric home care.
• Provide more funds and reduced waiting times for elective surgery.
• Ensure that senior citizens receive greater recognition for the
  thousands of hours of voluntary services they perform in the community and
  provide opportunities for paid contributions that do not affect their superannuation payments.
• Ensure that where grandparents provide for their grandchildren
  under circumstances similar to foster care they receive appropriate benefits.

Mr Peters said that after years of deception over superannuation levels by other parties
New Zealand First was committed to providing a better future for senior citizens.

"Governments cannot protect citizens from all the vicissitudes of life, but there are
some things that the state can provide such as a basic income that allows
older people to live in dignity and comfort.

"We want this golden age card to become a universal symbol of the value of our seniors."

Mr Peters said the estimated cost of the policies would be nominally around $700million,
but in reality much less because the money would be spent in the local economy.

"We know how to fund this. It represents just over 0.6 percent of present government spending, "said Mr Peters.

"The size of the bureaucracy has exploded since Labour came to office,
with much of this involved in politically correct claptrap and it can be eliminated."

"We have deliberately not gone into Labour's big surplus to pay for our seniors policy.
Instead, we intend trimming a little government fat and redirect and reprioritise some
spending more effectively to get a better outcome for all.

"This policy announced today shows there is still one party in Parliament
that cares about senior citizens," said Mr Peters.

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