Why are the elderly not respected

1 March 2006

The elderly

The most remarkable observation that an older New Zealander makes when visiting Australia is
that senior citizens as they are called there are actually respected
– they carry a card that classes them as a valued member of the community and
which provides them with certain concessions.

These privileges are not only provided by either the State or Federal governments
but also by a wide range of concessions from private enterprises .

While , recognising that Senior Citizens do have a lower level of discretionary spending than
the general populace they are nevertheless welcomed as customers by most establishments
through discount arrangements.

The discounts made available here in NZ can be counted on one hand
These are mainly from corporates and the government offers nothing to the elderly
Government as owners of the three main SOEs generating electrcity could have their
SOEs discount electricity to the elderly

One has to wonder why the older person is held in such disdain by the general public
but perhaps there is a reason for it in that the general public have been sublimated
over many years to consider the elderly as a burden on the working people living
as they do off the taxes that are paid by those hard workers.

False ideas circulate about how well off the older person is and the following is a common comment
- “I am still working and everyone tells me that there will be no superannuation for me
when I get old and if there is any it will not be anything but a pittance
because it is all going to the old now ”
Two basic concepts need to be understood here

The investment gurus keep telling the public that superannuation is not sustainable
in its present form so if you want to eat and be clothed and warm in your old age
then you had better start saving now if you are not already doing it
and we have just the investment for you
Little cognisance is taken of the fact that except for the fortunate few,
savings are not possible until the children have become educated
and have left home by which time the amount that has to be saved makes life quite difficult.

The public has only a very vague idea about superannuation , how it works and what are the entitlements.
It has been expedient for politicians of all colours and creeds to represent New Zealand Superannuation
for the elderly as being 65% of the average wage without qualifying
that this is the amount paid to a married couple
– that is , each gets 32.5% of the nett average after tax ordinary time weekly wage
and a single person living alone , 46 % of the nett average after tax ordinary time weekly wage

The public perception is that an individual superannuitant each gets 65% of the average wage
so a couple together is better off than a whole section of the workforce.

Politicians do little to clarify this and are quite happy to have the elderly classed as
the greedy oldies feeding of the taxes of the hard working employed members of the populace.

Grey Power has currently 89,333 financial members - the basis of its aims and objectives
is to improve the well-being of the elderly in all aspects of their lives.

However we are required to be non-political as the political allegiances and opinions
of our members cover the entire political spectrum.

We do not and will not tell our members how to vote
- the nearest we get to that stance is to advise our members to look at the policies
of all parties including the minor parties and decide what is best for them .

This stance has elicited some considerable criticism from some media
as looking after our own interests and not the good of the nation , whatever that is.

Essentially this means that we are regrettably unable to mobilise the elderly vote
except in very general terms for to do so we would have to advocate a voting choice.

However we are about to have a paradigm shift in the elderly’s attitudes as the
baby boomers attain the age of entitlement
– the current group of elderly are a very quiet lot having been brought up to consider
purchases only when cash available , to live appropriate to income and not to expect too much.
The baby boomers are used to having what they wish , when they wish,
so will pose a much more militant problem for government
when they actually recognise the paucity of the superannuation payments.

Because we can’t mobilise the elderly vote ,
we have to attack that problem by pointing out that MMP is good for the elderly
as most of the gains have come from coalition or supply and confidence arrangements with minor parties

The following is pertinent

The first National / New Zealand First coalition removed the surcharge on superannuation
– the reason for the founding of Grey Power but since then only one part of our aims
In the last term of the National government the lower level of the band of superannuation
was reduced to 30% to each spouse of a married couple.
The Labour / Alliance coalition restored the lower level of Superannuation to each spouse of a
married couple to the previous 32.5% of the average wage at the beginning of the term
rather than at the end of the term
The Labour / Progressive coalition gave reduced prescription fees
and GP charges to the over 65 age group.
The supply and confidence agreements for the current government gave
- an increased level of NZS to 66% of the average wage for a married couple ,
- a minimum wage of $12.00 per hour
- and the Golden Card for concessions for the elderly
and from United ,
- use of private hospitals to reduce waiting lists where feasible.

It is doubtful that the main political parties do recognise the elderly as a political force
although the minor parties seem to have grasped this fact.

The future however will be the time for the baby boomers to get involved in the movement
and they will be much more demanding, backed by ever increasing numbers.
Much will depend on their financial status and their subsequent attitude to the level of superannuation.

Graham Stairmand ,
President ,
Grey Power New Zealand Federation .

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