Rt Hon Winston Peters
New Zealand First Leader
30 MAY 2014

No Good Reason to Wait For Return to 10-Year Passport

There is no good reason to wait for a return to a 10-year passport and Prime Minister John Key should immediately make the New Zealand passport valid for 10 years and reduce the cost, says New Zealand First

“This government is dilly dallying around as usual, can’t make its mind up and calling for all sorts of reports, they should just get on with the job,” says New Zealand First Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters.

“Prime Minister John Key has had nearly six years to deal with this, but no doubt he ’overlooked’ any changes as it is such a money spinner,” says Mr Peters.

A parliamentary select committee has recommended a return to 10-year passports. New Zealand changed to five-year passports following the September 11, 2001, attacks in New York.
New Zealand First has led the call for a cut in passport fees ( 8 April 2012, 31 October 2012) and an end to the rip-off in which Kiwis pay for a five-year passport but get less than four and a half years use because they must renew it before it is six months from expiry.
“We have always said that that is bureaucratic highway robbery, it is plain to see.
“It’s time also to make the price a fairer deal for Kiwis. The New Zealand passport is still more costly in comparison to other countries,” says Mr Peters.
ENDS

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