Rt Hon Winston Peters
New Zealand First Leader
Member of Parliament for Northland
15 JUNE 2017

PM’s Pension Portability Bribe Not Fooling Anyone

Prime Minister Bill English is treating New Zealanders and pensioners living in Realm countries as imbeciles if he thinks they will be fooled by his latest election year bribe, says New Zealand First.

“For years, those in Realm countries have pleaded for the right to pick up their NZ Super without the ‘five years back in NZ rule’, but National has flat out ignored them until now,” says New Zealand First Leader and Member of Parliament for Northland Rt Hon Winston Peters.

“The Cook Islands Prime Minister Henry Puna even flew over in 2015 to make a submission, amongst hundreds of others, at the Social Services Select Committee then chaired by chastened National MP Alfred Ngaro. But National couldn’t have cared less.

“In May this year, New Zealand First has promised to give retired, or near retireds, in the Realm countries, Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau, the right to pick up their NZ Super without the ‘five years back in NZ rule’ being so unfairly applied to them, as has been the case under National.

“In contrast, Mr English’s promise to merely look into the matter provided National is re-elected in September, shows they are not serious and disingenuous about this issue.

“It is an abject disgrace that for years the National Party has been saying we can’t afford to do this for a few hundred people, yet they give full NZ Super, and all its benefits, to over 87,000 who have come to this country after just 10 years residence here, whether they have made any contribution or not.

“New Zealand First is serious about this issue and we are the only party with a track record on NZ Super that can be trusted,” says Mr Peters.

ENDS

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