NZ First Announces Senior Rates and Healthcare Relief

New Zealand First has announced it will press for rates relief to be extended to retirement villages and continue pushing for health insurance to be tax deductible for SuperGold card holders.

Rt Hon Winston Peters says at present local authorities allow a means tested rates relief scheme for senior citizens living in their own homes but people living in retirement villages miss out because it is regarded as a company operation.

"This is another form of discrimination against the elderly. Those in retirement villages have to pay rates like everybody else so they should be eligible for the rates relief scheme.

"New Zealand First will make this change a matter of priority for those with SuperGold cards."

Mr Peters has also announced he will be pushing his party's policy of making healthcare insurance tax deductible for SuperGold card holders.

"Health insurance gets very expensive for older people and many have to give it up because of the cost.

"This is unfortunate because healthcare becomes a problem for many older people and they end up on the tail end of long waiting lists.

"Making the healthcare premiums tax deductible is not the total answer but every little bit helps and New Zealand First realizes that," says Mr Peters.

ENDS

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