26 MAY 2016

Budget 2016: Supergold Travel Funding Inadequate, a Smokescreen

The $40 million in Budget 2016 for the SuperGold Card amounts to only $10 million a year for off-peak travel.

“It is an exercise in deception, it won’t cover the actual cost,” says New Zealand First Leader and Northland Member of Parliament, Rt Hon Winston Peters.

“The end result will be local ratepayers will end up topping up the cost.

“The Budget funding is spread over four years, while 29,000 people are becoming eligible for the SuperGold Card each year.

“The government has little respect for seniors and is intent on scrapping the SuperGold Card as well as free-off peak travel for seniors in our main centres.
“Local councils will have to make up the shortfalls in their areas.

“If it wasn’t for the pressure of one political party - New Zealand First - there would be even more sustained attacks on supernnauitants and the SuperGold Card.”

ENDS