Rt Hon Winston Peters
Associate Minister for Senior Citizens

5 April 2007

Social Security (Entitlement Cards) Amendment Bill

Madame Speaker, I move that the Social Security (Entitlement Cards) Amendment Bill be now read a second time.

This Bill is the next stage in the process of making the SuperGold Card, announced last year, a reality.

This Card was a centrepiece of New Zealand First’s election campaign, where we were the only party to offer such an initiative, and is currently a critical part of our confidence and supply agreement with the Government.

We are pleased that it has progressed to this point and look forward to seeing the Bill become a reality.

The purpose of the Bill is to enable the full effect to be given to our intentions with regard to the SuperGold Card.

Madame Speaker, I am pleased to report to the House that the Social Services Committee has recommended that the Bill be passed and has reported it back to the House without amendments.

I would like to thank the Social Services Committee for its prompt consideration of the Bill. I would also like to thank those who made submissions.

We now call on all parties in this House to support the Bill through its final stages.

The SuperGold Card is aimed at improving the lot of the more than 540,000 New Zealand residents who are aged 65 or over, or who otherwise qualify for and receive New Zealand Superannuation, including those receiving the non-qualified spouse entitlement, or a Veteran’s Pension.

The card will be available from August 2007, and will enable seniors to access discounts from participating businesses, while facilitating easy access to Government and local authority concessions, entitlements, and services.

This type of one stop shop approach is long overdue and will be of huge benefit to seniors.

The feedback from our senior's community to date has been extremely positive and there is an air of expectation surrounding its August launch.

Part One of the Bill makes two amendments to section 132A of the Social Security Act 1964. This section of the Act enables regulations to be made for the issue and use of entitlement cards.

The first amendment in Part One will allow regulations to be made allowing for cardholder photographs to be placed on entitlement cards. This will enable the government to provide cardholders with the choice of having their photo on the SuperGold Card, which will be useful for those who do not have photo ID.

The second amendment in Part One will, in time, enable regulations to be made allowing for microchip technology to be embedded in entitlement cards.

This microchip would contain the same information that is currently able to be stored on a magnetic strip, but in a more secure form of technology. In essence, the provision future-proofs the capability and capacity of the SuperGold Card.

While there has been some resistance and hesitation to the use of chip technology, I can assure members that our seniors have nothing to fear from this development.

The reality is that many seniors have already embraced this technology. If they have a current passport they will already be using chip technology.

Many loyalty card and travel discount card are already making the transition to this technology, if they have not already.

The banking sector is moving towards chip technology, primarily because it is more secure, and when this occurs, then very quickly magnetic strip technology will be redundant.

In fact, this technology is now the status quo even here in Parliament.
Every member of this House, and all of our staff, are using chip technology in our new security system, again replacing magnetic strips.

So it would be a cruel, duplicitous standard for MPs to embrace the advantages of this new technology and then to deny it to our seniors' community.

This should be viewed as a positive step – one that will bring our seniors into the 21st century.

Part Two of the Bill amends schedule 1A of the Births, Deaths, and Marriages Registration Act 1995.

This amendment will allow births, deaths, and marriages information to be used by the Ministry of Social Development to verify entitlement to the SuperGold Card.

The SuperGold Card is an important initiative that will provide tangible benefits that will make a real difference to the lives of senior citizens.

It recognises the myriad of contributions they have made, currently make, and will go on making to New Zealand society. Put simply – it is because they deserve it.

The Card will be sent automatically to people who receive New Zealand Superannuation or a Veteran’s Pension, with a special version for veterans with war and emergency service.

The Card will be of a credit card size, it will carry the cardholder’s name and client number, and it will indicate whether that person receives New Zealand Superannuation, a Veteran’s Pension, or Community Services Card benefits.

It will replace the Community Services Card and the NZ Super Card for senior citizens. People who currently hold these cards will be able to access their entitlements through the new SuperGold Card.

There will be a dedicated SuperGold Card website, and a 0800 phone number. Currently a freephone number – 0800 25 45 65 – is in operation for those wishing to make enquires about the card.

Once in place, a printed directory will promote the range of concessions and discounts available to cardholders across the country from central government, local authorities, and businesses.

The amendments contained in the Bill will add to the value of the SuperGold Card by maximising its potential uses, including offering cardholders the option of including their photograph on the card. This is a great development for our seniors.

Madame Speaker, I commend this Bill to the House.

ENDS

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