Senior Citizens Have No Voice In National Government

Senior Citizens Minister John Carter is gaining a reputation as the “spokesperson who has lost his voice”, says Labour senior citizens spokesperson Ross Robertson.

“As far as John Carter is concerned, it is not so much a deafening silence, but more a defining silence because his lack of voice tells us he is not really interested in senior citizens issues,” Ross Robertson said.

“We are in the midst of a global economic recession, and in a recession one group that is most vulnerable to changes in circumstances is elderly people, who in the main rely solely on government superannuation. “Elderly people in New Zealand need to know they have a strong voice in government. They haven’t got one in John Carter.”

Ross Robertson said that Mr Carter had not issued a single media release relating to senior citizens at the time of the budget or since then, “despite the fact that I know, from speaking to meetings of elderly New Zealanders around the country, that they are worried about the future.

“And then at last week’s social services select committee Vote Senior Citizens estimates hearing, Mr Carter failed to stand up and be counted on issues of social housing and care for the elderly in their homes,” Ross Robertson said.

“Everyone in New Zealand should know by now that Local Government Minister Rodney Hide is preaching his dogma that local authorities should stick to their knitting --- taking away the rubbish and cleaning the drains.

“Where does social housing for elderly people fit into that scary picture? John Carter is Associate Local Government Minister as well as Senior Citizens Minister, but he failed to give the committee any reassurance that council housing for elderly people is a priority for National,” Ross Robertson said.

“And when Mr Carter was asked about care for the elderly in their own homes, or a tightening of access to residential care, he wouldn’t say whether he had discussed these issues with the Health Minister.

“Elderly New Zealanders are right to worry about whether they have a voice in this government. The evidence is building that they don’t.”

ENDS

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