Denis O’Rourke MP

Spokesperson for Justice
28 March 2013

Website Paints NZ as a Pensioners’ Paradise for Elderly Chinese

New Zealand is being painted as a pensioners’ paradise by the largest Chinese website in the country which questions whether the Government is being “stupid” for dishing out “a fat pension for foreigners”.

An article on skykiwi.com says elderly parents of Chinese immigrants with New Zealand residency should “come to NZ despite making no contribution, to enjoy a ‘heavenly’ retirement”.

It goes on to say that “the NZ pension system provides foreigners with the same entitlements as its own citizens”.

These entitlements include access to full New Zealand Superannuation for parent migrants who have lived here for just 10 years – regardless of whether they’ve worked during that time or not.

Parent category migrants also receive the benefits of New Zealand’s taxpayer-funded free health care system which is already under considerable stress.

New Zealand First MP Denis O’Rourke says it is clear that the Government is viewed as a soft touch in China, and probably in other countries around the world, over its migrant pension policy.

“The question asked in the article was whether the Government is being ‘stupid’ in allowing foreigners full access to our pension scheme.

“Allowing thousands of elderly foreigners into the country to take advantage of our pension and health schemes is more than just stupid – it is financially reckless.

“The sooner the Government adopts our policy to cap parent migrant category to 20 per cent of skilled immigrants from any country, the better for all New Zealanders,” says Mr O’Rourke.

ENDS

Attached: Link to the original article and the English translation.

http://news.skykiwi.com/na/zh/2013-03-14/156537.shtml

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