United New Zealand leader, Hon Peter Dunne, strongly supports Age Concern’s call to mark International Day of Older Persons that New Zealand develop a national plan on ageing.

He says that has been a consistent priority for United since 1996, and remains so today.

“As part of the Government in 1996, United established the Prime Ministerial Task Force on Positive Ageing, as a first step towards the development of such a national plan.”

“Our own comprehensive Golden Plan for Positive Ageing released earlier this year builds on the work of the Task Force and remains the only full strategy prepared by any Party in the lead-up to this year’s election,” he says.

Mr Dunne says United’s Golden Plan is based on the United Nations Regional Plan for Ageing that Age Concern has helped develop for the Asia Pacific region.

“United’s Golden Plan commits us to:

 Improve the integration of health and social services for older people, and require the Retirement Commissioner to report to Parliament every three years on all policies affecting senior citizens.
 Work with non-governmental agencies on policy development for older people.
 Promote income security by working with the Retirement Commissioner to develop a fair and sustainable universal superannuation scheme, and regularly review income and asset testing levels for long term health and residential care services.
 Oppose the re-introduction of death duties, or any taxes on inheritances
 Establish a new Accord on Positive Ageing to replace the previous Multi-Party Accord on Superannuation. The new Accord will aim to achieve a political and economic consensus on the range of issues affecting older people.
 Introduce a community volunteer tax rebate as both a financial incentive and a recognition of the contribution of older people to our society
 Introduce extended reciprocal pension portability to support New Zealand citizens and migrants living here.
 Back a national publicity campaign to change attitudes to older workers and improve their opportunities to be involved in work, training and educational and cultural opportunities.
 Give statutory protection to the legal rights of ageing New Zealanders through the Human Rights Act and United’s Citizen’s Charter,” Mr Dunne says.
ENDS

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