I congratulate the government on their willingness to deal with this issue, one that has been consistently ignored by the many National governments before it.

I would also like to congratulate the government on its unfounded optimism of the economy, so much optimism that it is willing to place the future retirement plans of an entire generation at the whim of market forces!

The scheme requires heavy investment of taxpayer money, which of course is directly linked to Gross Domestic Product. Who is to say that when the economy takes a turn for the worst, the money set aside for your pension plan will not be used to prop up the economy?

Not only this, but what's to say that when you go into retirement the government has big capital investments on its mind and so cuts your pension, after all old pensioners are a group that has been consistently ripped off but politicians since 1990.

And if super is cut you have no legal way of opposing this change, you've just lost your retirement plan! The fact is that consumers have more security under the consumer guarantees act than they do from government promises.

Which is why the government should encourage us all to invest in private super schemes rather than gamble their future away on some government plan that could be cancelled at any moment.

Don't leave super up to market forces, get a government scheme in place that GUARANTEES that there will be a comfortable retirement awaiting the younger generation.

Ross Paterson is the Leader of the New Zealand Liberation Party and spokesperson on Social Security. Contact him at ross@nzliberation.cjb.net

Visit the NZ Liberation Party website at:

http://www.nzliberation.cjb.net

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