Salesa JennyANNA LORCK (Labour—Tukituki): Thank you Madam Speaker. Well we've heard it officially: National is increasing the age of super to 67. This means that people aged 65 and 66 are going to have put their bodies on the line—their bodies on the line—for two years to pay for Chris Luxon's tax cuts. They're going to pay for Mr Bayly's tax cuts because the hard-working New Zealanders those who work hard have been told today by the National Opposition that they don't deserve the pension. If you're 65 you miss out; if you're 66 you miss out—you have to wait till you're 67. Looking to the future we must always care and look after our older people so they can retire with dignity. And this is why Labour has made a commitment to make sure that we have no changes to the rate of the entitlement age for New Zealand superannuation because we believe—this Government believes—that people of 65 and over are worth it.This is sadly in stark contrast to the Opposition National Party in outlining frankly what must be the only plan I have heard from the National Party. The only plan they've got for the future is to raise the pension age. And let's not forget they don't want to put any more money into the Superannuation Fund either. And let's not forget another thing about the National Party: they were against KiwiSaver—that's right they were against KiwiSaver. So they're not in it about looking after people in retirement. Not at all.Now it was a brutal blow when they cut contributions to the Cullen fund—$20 billion lost over a decade—but that's what a conservative bunch they are. This decision to not put any money into the Cullen fund is something they're going to do again. The super fund is a long-term investment funding a global portfolio. It's an approach to help smooth out the cost of superannuation between today's taxpayers and future generations. And this is what we're here to talk about: the future.Our commitment is keeping the superannuation age at 65. It's also why we started back the contributions to the New Zealand super fund to ensure the sustainability of superannuation and the current retirement age. This New Zealand super fund has posted its strongest result ever. It increased it by 29.63 percent ending this financial year at $59.8 billion—an increase of $15 billion over the last 12 months.Now as the local member for Tukituki it's very important that I actually talk about the types of investment that the super fund does because right in my electorate—for example take Turners and Growers' global partnership with the New Zealand super fund and an innovative alliance to invest in Envy Apples one of New Zealand's premium and delicious export apples—they invested in 40 hectares on Hawke's Bay orchards right in the heart of Hastings. But oh no oh no National wouldn't do that. National aren't into investment they're not into growth and opportunity—that's not what they're here for. They're here to lift the superannuation age to 67 where all of those hard-working people are going to have to work for another two years to pay for the tax cuts of people who earn over $180000 a year. Mr Luxon he's going to get his $8000 bonus in tax cuts at the expense—at the expense—of people having to now wait another two years for their pension.Now if we keep investing in the New Zealand super fund by 2030 we're going to have at least $109 billion in that fund—$109 billion in a decade. Imagine what we'll have by 2040. And as this report shows New Zealand currently spends considerably less on pensions than the OECD average. And as with other advanced countries this percentage is likely to increase in future years and we are well aware of the long-term pressures associated with an ageing population but that doesn't mean you just up the pension age. This is why we have committed to ongoing contributions to the New Zealand super fund—we don't believe that raising the age of eligibility would be equitable.Remember we have introduced a Māori Health Authority to help because we have a Māori population who are dying younger—dying younger—than our population. So this is why we need to invest. And as this report shows transitioning to a retirement age of 67 does not actually solve the problem.Now the second point I would like to make is this:Hon Gerry Brownlee: That's it nothing. Nothing at all.ANNA LORCK: And that speaks volumes; silence speaks volumes. Nothing. Nothing at all." Mr Brownlee because that's what we hear from the National Opposition—you have no plan for the future. You never ever ever come in and say your plan for the future; the only plan you've got—the only plan you've got Mr Brownlee—is to increase the pension age to 67.Now this speech is about the future and I just got off a Zoom call hearing my daughter's school report and talking to her teacher via Zoom. That's technology. Kieran McAnulty: Was it a good report?ANNA LORCK: It's fantastic—fantastic. And that's technology though because the future is about innovation. The future is about having ideas and entrepreneurship number eight wire thinking—that's what this future should be about. And that's why this Government has a plan—we've put climate change right in the front we are backing Kiwis we are backing business and we are backing our older generation because we will keep the super age at 65. We believe that it is absolutely imperative that we look after our older generation. And that's the exciting future that people know from this Government a Labour Government who are putting people first. Thank you Madam Speaker.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jenny Salesa): The question is that the motion be agreed to.Motion agreed to.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jenny Salesa): I declare the House in committee for further consideration of the Appropriation (2020/21 Confirmation and Validation) Bill and the COVID-19 Response (Courts Safety) Legislation Bill."