Guy Nathan: Social Assistance (Payment of New Zealand Superannuation and Veterans Pension Overseas) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
Guy Nathan: Social Assistance (Payment of New Zealand Superannuation and Veterans Pension Overseas) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:653;Page:2257] 
NATHAN GUY (National—Otaki) 
: 
 It is a great privilege to rise and take a call in the first reading of the Social Assistance (Payment of New Zealand Superannuation and Veteran’s Pension Overseas) Amendment Bill. It is a very exciting bill for the constituents of the Otaki electorate because we have the highest number of people aged over 65 per capita of all electorates across New Zealand. Indeed like many of the previous speakers in this evening’s debate who have been lobbied by their own constituents for me this is an important bill which the National Party is supporting in Government. I commend the good work of the Minister for Social Development and Employment the Hon Paula Bennett for bringing the bill into the House this evening. 
I will make a couple of points. There are currently about 20000 superannuitants under this regime who are paid a New Zealand pension or benefit while living overseas. These changes will benefit approximately 500 veterans per year. The cost is somewhere in the order of $6 million to $7 million over 4 years. This bill is extremely important. When members actually step back from the bill and think about the contributions that these people have made in their lives whether it is through bringing up a family supporting their children paying taxes or making a contribution to society we ask why those people in their twilight years should not be given the opportunity to travel and collect their superannuation while they are overseas. 
The important point is that quite a bit of this work is happening already but the Government wants to make some further progressive steps to ensure that those veterans or pensioners who travel overseas will be able to collect this in a greater form. We currently have temporary absence provisions for those who are overseas for 26 weeks. We also have provisions for those who make a contribution to aid work. We have the social security agreement that is currently in place with countries like Australia the Netherlands Ireland Greece Jersey Guernsey Canada and Denmark. Indeed New Zealand superannuitants residing in the UK are entitled to the UK State pension. 
The other important area that I wish to make a contribution on this evening is the special portability arrangement whereby payment can be made at a rate of around 50 to 100 percent while the superannuitant intends to live for 52 weeks or more in 22 of the specified Pacific countries. I do not wish to name those 22 Pacific countries but there are a whole variety of them across the Pacific. 
In summing up I say that this is a very busy Government. Indeed it will be a very busy Social Services Committee that will work hard on this bill and hopefully report back to the House towards the end of the year. This side of the House wishes to support this bill which is particularly favourable to those superannuitants and veterans pensioners across New Zealand. That is why I commend this bill to the House in its first reading this evening. 
Bill read a first time.  
Bill referred to the Social Services Committee.