Anderton Jim: General Debates 
Anderton Jim: General Debates 
[Volume:617;Page:12854] 
Hon JIM ANDERTON (Minister for Economic Development) 
: 
 My Labour coalition colleagues have talked of the disgraceful plans National has to take us into unilaterally declared foreign wars and put us under the nuclear umbrella which the vast majority of New Zealanders do not want. I want however this afternoon to discuss one other issue dear to the hearts of most New Zealanders. I want to talk about retirement income or the right to retire with dignity and in a degree of comfort. 
In 1991 I was the sole member of the independent progressive party in this Parliament at the time NewLabour. I went to a seminar sponsored by the then National Government and addressed by Treasury. In 1991 members may recall we had a National Government with Minister of Finance Ruth Richardson—an ideological ally of the current National leader. Let me tell the House this afternoon what Treasury was considering for retirement income when its political master was Ruth Richardson so the House can know what Treasury would be doing if Don Brash were ever in charge of the show around here. 
In June 1991 Treasury was writing reports to the Minister of Finance of the day Ruth Richardson looking at the fiscal savings that could be made by raising the age of eligibility to national superannuation to 75 years. [ 
Interruption 
] That is right. National was looking at raising the age of superannuation to 75 years of age. That would be a fiscal saving because most people—Pakeha males Maori females and Maori males—would never live long enough to collect it. I remember saying that to Treasury people and they just smiled—what a good idea! It is a policy that would steal the right to retire in dignity. It would be an attack on the system of values that is absolutely fundamental to the overwhelming majority of New Zealanders. 
In 1991 Treasury examined the option of raising the age of superannuation entitlement to 75 to be introduced finally by April 2000. So by now if Dr Brash and others had had their way we would have a retirement age of 75 as we speak. Government officials do not do these studies out of academic interest. They do them because their political masters consider them worthy of examination. I have the briefing papers with me to the then Minister of Finance Ruth Richardson and to the Minister of Social Welfare at the time and I intend to table them in the House. 
Recently there was an Official Information Act request to Treasury because I had said I was opposed to Treasury’s proposal in 1991 under the then National Government to the retirement age being lifted to 72. The Business Roundtable took an Official Information Act request thinking that I was exaggerating what I had said. Well I was under-exaggerating. It was actually 75. My recollection was that it was 72. I would not have dreamt of saying to anybody that it was 75 because I would not have thought that anyone would be silly enough to put “75” but they were. When I read the papers I found I had actually understated it—it was 75 not 72. 
It is interesting that the Business Roundtable sought an Official Information Act request. The request was sent to the Business Roundtable last week and I have not heard a word. Basically the Business Roundtable thought I was exaggerating—72 could not possibly be true but no it was 75! I am glad the Business Roundtable actually asked because I had forgotten how bad it really was. 
National will not only be on the back foot regarding unilaterally declared foreign wars nuclear umbrellas and Kiwibank during next year’s election it will have to explain why it does not accept the commitment of most Kiwis to a policy to deliver retirement with dignity in our own country. National will have to explain why Don Brash said this to the Catching the Knowledge Wave conference: “New Zealand will need to gradually raise the age at which people become eligible for New Zealand super reflecting the gradual increase in life expectancy and improved health among the elderly.” So as we improve the health of the elderly and they live longer we are going to make sure they do not get superannuation because we are going to lift the age of entitlement! That was Dr Brash when he was Governor of the Reserve Bank. He has said similar things recently. He has not changed his view. The campaign will be fought on issues such as that and I look forward to it. Make our day!