Brown Peter: New Zealand Superannuation and Veterans’ Pensions (Entitlements of Spouses and Partners of People in  Long-term Residential Care and Remedial Matters) Bill — In Committee 
Brown Peter: New Zealand Superannuation and Veterans’ Pensions (Entitlements of Spouses and Partners of People in  Long-term Residential Care and Remedial Matters) Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:631;Page:3104] 
PETER BROWN (Deputy Leader—NZ First) 
: 
 I recognise that the Hon Clayton Cosgrove who has just resumed his seat has made a worthwhile contribution; he has outlined a number of facts. But I advise him to hang on to his halo for a little bit longer because I ask members who introduced the superannuation surcharge. It was of course the Labour Government. Members will recall that in 1990 the Rt Hon Jim Bolger the Prime Minister of the time said the Government was going to dispense with the surcharge—there were “no ifs no buts no maybes”. But what did the National Government do? It increased the surcharge. Then to pour salt on to the wounds it had the “mother of all Budgets” and reduced a lot of benefits for a lot of people in New Zealand. 
The removal of the superannuation surcharge came about as a direct result—absolutely 100 percent as a direct result—of New Zealand First. It would not have been removed but for the efforts of New Zealand First and in the main our leader the Rt Hon Winston Peters. That was a condition—and the Hon Nick Smith knows it—of the coalition Government in 1996. If he doubts my word I will bring the document and show it to him. 
Tonight in the Chamber there are all these compassionate National people—they have obviously been on a bus ride. Do members know where they have been? They have been on the road to Damascus; they have seen the light. They have suddenly recognised that elderly folk in this country count for something. They have suddenly recognised that fact and I have never seen so many people converted on the road to Damascus at any one time. I could not believe all the compassionate speeches I was hearing from National members in support of the elderly because in 1998 about 6 or 7 weeks after the National Party dispensed with New Zealand First in the coalition National made an attempt to scale down the pension the superannuation to being 60 percent of the average wage. 
Shane Ardern was there. He might have been the National MP who came and sat next to me—as one of them did; that is the absolute truth— 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: Which one? 
PETER BROWN 
: I think it was Shane Ardern. He came and sat next to me in this House and he asked: “Why in the dickens are we doing this?” and I said: “If you find out let me know because there’s nobody else here who knows.” The National Party—and Clayton Cosgrove said this—has taken the elderly for a bunch of fools. There are 500000 of them out there and they are growing by the day. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: Winston does that all by himself. 
PETER BROWN 
: There is one of them there—and they are growing by the day. I am pleased that National members have seen the light and now recognise that people of more mature years count for something in this country that they have to make a contribution and that they should be considered by parliamentary legislation. 
The purpose of this bill is very clear-cut. I accept that it will be divided into two and have some technical adjustments and that it appears apparently—on the surface at least—that Labour will vote against it but I assume that Labour will not vote to put it right out of court. 
New Zealand First supports this bill. We believe it would not have come into being without the efforts of New Zealand First under the leadership of the Rt Hon Winston Peters. We have said for many a year now that the more mature segments of our society should be looked after. Governments have been treating them over a number of years as people who do not count but National members now realise that the elderly do have political clout and that they do count.