Goudie Sandra: Social Security (Entitlement Cards) Amendment Bill — Second Reading 
Goudie Sandra: Social Security (Entitlement Cards) Amendment Bill — Second Reading 
[Volume:638;Page:8728] 
SANDRA GOUDIE (National—Coromandel) 
: 
 I would also like to acknowledge Grey Power and Fly Buys for their initiatives from which the idea for the SuperGoldentitlement card was probably born. I note there is no indication of any involvement by New Zealand First in the Social Services Committee which considered the Social Security (Entitlement Cards) Amendment Bill. I guess that is one of the reasons why I seriously question whether the Rt Hon Winston Peters understands what is in the bill. He said—I quote from  
Hansard— 
in the first reading of the bill: “including offering cardholders the option of including their photograph on the card.” That gives the idea that a photograph will be optional. 
But on looking at the submissions—only three written submissions and one oral one—I note that the New Zealand Law Society talks about clause 4 and outlines the purpose—that is to provide regulation-making powers for cardholder photographs to be included on entitlement cards and for microchips to be embedded in entitlement cards. The society points out that clause 5(1) amends section 132A(1) of the principal Act by inserting paragraph (ba) which states: “providing for cardholders’ photographs to be affixed to or imaged into a category of entitlement cards and prescribing procedures requirements and other matters in relation to those photographs:”. The general policy statement at the beginning of the explanatory note of the bill states: “The Super Gold Card will offer the option of including a photograph of the cardholder if he or she wishes.” 
In the first reading of the bill the Rt Hon Winston Peters said that the photographs of cardholders would be on a voluntary basis. In fact the society says the new paragraph states it will apply to any category of entitlement card not just to SuperGold cards and does not require that the photograph will be at the option of the cardholder. So that submission made by the New Zealand Law Society makes it quite clear not only to the Rt Hon Winston Peters but to the rest of the New Zealand public that the photograph is not optional. I think that underscores the lack of interest in the process of the bill by New Zealand First and therefore the lack of understanding by the Rt Hon Winston Peters on that issue. 
The New Zealand Law Society states that clause 4 actually confirms that and that it does not contain any such qualification either. “ ‘Entitlement card’ appears not to be defined in the Social Security Act but it would appear that the term is not confined to SuperGold cards.” I just wonder whether the select committee addressed that omission as well. The society states the proposed amendment will enable regulations to be made requiring the inclusion of photographs on any category of entitlement card not just the SuperGold card but if that is required in a regulation it will not be optional. So I strongly exhort the Minister to develop some understanding about the legislation that will implement the SuperGold card. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: That’s rubbish. 
SANDRA GOUDIE 
: The New Zealand Law Society wrote that “rubbish” so is the Minister rubbishing the New Zealand Law Society? I would have thought he would have some appreciation of the quality of its expertise and contribution to the process of considering the bill. I strongly recommend that the Minister look at the submissions and the bill and quickly get up to speed about what the bill is really doing. 
I guess that causes people a little concern about Mr Winston Peters’ understanding of the bill in its entirety. Although he talks about all the entitlements I say again the New Zealand public should be very concerned about what those really are. I wonder how many local authorities know that they are being targeted as people who will be part of the SuperGold card. Are the ratepayers of New Zealand happy with what may be going to cost them considerably in yet another imposition by central government on their rates demands? The Rt Hon Winston Peters needs to be very clear about the impact of those costs on ratepayers. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Your mum and dad are ratepayers. 
SANDRA GOUDIE 
: That is right. We are very supportive of our older citizens having as much support as possible and of getting discounts. They certainly get a number of discounts through the Grey Power card which was a great initiative—and I am disappointed that “Sir Winston Peters” has failed to acknowledge Grey Power and its wonderful inspiration for this idea. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: You got that wrong; you got the “Sir” wrong. 
SANDRA GOUDIE 
: I had better tone it down; it is the Rt Hon Winston Peters. Given the honorifics one would think he would have taken a bit more interest in the legislation and understood it. Perhaps we may see a little interest from the member as the bill progresses through the House and we try to get it right given he exhorted that to happen. 
I also note that the Minister has lauded the interest in the bill. One really has to question how much interest there has been and whether people are happy enough with their current Grey Power discount card because there were only four submissions on the bill. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: They’re happy; that’s why. 
SANDRA GOUDIE 
: Then do people really understand what this bill is all about? The actual wording of the bill gave the National Council of Women of New Zealand some concern as to who might fall outside the scope of the criteria for entitlement to the card. Again I think that issue needs some clarification. Hopefully those matters will be addressed in the Committee. 
Perhaps the Minister would like to take another call and outline what the discounts will actually be. We have not yet heard anything from him that gives any specificity on what those discounts— 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: They’re too big. 
SANDRA GOUDIE 
: He says they are too big. Well if they are to be as big as that then I say again to the New Zealand public that they need to be very concerned about the escalating cost of their rates demands as a result of a Minister who wants to place more and more of central government’s decisions and policy costs on to local authorities and thus on to ratepayers. There is no doubt that any discounts from local authorities will be borne by the ratepayer—except of course for those available under the rebate scheme that already exists if the Government is looking at extending that on to the discount card. It was interesting to note some of the speeches to the House on that issue.