Smith NickHon Dr NICK SMITH (National—Nelson): Madam Chair Williams I want to come back to the effect of this part on superannuitants and get some clarity from the Minister in the chair Stuart Nash in that he has failed to answer some questions that are crucial for 750000 older New Zealanders.The first question—I'd be more than happy for the Minister in the chair just to indicate with a nod of his head: does he accept that the consequence of this bill is that our superannuitants next year will be worse off? The Minister says he doesn't—that's OK. I'd just like to take him through it and if it gets him advice from the officials I'd be very delighted.The previous tax changes that we've made were going to provide a benefit from 1 April next year based on the wage of $686 per year. So for that first year from 1 April 2018-19 if this bill had not gone through every one of those 750000 New Zealanders would be better off by $686. When I read this bill it tells me that in the first year the winter energy payment comes to an amount of $466. Now look you don't have to be a mathematician to work out that $686 is quite a lot more than $466. So the only conclusion the committee can draw is that this bill is taking money off superannuitants. It's a bit of a facade to dress it up as a winter energy payment or what it is because it's not linked to anything; it's just money that our superannuitants get in the bank.So the real question I've got for members of the Government: what have they got against superannuitants that they want to take about five bucks a week off them next year? At a time when our books are so good when so many New Zealanders are being able to share in the benefits of the strong economy why does this coalition Government want to make all our superannuitants five bucks a week worse off next year? I've not received any explanation from members opposite.I suspect what's happened is that Mr Robertson has had difficulty getting these numbers to add up and so he's done a sleight of hand and delayed the winter energy payment from what was promised during the election campaign of 1 May pushed it out by two months and as a consequence robbed superannuitants in New Zealand of a bit over $150 million.Fletcher Tabuteau: For goodness' sake this is a clause by clause line-by-line analysis of the bill.Hon Dr NICK SMITH: Well the member from New Zealand First—he's popping his head up. Why doesn't he take a call and explain: why is New Zealand First backing $150 million being taken off superannuitants? Can any member on the Government benches explain to me: where did they tell New Zealanders that they were going to take $150 million off them next year?Rt Hon David Carter: Professor Tabuteau didn't know.Hon Dr NICK SMITH: Well I suspect Mr Tabuteau didn't know but here's the thing: I've always assumed that the Deputy Prime Minister in Winston Peters was Mr Superannuitant". I've heard him so many times wanting to champion their cause so my question for New Zealand First: why within six weeks of getting your hands on the baubles of office are you screwing the superannuitants by 150 million bucks?Hon Kris Faafoi: You'll be home for dinner Nick.Hon Dr NICK SMITH: Why? Well the member up at Mana is interjecting. Can he explain why every one of the superannuitants in his electorate will be worse off by five bucks a week as a consequence of the bill and what's in this part? The Government is silent and so I simply challenge the Minister in the chair to come clean and to explain to the committee why next year they're going to take $150 million off superannuitants or five bucks a week.That's not what Labour campaigned on it's not what New Zealand First campaigned on and it's not what the Greens campaigned on and I'm looking forward to going to the next Grey Power meeting and saying that Helen Clark and Winston Peters broke their word. I'm actually organising a mail-out to all of my superannuitants to tell them how much worse off this Government is and I'd delight in the clarity from the Minister in the chair as to why—under the tax cuts they would have got $686 and next year they're getting $466 and they're being robbed."