Gudgeon Bill: Social Security (Long-term Residential Care) Amendment Bill — Second Reading 
Gudgeon Bill: Social Security (Long-term Residential Care) Amendment Bill — Second Reading 
[Volume:621;Page:16764] 
BILL GUDGEON (NZ First) 
: 
 Dotted throughout the country are people who have gone without—especially people living in rural areas. A lot of them still carry water from the creek to wash their clothes and live in housing that is not up to standard. Many of them take risks with their health in not visiting their doctor about problems with their eyes or other matters and also in attending to their household shopping. Many because of the state of their health are unable to read their prescriptions properly or to take the advice of their doctor and carry out the instructions. I would say that most of the elderly in this country have done their share. They have worked very hard and they have played their part in the economy. Many have received a good education but because of their financial situation they have had to rely on other sources and means to survive. 
As I listen to the comments being made by members from the Government and the Opposition I realise that it is all about throwing stones at each other. Why are we not taking care of the elderly? I know and understand that Grey Power people are not happy with the decisions that have been made because to them a promise is a promise. At the last election a promise was made and not carried out. So why are the people who are in this category and at this stage of life dismayed at the decisions being made by the people in power? Most of them are honest law-abiding citizens. They need help and that is what we are here for. 
I refer to the purpose of the bill. The aim of the bill as introduced is to amend the Social Security Act in relation to the income and asset testing of older people who have been assessed as requiring long-term residential care indefinitely. In particular its aim is progressively to increase the assets people may retain before being required to use them to pay for care. Another purpose is to remove asset testing for people aged 50 to 64 who at present are required to use their assets to pay for their care. The other purpose is to exclude from the income test the earnings of the spouse of a person in care and the first $780 per person per year of income from assets. 
What are the main changes in the bill? Listed are changes that affect the accommodation supplement the disabilities allowance and beneficiaries in hospital. If these people are to survive comfortably until the end of their days on this earth they should be taken care of. They have contributed to the tax take of this country and to its exports and imports. They have paid taxes all their lives and they need to be taken care of. Although New Zealand First has disagreed with the promises the Government made and is disappointed in them we support this bill because of the steps being taken to look after our elderly. They are steps in the right direction. But let me say this to the Government: they need to improve greatly. 
I am not here to throw stones at the Government. My responsibility as an Opposition member in the New Zealand First Party is to remind the Government of its responsibilities in its administration and care of our people. This goes right across the board. Some of the people we see when we travel to rural areas are still living in the 1930s and the 1950s—and we say we are taking care of them! Do we take care of them only to get the vote and after that wash our hands of them? We have to face the issues of where we will take care of our people. If the responsibilities are ours then we should carry them out to the best of our ability and with honesty and integrity. 
Grey Power people have not been happy. We see this when we visit the different electorates. They ask: “What are you going to do New Zealand First?”. We will challenge the Government on the issues just as we have in the past. The Government needs to be reminded that if it is going to make promises then it has to keep them. If the Government makes promises before the election those promises need to be followed up. [ 
Interruption 
] Yes we will carry them out. 
Why do beneficiaries who are in hospital have to struggle to be taken care of? I remember a lady who was not allowed to drive because of her eyesight. Her nearest shop was about 45 to 50 kilometres from where she lived. She went to the hospital on the East Coast but it could not do anything for her. She then went to the hospital in Gisborne and it could not do anything for her until her doctor asked: “Why is it that these operations are costing less overseas than the operations our people are paying for here?”. When that was revealed her operation was taken care of. It did not cost what initially it would have cost had she had been by herself. 
That is just one of many many examples of the issues our elderly folk have to put up with because of decisions made not only by this Government but by the previous National Government. We have supported decisions that have been good for the public and I say to my fellow colleague on the Government benches that we will continue to do that. It is not like the docking of tails. Why? We have been doing that all our lives on the farms. [ 
Interruption 
] Is the member going to say that to the farmers? 
Dianne Yates 
: Farmers don’t do it. 
BILL GUDGEON 
: The tails still get docked. New Zealand First will support this bill with the recommendation that the Government will improve on the decisions it has made. That was our decision in the Social Services Committee and we will continue to follow up on the issues. Hopefully elderly members in our community will be in a better situation than they are at the moment. We hope they will flourish and continue to flourish and that their health problems and whatever else they need to be taken care of will be taken care of.