Bennett Paula: Social Assistance (Payment of New Zealand Superannuation and Veteran’s Pension Overseas) Amendment Bill — Second Reading In Committee 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Bennett Paula: Social Assistance (Payment of New Zealand Superannuation and Veteran’s Pension Overseas) Amendment Bill — Second Reading In Committee 
[Sitting date: 20 October 2009. Volume:658;Page:7300. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Hon PAULA BENNETT (Minister for Social Development and Employment) 
: 
 I take the opportunity to clarify a couple of points that I think need to be clarified in this debate and certainly in this Committee stage. First of all the Social Assistance (Payment of New Zealand Superannuation and Veteran’s Pensions Overseas) Amendment Bill does not change the position for our Pacific peoples. That position was set in 1999; this bill does not make changes to it. The honourable member who spoke earlier in the second reading debate might like to take note of that: there are no major changes for the Pacific. They have had this position before; they will continue to have it under this bill. There are no drastic changes. I actually think we should acknowledge and note the contribution that Pacific people make to New Zealand when they come here to work whether for 10 years 20 years or longer which we see in the children of the Pacific peoples who moved here. They should have that recognition. I know that view is shared by most members in this Chamber. I am not here to make points on that or on anything else. 
I would like to correct Mr Hawkins on something he said earlier. He said Labour introduced this bill. The first reading of this bill was in March 2009 so it was introduced to the House by the National Government. There had been a long time to do something— 
Hon Member 
: It was tabled in September 2008. 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: But the first reading was certainly under this Government. We picked it up. 
The amendments we are making to this bill in the Committee stage are technical. There are words that need to be corrected and that we think need a bit more clarification. This Government did not have to think too hard about acknowledging the ability of those who are older our “supers” to take their superannuation overseas. Giving people choice—recognising the freedom of where they spend their money and what they do with their own money—struck a chord with us and was certainly in line with our thinking. 
I make clear though that some of the reciprocal agreements we have with Australia that have come up in this bill are clear: in any country no one wants someone who is not a local of that country to be better off than the locals. When New Zealanders move to Australia for example even if they are in their senior years they should not be financially better off as far as the scheme that they are getting under a reciprocal agreement goes. It is as simple as that. We certainly have the same arrangements in New Zealand. That is what is causing problems if you like in section 74J as substituted in clause 14 and it is causing a very staunch debate for some. That section is relevant to this Committee stage because the provision directly affects the amount of money that people are getting in their hands. This is what the bill is about. 
I wanted only to clarify a few things. I am certainly looking forward to the third reading. We do not want to hold up the passage of this bill through the House. It is going through under urgency and it has the support of the Committee. I am happy to address any other concerns.