Fenton Darien: Financial Review Debate — In Committee 
Fenton Darien: Financial Review Debate — In Committee 
[Volume:661;Page:9496] 
DARIEN FENTON (Labour) 
: 
 One of the promises National made before the last election was to continue to fund the SuperGold card. This comes within the responsibility of the Ministry of Transport in the appropriation period and indeed of the Minister of Transport Steven Joyce. In fact a year ago John Key went further when he said he supported the scheme and would be funding any increase if it became more popular than was budgeted for. Unfortunately someone forgot to tell the Minister of Transport—and it is good to see the Minister here—and the ministry and a week ago there was a big “Oops!” when the Minister announced a review of the SuperGold card. 
The ministry’s discussion document is still on its website. It was released on the website and by the media and it states: “After the first 12 months of operation it has become clear that in its present form the scheme will not be financially sustainable with the funding available.” So the scheme is not financially sustainable with the funding available. What did we see in the next 24 hours? We saw a huge U-turn a huge flip-flop from the Minister. The  
Dominion Post 
 got it right on Monday 15 March when it stated that Minister of Transport Steven Joyce had been acting strangely before he did “a screaming U-turn” and reversed his decision to review the SuperGold scheme for the over 65s. 
Now we have to wonder why this happened. It was pretty strange of Mr Joyce to alarm more than 500000 SuperGold card holders by even suggesting he wanted a review. As the public knows and is increasingly learning a review by this National Government really means a cut. We need only ask all the public servants this Government has sent down the road. They thought they were having a review but it turned into a cut. I have to ask the Minister why he would make such a mistake. Could it be that for just one moment he let his true colours show? 
Everyone knows that National does not agree with the SuperGold card policy. Secondly we know that it can never say that publicly because that would be so unpopular. But if we unpack what National believes we find that it thinks everyone over 65 should have been so successful with their investments that no special arrangements such as a SuperGold card should even be necessary. National also believes that because the scheme is not means-tested plenty of over-65s who could afford the price of a bus fare are riding the bus for free. 
Then we had the spectacle of the discussion about older New Zealanders in Auckland where I and some National MPs live who have the cheek to get on the train and then get on the ferry to go to Waiheke Island. That has meant a lot to those people. It has meant that they get out of their homes and have an outing and why should they not? As I have said that is the whole point and that is why Labour and New Zealand First worked together to establish the SuperGold card. We believed that the SuperGold card should be available to everyone who was 65 and older irrespective of income. 
The policy was about respecting the older generation and the contribution they have made to the standard of living we all enjoy today. It honours the contribution older New Zealanders have made and continue to make to New Zealand. It is an acknowledgement of the respect they deserve. It is a physical reminder—and maybe this is the reason why the Minister does not like it—of Labour’s commitment to seniors and veterans and it improves their standard of living through the discounts it provides. 
But the Minister of Transport slipped up. He showed older New Zealanders his real agenda. It was obvious that the Prime Minister got involved—probably when he remembered that in March 2009 he described the SuperGold card as a successful programme and said that the Government would provide any necessary increase in funding. What we saw after that was the bizarre behaviour of Minister Joyce at the opening of the Bell Block Bypass in New Plymouth. He was seen hiding behind a bush and texting and then getting on a truck and texting there as well. Now we know what really happened. John Key remembered that he had said he would fund any extra costs for the SuperGold card and he was on the phone texting the Minister and embarrassing him.