Carter John: New Zealand Superannuation and Veterans' Pensions (Entitlements of Spouses and Partners of People in Long-term Residential Care and Remedial Matters) Bill — In Committee 
Carter John: New Zealand Superannuation and Veterans' Pensions (Entitlements of Spouses and Partners of People in Long-term Residential Care and Remedial Matters) Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:631;Page:3506] 
JOHN CARTER (National—Northland) 
: 
 I am delighted to take a call on this bill and for this reason. We see Government members come here fresh bushy-tailed and raring to go and over time we see them get worn down slide away start to make mistakes and ignore good ideas. That is what is happening with this tired lethargic hopeless Labour Government. 
We have here a really good idea. Superannuitants their families and their grandchildren are crying out right across the country for this to happen—man and woman. They are standing up and saying: “Can you just make this little thing happen for my grandfather for my grandmother for my elderly aunt?”. That is all they are asking for—just a little wee bit—and this mean-spirited Government is not going to do it. It will not allow Nick Smith’s amendment. This Government is mean-spirited. It is typical of a failing Government that has to go. 
Let us have a look at what this is about. Let us take the country through this because it is really interesting. We have a system whereby this Government has been saying for years that if one’s husband wife or partner gets sick it is too bad. The Government will give those people a single superannuation payment and will not recognise the fact that they might have extra expenses. “Not us” says the Labour Government. “Not us” says Helen Clark. They are not going to do that. They are still going to make people pay. Well finally Nick Smith—and congratulations to him—has brought the Government to its senses and finally it will recognise that there is a need. But it has taken too long. 
But even worse the Government is using this thing called a fiscal impact report to reject Nick’s amendment that would have allowed anybody who applied since 2004 etc. to be eligible for the living alone payment. This country looks at claims going back to 1840 in some cases. There are people who are in this Parliament for that very reason—to make sure that injustices of the past are recognised. Here we have something that will cost less than $600 million. My colleague Dr Paul Hutchison talked about some of the things that this Government is prepared to spend money on. What about some of the things it wastes money on like Te Wananga o Aotearoa and things like that which the National Party has exposed? Why cannot the Government put a little bit of money aside to help our elderly folk? The Government has mean-spirited people. It is typical of a Government that is going down the gurgler. 
I want to say this about Nick Smith. He is the sort of genuine Kiwi who gets on to an issue and makes it happen. He is a guy in Opposition who is making the Government do its job. He is part of the National Party caucus which finally has got this Government to start to do something positive for the people of New Zealand—not just the elderly but their families and their grandchildren the whole of our society. I say to this Parliament: “Congratulations Nick Smith. At last you have brought a modicum of decency into this Parliament through its legislation.” He has recognised something that this lazy hopeless Government should have thought about so many years ago. How long? Is it 3 years 4 years? It does not matter. 
Dr Paul Hutchison 
: 5 years. 
JOHN CARTER 
: That is disgraceful. It is hard to believe that people in this country who pretend to be parliamentarians do not care for a whole 5-year period. That is amazing. I am shocked. I think I need a glass of water. I think my blood pressure is rising. I cannot believe this. How can anyone sit on that side of the Chamber and claim to represent the people of New Zealand particularly the superannuitants but then take 4 or 5 years to deliver? 
Anne Tolley 
: What about the veterans though? 
JOHN CARTER 
: Oh well! Do not get me started on the veterans! I would be here all night. I would have to have some oxygen to get through the veterans case. It is bad enough dealing with just this issue. At last the Government is finally doing stuff that Nick Smith has asked it to do. The National Party supports him. Thank goodness we are here!