Ngaro AlfredHon ALFRED NGARO (National): Thank you Madam Speaker and fakaalofa lahi atu ki a mutolu oti for Niuean Language Week. I stand to speak alongside the National Party and we do support this bill the New Zealand Superannuation and Veteran's Pension Legislation Amendment Bill. I'd like to preface that by saying that we support it because it aligns with many of the directions and the policies that we believe in that are critically important. I want to add my contribution to the parts that I think could maybe help add to those that are listening in regards to what these amendments will achieve and for whom they will achieve their purpose. Obviously the purpose that we have talked about—and there will be a repetition—is around the modernisation of our New Zealand superannuation and veterans pension legislation and in particular the shifting towards the policy around clarity and consistency around the assessment of the entitlement on an individual basis which hasn't been the case to date as well. One of the areas that I think is quite significant is that this bill will require a change—and hence the reason why we call it an omnibus bill—to six different Acts that will shift that assessment of eligibility to an individual basis. I think what's quite critically important is in particular around the spousal deduction area in this case but also too is the other part that may not be mentioned as much which is the treatment of those who are on a voluntary basis especially those who have been missionaries for charitable organisations overseas. So there's an equity of assessment and an equity of opportunity around that assessment that I think is critically important as well. In particular I relate that to the changes that have been made to the portability of the pension bill that was started under a National Government and was then continued under the present coalition Government in which we allowed for the assessments of the portability of pension to mean that their assessment could be in the situation of those three nations of the Realm in which they didn't need to be present or resident. I think that's critically important because that goes to one of the fundamental clauses of this current bill before us where what it actually allows for is for those who are serving overseas in a voluntary capacity or a humanitarian capacity under a registered charitable trust are able to have their assessment while they're overseas so that it will allow them to have that assessment as if they were present or resident within New Zealand. I think that clause is quite important. It will allow for an equity for those people. New Zealand is proud of its record of having those who do serve a humanitarian purpose overseas as well. I want to then focus some of my comments in reflecting on the regulatory impact statement. It actually talks about in the first pages—on pages 1 and 2—some of the impacts and benefits to the costs. That has two parts. On page 2 it talks about both monetised benefits and non-monetised benefits. I think that where we would be supportive is where it talks about the expectation to deliver savings of just over $13 million and raising it to about $90 million in the next 20 to 30 years—which is quite significant—especially by removing the spousal deduction which is expected to have a net cost of about $1.8 million or just over $2 million. So really the cost of that removal will actually create a gain in the future. I think that's quite important and the regulatory impact statement states that. But there are also other benefits which are the non-monetised benefits which I think are also important and worth noting as well especially in the sense of those around the spousal deduction where there's been both confusion and frustration. I have had constituents that have come to my office who have actually raised these concerns where it's often been a second-time relationship in which they then have been either working or serving overseas. Because of their situation and because there's been a deduction it's meant that they've been put in a more difficult situation that they would normally have been in. By having the individual eligibility in the criteria assessment it will definitely help them and I hope those that are listening there will be able to appreciate the changes that will be made as well. There are just a couple more points that I want to make and again speaking from the regulatory impact statement which I think is important just so that members of the public may be aware that this will not adversely—because it will be out of scope according to this regulatory statement the international security agreements that are currently in place. There are a number of people who are constituents who have been overseas working or in a voluntary capacity. There may be some concerns so just to assure them that the international security agreements will be protected and also signal in foreign policy terms that New Zealand and their partner countries have strong bilateral relationships. So those parts of those security agreements will be protected as well.My final comments then is just being able to look at the fact and reality of why this is critically important. We have a growing ageing population. The forecasts are quite clear to show that currently there are about 750000 that are eligible. That will grow in the next 20 to 30 years to about 1.8 million. That's quite significant and so these policies are important because they will be able to pick up on the anomalies. They will be able to see the shifting changes in the demographics of those that are in our ageing population which I think is critically important as well. I am on the select committee. I look forward to this coming to select committee. I commend this bill to the House.