Stewart Barbara: Appropriation (2012/13 Estimates) Bill — Third Reading Imprest Supply Debate 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Stewart Barbara: Appropriation (2012/13 Estimates) Bill — Third Reading Imprest Supply Debate 
[Sitting date: 21 August 2012. Volume:683;Page:4557. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
BARBARA STEWART (NZ First) 
: 
 On behalf of New Zealand First I rise to speak to the Imprest Supply (Second for 2012/13) Bill. The economy requires serious attention particularly now that we are in the reprioritisation phase that the Government seems to be going through. The Government is not looking at growing the economy but rather it is looking at growing the discrepancies. One of those groups where the discrepancy is growing is with our senior citizens. In New Zealand First we always maintain that how we treat our senior citizens sends a very clear signal of our status as a developed nation. It is really concerning to see that this vote is decreasing year upon year upon year. It is not clear as to when we are ever going to see an increase in this particular vote. 
In New Zealand we know that we have got a Positive Ageing Strategy. One of those goals is around income: that it must be secure that there must be adequate income for older people and that health care is timely affordable and accessible. These goals are becoming an absolute dream for many of our people. Many of our seniors are finding it increasingly difficult to make ends meet. They are struggling. There is only so much that they can tighten their belts. When it comes to saying that they may be able to find a part-time job to help out that is absolutely impossible. There are no jobs for anybody out there—young people people looking to start a career school-leavers—and nothing for senior citizens or for anyone over the age of about 45. 
We know that their living standards are dropping as our seniors are paying higher prices for electricity for basic groceries for prescriptions for petrol for rates and the list just goes on and on. Many of our seniors are now at the stage where they cannot afford to insure their homes. Some of them insure the exterior of their homes but not the interior. They just cannot afford it. I was talking to one elderly lady who said: “Well if anything happens to the interior of my home I am just going to have to make do. The furniture is getting on anyway.” 
The latest rates rounds are making many wonder whether or not the councils are actually trying to force people out of their homes because there is only so far that money can go. I know of one case where three home units are on a section and they pay the same rates as a house does. They downsized because they thought it actually would be cheaper. That is not logical. 
When it comes to the SuperGold card we were quite pleased to see that some increases had been made in the number of people who actually follow through with discounts for seniors. Private businesses are participating at a greater rate than they ever have before ensuring that our seniors have access to products and services. We can only thank those businesses like TelstraClear which has even offered telephone discounts and mobile discounts for many of our seniors. 
 But the bottom line is that it is time for the Government to come to the party. We know in New Zealand First that we have got two bills in the ballot to help with this. One is advocating for an electricity discount for senior citizens over the winter months and we would like to see this go through. Cold homes are not the best place for our seniors to be in and of course once they are hospitalised it costs far more than a 10 percent discount on electricity over the winter months. I have got a bill in the ballot that is advocating for three free doctors’ visits each year. We know that if we can actually pick up on small ailments before they become serious it will save money in the long run because our seniors will not be hospitalised. 
We need to address these issues. We need to address the growing discrepancies that are happening in our country. We know that seniors are suffering. We need to invest in our society. People do matter and it is time for the Government to take a strong point on this matter.