Fairbrother Russell: General Debate 
Fairbrother Russell: General Debate 
[Volume:632;Page:3789] 
RUSSELL FAIRBROTHER (Labour) 
: 
 I thought Jill Pettis was using the term “brash” as an adjective. When I realised who she was speaking about I had to reconsider and realised she had offended the Standing Orders. The last speaker John Carter spoke about consistency in his point of order. This takes me to Dr Brash and what he said about 30 percent of the electorate of Napier: “Could we perhaps gradually raise the age at which people become eligible for New Zealand superannuation?”. Tell that to 16500 Napier people—that we could perhaps gradually raise the age at which people become eligible for superannuation. Tell that to Grey Power whose members yesterday held their AGM and elected a new president Don Patterson and I welcome him to the chair that I once occupied. 
Grey Power is an organisation in Napier that speaks on behalf of the 30 percent of people there who are aged 50 or over. The organisation knows that the mantra peddled in Napier—that people should get ahead under their own steam—has no application to it. Its members are people who have worked hard and honestly and diligently raising families but without having the choice of flexible incomes and choices of lifestyles. They have put their noses to the grindstone and have earned the superannuation of which the Leader of the Opposition Dr Brash asks whether the age at which people become eligible for it could be gradually raised. I ask him to come to Napier and say that to Don Patterson of Grey Power. I ask him to come to a meeting of Grey Power members in Napier and tell them that. He will find that that policy will not be very well received. 
I listened to the last speaker Chester Borrows and I had to look up the index of electorates represented by people in this House. He spoke in this debate without once referring to the electorate he represents. That is probably because he forgot which one it was. Jill Pettis addressed the issues arising from her electorate very well and I look forward to the day that she is returned as the electorate member. 
That speaker who does not know which electorate he comes from put his finger on what is happening in the Labour ranks. It is the rejuvenation of the ranks as the young capable men and women come through. We have seen that in the recent appointments of David Parker as Minister of Energy Nanaia Mahuta as Minister of Youth Affairs and of Clayton Cosgrove and David Cunliffe. These are people whom members on the other side of the House can only look at with envy and wish they had them on their party’s front bench or even anywhere near it. 
Let us go back to see what the National Party would do for the Napier electorate. It is not surprising that the member for Napier is not in the House today because he knows—as he must—that 30 percent of the Napier electorate are over 50 that 14 percent—9000 of them— 
Chris Tremain 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The member should open his eyes and notice that the member for Napier is in the House today and he has a majority of 3600 I might add. 
RUSSELL FAIRBROTHER 
: That is not a point of order and I hope Mr Speaker that that will not come off my time. 
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER 
: It is not a point of order but you must not refer to someone’s absence or otherwise. 
RUSSELL FAIRBROTHER 
: I meant absence from the debate of course. He is a member who does not know the rules so I suppose that point of order underscores that entirely. 
Fourteen percent of the Napier electorate are over 65 and they are the people who will be affected by the Dr Brash mantra asking whether the age at which people become eligible for New Zealand superannuation could be raised. Instead from 1 July that 14 percent of the electorate will receive cheaper doctors’ visits and cheaper prescriptions from the pharmacy. Those who have a long-term partner in a rest home will receive asset testing of $160000 and rising. Those with a partner in long-term care will now be eligible for the single rate of superannuation. That cry has been made for some time in Napier and people there will welcome that change. The significant thing is that on 1 July 16 percent of households in the Napier electorate will benefit from the rates rebate. It means that up to $500 will be deductible from the rates bill. Nearly 2700 families in Napier are eligible for this rates rebate. This applies not just to our older citizens—those affected by Grey Power—but to the many low-income people the people who generally live in the two deprivation 10 index numbers in the Napier electorate. So 1 July is a red-letter day from a red-coloured Government. It is a Government that progresses matters for those issues that it really cares about. This contrasts with the parsimonious self-satisfied beat the Devil beat the poorer class motto of “Get ahead under your own steam.” which really is all about beating one’s neighbour and profiting for oneself. 
The debate having concluded the motion lapsed.