Peters Winston: Social Assistance (Portability to Cook Islands Niue and Tokelau) Bill — In CommitteeText is incorporated into the Bound VolumePeters Winston: Social Assistance (Portability to Cook Islands Niue and Tokelau) Bill — In Committee[Sitting date: 16 June 2015. Volume:706;Page:4461. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Leader—NZ First): Thank you Mr Chairperson. I was sitting here patiently. I thought it was high time we got to the relevant Supplementary Order Paper that we have put up in our name. I just want to make a very quick statement on the Supplementary Order Paper 71 the second paragraph of the explanatory note. There are two different categories there. They are plain as daylight and I refer them to the Minister for Social Development in particular. It says: “Compare this to the generosity of giving full New Zealand superannuation entitlement to non-New Zealand citizens from non-reciprocal pension countries after just 10 years’ residency.” Then it goes on to say: “Many countries enjoy an exemption from section 8(c) because they are countries that have a reciprocal pension agreement with New Zealand for example Australia United Kingdom and Netherlands.” Minister with respect nothing that has been said by you or your ministry is actually in any way relevant on this subject. It is that plain.These people are from three special Realm of New Zealand countries. I am talking about New Zealanders who are mainly European but some are Māori who went to serve in various institutions and various official positions and in various ways in business in the Cook Islands Tokelau and Niue and frankly their being there is not something of little moment. There is the view that no one is indispensable. Well I am afraid that in some of these Island populations being as small as they are some people are indispensable. If they were not there then things would not operate because they are so widespread in their talents able to do all sorts of electrical carpentry roofing and mechanical work. These skills in any small community are very much needed and the smaller the community is the more important they are. At the higher levels of government we have sent people over there to act as advisers for their Treasury. We have sent people over to act as advisers for their tax department for their companies office for—dare I say it—their shipping service and their shipping flag register operation. If they are not allowed in by our Supplementary Order Paper to change the present legislation and replace section 8(c) with what we have got there then they are plainly going to be missed out and for no sound reason at all.It cannot be cost because the National Government members are saying that 73000-plus acquiring superannuation full entitlement after 10 years whether they have paid tax or not is OK by them. So what could it be based on? That somehow we will allow a flood in from other parts of the world? No we will not because the requirements are that you have to be and have been a New Zealander who has worked in New Zealand. So in short the Government has been caught out because I suppose people in the Government have decided to take officialdom’s advice and just dig in and say there is something wrong with the Supplementary Order Paper. Well frankly there is nothing wrong with the Supplementary Order Paper. We believe that the numbers are small—we do not know whether there are 79 89 or maybe slightly higher—but it is such a small number as to be able to say that we can allow that given how generous we have been how extraordinarily generous we have been in respect of these people who are coming in from other countries in particular China massively and India.When I see someone like Lincoln Tan writing for the New Zealand Herald—and Lincoln Tan is someone who is sympathetic to the Asian cause—saying that ageing China migrants are a major concern and writes article about it then it ill behoves members over there to jeer at New Zealand First seeking justice for a small number of New Zealand citizens working in these offshore islands whilst doing nothing about this unfairness that they so willingly condone here. All we ask is for those members is to let this Supplementary Order Paper stand tonight. And when you consider how much money is being tossed around like an eight-armed octopus on so many unworthy causes this one has as its merit that it is right and that it is fair. That is all we ask because it will beonly a few months before the tide of New Zealand politics changes. We do not think this Government will make it to November 2017. We think it is terribly shaky now and he will be the first guy to go—the one who is two in whom nobody knows. [Interruption] Boy have I seen that laugh before and it never lasts long. I would say to him it would be very wise to pay attention to these sorts of issues because in the end this is what politics is like. You get in all right and you have got a truckload of supporters at the back. But every corner you hit hard you are seeing people being tossed off and boy they are being tossed off real fast now. I was up in Northland recently in a by-election. Boy did they come off the truck fast then—each corner—and most going over a single-lane bridge first. Let me say to that member: be careful here.Hon David Cunliffe: Those were the days.Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Well you know what they say Mr Cunliffe: bragging might not bring you happiness but no man walks home having caught a big fish through the back alley. I want to say to those members over there: pay attention because one of these days ignoring this matter will come to visit you big time.The question was put that the amendment set out on Supplementary Order Paper 71 in the name of the Rt Hon Winston Peters to clause 5 be agreed to.