Sharples Pita: Government Superannuation Fund Amendment Bill — First Reading 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Sharples Pita: Government Superannuation Fund Amendment Bill — First Reading 
[Sitting date: 23 September 2008. Volume:650;Page:19071. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Dr PITA SHARPLES (Co-Leader—Maori Party) 
: 
 Tena koe Madam Assistant Speaker. The concept of superannuation is entirely consistent with our commitment as the Maori Party to kaupapa tuku iho. These kaupapa statements of principles and aspirations are absolutely central to every decision we make in and outside this House. These kaupapa drive our decisions and they inform our korero. We will not be bought; we will not lower ourselves to the level of personal attack; we maintain a commitment to integrity as utterly fundamental to who we are.  
So we turn to our kaupapa to consider the position of our elderly in the context of whanaungatanga and in a determination to uphold manaakitanga. Caring for the well-being of our elderly is a value of enormous importance in our communities. Our elderly the fountains of wisdom those who possess the vital archives of family records and who span the generations are regarded as genuine treasures.  
So it was extremely disappointing early this year to read the release from Grey Power which indicated that superannuitants were being let down by the current administration. The release put out by the organisation comprising some 90000 members stated that it is very disappointed that the Prime Minister has rubbished a proposal to exempt food from GST. Superannuitants Grey Power said are very adept at making every cent of their national superannuation count— 
Hon Dr Michael Cullen 
: Perhaps you should write a real speech. 
Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: —it is all right—but ever-escalating costs for essential items such as bread milk meat and electricity are making further belt-tightening impossible. 
Hon Dr Michael Cullen 
: This speech isn’t about this bill Pita. 
Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: Why does the member not listen? It is about superannuation and superannuitants.  
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Marian Hobbs) 
: Dr Sharples it is a problem. It is not really focused totally on this bill. It is focused on superannuation but not on the Government Superannuation Fund. Please keep going.  
Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: We in the Maori Party heard this call and we believe that our proposal to cut GST on food is a tangible way of making a difference in the lives of the elderly.  
OK I will move on to that superannuation stuff. We are pleased that this bill is trying to respond to the needs of our superannuitants through the commitment to address the cost of living adjustments to the Government Superannuation Fund. The bill seeks to ensure that all Government superannuation benefits are adjusted based on 100 percent of the changes in the consumer price index. It has to be said that it is pleasing that superannuation is being described as enhancing the lives and well-being of people because it is only a few months ago that the superannuation fund was linked with companies that invest in cluster munitions nuclear weapons production and that is not all. [ 
Interruption 
] They do not even like that bit. 
Hon Dr Michael Cullen 
: Wrong fund. 
Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: OK.  
The bill will ensure that as at 1 April 2009 the cost of living adjustment provisions will come into effect and make a tangible difference in people’s lives—are the members all right with that bit? We absolutely support this initiative and believe it only right to do so. But we want to raise the issue identified by economist—those members will not like this—Dr Susan St John. She has made the comparison between the granting of superannuation and the lack of secure reliable income for all children. Her assessment is that although citizens over 65 can rely on superannuation—and with this bill of course it encompasses cost of living adjustments as well—the same security does not extend to all children. We in the Maori Party agree with this principle—those members do not like that so I will move on.  
Finally I raise the issue that we have consistently raised when considering superannuation and that is the obvious concern that the shorter life expectancy of some population groups has immediate implications for the length of time they can enjoy the benefits of their tax contribution especially superannuation. We know that Maori die 8 to 10 years earlier than other New Zealanders. The issue of justice that always hits us is that those people like their Pakeha peers have been paying taxes all their lives yet when they finally get to the end of their lives they are missing out on seeing the fruits of their contributions.  
Our position as a party has always been that superannuation policy should be reviewed to consider the appropriate entitlement age for groups whose life expectancy is lower than average. It is an idea we hope to revisit in the next Parliament but until then we are happy to support this bill in the interests of supporting our elders. I have finished. Kia ora.  
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Marian Hobbs) 
: I am sorry Dr Sharples; can I just explain. It is actually very confusing for people who are listening. The bill is called the Government Superannuation Fund Amendment Bill but it is not necessarily about what people generally think of as superannuation. It is about a very specific group of people. So I am sorry; you were taking off and I was trying to bring you back to the point.