War Pensions Amendment Bill (No 2) — In Committee 
War Pensions Amendment Bill (No 2) — In Committee 
[Volume:607;Page:4527] 
War Pensions Amendment Bill (No 2) 
In Committee 
Clause 1 Title 
RICHARD WORTH (NZ National—Epsom) 
: 
 This is a great title for a bill. National supports the bill. I have pleasure in speaking in support of the title. 
BARBARA STEWART (NZ First) 
: 
 New Zealand First definitely supports this bill. It has a really good bill. The title reflects the content of the bill and we will be supporting the bill through the House. 
Clause 1 agreed to. 
Clause 2 Commencement 
RICHARD WORTH (NZ National—Epsom) 
: 
 Clause 2 is concerned with the commencement of this legislation and provides that the Act comes into force on the day after the date on which it receives the royal assent. In supporting that particular provision I would note that there has been a significantly delayed legislative history in respect of this bill which does the Government no credit. The interests of war veterans are important. We have a situation here where the bill was introduced on 12 December 2001. It was read a first time on 2 May 2002 and referred to the Social Services Committee. It has taken all this time—and it is not a complicated bill—to come back to the Committee for this stage. That is lamentable. I support the commencement date but do so in the context of significant delays by an uncaring Government. 
BARBARA STEWART (NZ First) 
: 
 Like my colleague I note that this bill has been considerably delayed. It has taken a very long time to come through this House and New Zealand First believes that this bill should commence as soon as possible. 
Clause 2 agreed to. 
Part 1 Amendments to principal Act 
RICHARD WORTH (NZ National—Epsom) 
: 
 Part 1 contains the substantive provisions although of course it is not the only part. The primary changes that have been introduced by this bill are well set out in the contents section. I would have wished that this particular part might have gone much further because there are a number of issues that war veterans would wish to see included in legislation of this type not the least of which is the introduction of something that was important and credible National Party policy at the time of the last election. I refer to the introduction of a veterans’ gold card which the war veterans’ community has sought now for a significant period of time. The current position of the Government which is that it is simply not prepared to acknowledge such concerns is a great shame. 
BARBARA STEWART (NZ First) 
: 
 Like my colleague from National we believe that this part does contain the greater part of the bill. Its provisions are well set out in the contents. We believe too that this part meets the veteran community’s desire for its entitlements to be viewed separately from the wider social security system. We know that veterans are a very important group in our society to whom all of us here in Parliament and all New Zealanders owe a huge debt and we need to remember our returned service personnel. New Zealand First will definitely be supporting this part of the bill. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Hon Clem Simich) 
: There is a financial veto certificate in respect of the amendment from Barbara Stewart. 
The question was put that the amendments set out on Supplementary Order Paper 53 in the name of the Hon George Hawkins to Part 1 be agreed to. 
Amendments agreed to and Part 1 as amended agreed to. 
Part 2 Miscellaneous provisions 
RICHARD WORTH (NZ National—Epsom) 
: 
 National supports Part 2 of the War Pensions Amendment Bill (No 2). It is a short part that contains only two clauses. The first has consequential amendments and the second appropriately deals with consequential repeals. I express dismay that the Hon George Hawkins who is the Minister in charge of this bill—the Minister in charge of Veterans Affairs New Zealand—has not taken it as a responsibility to speak in support of this bill. After all there are two Supplementary Orders Papers—the first is Supplementary Order Paper 53 and the second is Supplementary Order Paper 67—that stand in his name. It is a pity that a Minister with responsibility for legislation does not see fit to add his contribution to this important legislation. I would welcome some explanation from the Minister as to why he is not prepared to participate in this debate. 
Part 2 agreed to. 
Schedules 
RICHARD WORTH (NZ National—Epsom) 
: 
 Again I invite the Minister in charge of this bill the Hon George Hawkins to make some contribution to this debate instead of his continued muteness. It is scarcely satisfactory that on issues relating to war pensions he is not prepared to burden the Committee with his contribution and neither is any other member of the Government. What a tragedy it is that the Minister will not say something in support of this legislation. He should do so particularly in respect of Supplementary Order Paper 67 which is his amendment to one of the schedules that we are now talking about. He proposes a new schedule 11 which relates to the rates of veterans pensions and a new schedule 12 which relates to payments on the death of a veteran or a veteran’s spouse. The plan is to adjust the rates in line with an increase of 2.72 percent in the all groups consumer price index. It is not for me to explain those issues to the Committee and to those listening on the radio. The Minister should be on his feet talking about these issues but he will not do so. 
BARBARA STEWART (NZ First) 
: 
 New Zealand First will be supporting these schedules. Like my colleague Richard Worth we are disappointed that the increase was a mere 2.7 percent. We would have liked a greater increase but we understand why this increase has not been given at this particular point in time. We will definitely be supporting this schedule. 
The question was put that the amendments set out on Supplementary Order Papers 53 and 67 in the name of the Hon George Hawkins to schedule 1 and schedule 2 be agreed to. 
Amendments agreed to and schedules as amended agreed to. 
Bill reported with amendment.