Dyson Ruth: Social Security (Entitlement Cards) Amendment Bill — Third Reading 
Dyson Ruth: Social Security (Entitlement Cards) Amendment Bill — Third Reading 
[Volume:639;Page:9210] 
Hon RUTH DYSON (Minister for Senior Citizens) 
: 
 As the Rt Hon Winston Peters said in his introductory comments the Social Security (Entitlement Cards) Amendment Bill is the next step in making the SuperGold card a reality. Its purpose is to enable the full effect to be given to our Government’s intentions in regard to the delivery of this card. Specifically the amendments contained in the bill will allow regulations to be made under the Social Security Act 1964 providing for implementation of a SuperGold card offering an optional cardholder photograph that will be useful for those who do not have a driver’s licence or any other form of photo ID and containing a bar code that will help streamline the process by which businesses apply SuperGold card discounts to cardholders when they present their card at the point of sale. In order to future-proof the card the bill will also allow regulations to be made providing for an imbedded microchip in the card if and when this proves useful to cardholders at some stage in the future. 
The card as originally—and in fact always—intended will be launched without a microchip in August this year. Again as was always intended—and the bill now makes it explicit because of the amendment moved by Taito Phillip Field—any move to use microchip technology in relation to the SuperGold card or in relation to any other entitlement card will not occur without consultation with the Privacy Commissioner and the State Services Commission. 
The bill will allow a bar code or a microchip to contain only information that can already be stored on a magnetic strip. I know that some people have raised concerns about the information to be stored but I say that those concerns have been misunderstood and misrepresented for political point-scoring—and senior citizens will know this to be the case because the legislation makes it very clear what information can be stored on the card. It does not allow anything in addition to what can already be stored on a magnetic strip. 
Let me outline to the House exactly what can be stored. First is the cardholder’s name. A photograph if it is included—and it is voluntary as the Rt Hon Winston Peters outlined—will provide additional security. The strip can include an identifying number assigned by the department to the cardholder—the superannuation number. It can have a number or code indicating the cardholder’s class of eligibility for the card. An identifying number can be assigned to the card. The commencement and expiry dates of the card and a code number for mailing purposes can be on the card. 
If members had bothered to read section 132A(2) of the Social Security Act they would have seen that that is the limit in law of the information that can be stored without any further legislative amendment. So in order to merit the concerns raised by the “bordering on hysteria” member for the ACT party the law would have to be changed. There is no issue about breach of privacy. The legislation ensures that as future opportunities for discounts and concessions for senior citizens become available and if they are available only through the use of a microchip we do not have to spend hours of time in this Parliament using up legislative opportunity to do something the law will already allow us to do. This concern is political point-scoring by both National and ACT to the detriment of over 550000 New Zealanders who are interested in seeing the outcome of this legislation rather than being scared by deliberate misrepresentation. 
I think the progress of this bill through the House will be welcome news to all those senior citizens throughout the country. I know that having heard the entire debate they will understand that their private information is not under threat. It is the sole intention of this measure to ensure that senior citizens are able to access smart technology as it advances at the earliest possible opportunity so that more concessions and discounts can be added to the SuperGold card. 
Finally this bill will also allow the Ministry of Social Development to obtain and use information from theRegistrar-General of Births Deaths and Marriages for the purposes of verifying a person’s eligibility or continuing eligibility for the card. The Labour-Progressive coalition Government and New Zealand First are proud to have worked together to establish the SuperGold card. As well as providing access to discounts on goods and services from businesses around the country the SuperGold card and the information services that support it—a website directory and 0800 number—will help ensure that seniors are easily able to access the range of services entitlements and concessions available to them from central and local government. 
The SuperGold card is the last in a long list of policies and initiatives that our Government has enacted to ensure that seniors have more support to help them to live independent and healthy lives. As the SuperGold card is part of Labour’s confidence and supply agreement with New Zealand First we have committed to adjust New Zealand’s superannuation annually to a minimum of 66 percent of the average ordinary wage for a married couple—1 percent higher than required by legislation. We first fulfilled this commitment on 1 April last year. On 1 April this year we adjusted the New Zealand superannuation and veterans pension rates yet again raising them by 5 percent. More than 508000 New Zealanders have been benefiting from extra money in their pockets since that time. 
Since 1 July 2004 New Zealanders aged 65 and over have been eligible for lower-cost general practitioner visits and prescription charges through their local primary health organisation. Two-thirds of SuperGold card holders will have an identifier on their card that also indicates their entitlement to income-tested community service card benefits. That means they will have to carry only one card instead of two. 
In July of last year we increased income thresholds for the rates rebate scheme to $20000 per annum—up from $7500—meaning that more people than ever are eligible for this assistance. Couples whose only income is New Zealand superannuation will now receive some level of rebate if their annual rates bill is more than $1150. As an example a couple in that situation who have a rates bill of $1900 are now eligible for the maximum rebate of $500. 
We are also developing a code of practice for home equity conversion schemes in order to ensure that the financial interests of older people are protected. Financial protection of older New Zealanders is also a focus of our work to amend the Protection of Personal and Property Rights Act 1988 to ensure that older New Zealanders and others have greater legal protection when setting up an enduring power of attorney. 
Of course we have recently made a number of changes to the licensing requirements for older drivers doing away with mandatory age-based road tests. For those older people who no longer drive other forms of transport can provide the means for their independence. For example the total mobility scheme provides a subsidised taxi service to people with serious mobility constraints. People who qualify receive taxi discount vouchers usually of 50 percent off the normal taxi fare. 
Last but certainly not least in 2001 we launched the New Zealand  
Positive Ageing Strategy 
. That strategy provides a framework for integrating policies and programmes across the whole of government at central regional and local level and ensures that our Government departments and agencies consider older people before making decisions. The new SuperGold card sits alongside and compliments these Labour-led Government initiatives. 
Importantly it encourages the private sector to get involved in improving the lot of older New Zealanders. Businesses around the country are able to sign up as a SuperGold card business partner. People may have tuned in to listen to or they may have watched Parliament this afternoon. I encourage all businesses that have not already done so to pick up the phone and call the SuperGold business partner freephone 0508 650 000. Not only will they be giving something back to senior citizens they will be doing themselves a favour. Older people are loyal customers. They value word-of-mouth recommendations especially from their peers and they are a growing group. There is also a contact phone number for cardholders—0800 254 565. By August a website will also provide a wealth of information on the entitlements available to older New Zealanders. 
The SuperGold card honours the contribution older New Zealanders have made and continue to make to New Zealand society. It is an acknowledgment of the respect they deserve. It will be a physical reminder of the Government’s commitment to seniors and to veterans and will improve their standard of living through the commercial discounts available through the card and by helping them access the range of services entitlements and concessions available. 
This bill is a fine example of how a modern-day Government works. Cooperation and delivering on promises and arrangements made—in this instance a confidence and supply arrangement with New Zealand First—leads to something of this kind: the SuperGold card for our senior citizens the first-ever card of its kind in New Zealand. 
I commend the perseverance of my colleague my Associate Minister for Senior Citizens the Rt Hon Winston Peters for making this bill and the SuperGold card a reality. I conclude by also acknowledging the officials and the select committee for their work.