Turner Judy: New Zealand Superannuation and Veterans’ Pensions (Entitlements of Spouses and Partners of People in Long-term Residential Care and Remedial Matters) Bill — Second Reading 
Turner Judy: New Zealand Superannuation and Veterans’ Pensions (Entitlements of Spouses and Partners of People in Long-term Residential Care and Remedial Matters) Bill — Second Reading 
[Volume:631;Page:3025] 
JUDY TURNER (Deputy Leader—United Future) 
: 
 I stand to speak on behalf of United Future on the New Zealand Superannuation and Veterans’ Pensions (Entitlements of Spouses and Partners of People in Long-term Residential Care and Remedial Matters) Bill. Obviously we will support this bill along with all other parties. It is a good move it is a fair move and I agree that it is probably long overdue. It is interesting to note there were four written submissions on this bill no oral submissions were asked for and all submissions were fully supportive of the bill. No substantive issues were raised in relation to the legislative amendments contained within the bill and no changes were made by the committee. 
I would like to refer to the submitters because I think it is a good time to look at those who did take the time. One submitter that has been mentioned is Volunteer Service Abroad which was genuinely thrilled at the extended period of time from 52 weeks to 156 weeks that someone can receive New Zealand superannuation or a veterans pension if he or she is carrying out volunteer work overseas for a recognised aid agency. 
I remember at the time thinking about a lady whom I was very fond of—and I have to mention her name: Myrtle Whitehead—who served for years and years including when she was a superannuitant in Borneo. I remembered a day when we got notice that Myrtle was missing. She was missing for some weeks in the jungles of Borneo. To be honest we had all come to the conclusion that she had had an accident and hurt herself and that we would eventually possibly get news that her body had been found. However a very long time later Myrtle wandered out of the jungle into a village. She had just become lost and gone astray. Through all those years of her hard work for that country with her love of the people of Borneo she was travelling back and forth to New Zealand to keep current with her superannuation which was difficult. 
I was really touched by the comments made by Dr Pita Sharples about the time he had his mum living with him. My husband and I took my husband’s grandmother in to live with us at one stage and she lived with us for the last 18 months to 2 years of her life. We look back on that as a very rich time in our lives. We also have some very funny stories that we can tell about that chance to have her live with us. We could set the clock at the time she would open her door to her part of the house shuffle through not speak a word to anybody come into the kitchen where I was cooking tea and lift ceremonially all the lids of the pots to check that there were green vegetables for our son and if there were not green vegetables of sufficient quantity then I got a telling off. My youngest boy who incidentally is not obese and has never been obese had the best diet of any of our children because nana kept a good eye on it. So all of us who have enjoyed that type of arrangement know how precious it is. 
What our family has not experienced and what this bill is about addressing is the situation where one elderly relative is unable to be cared for by family or spouse because of the level of care that is required and has to go into care and the financial difficulties that that can create for the person living on his or her own at that stage. It is right and proper that this bill is passed and the respect it creates is acknowledged. 
The National Council of Women was also keen to add its support and it made the comment that it felt that this complemented the Ministry of Health’s “ageing in place” strategy and I think the council is right. Age Concern New Zealand also made its feelings known on this matter. There was a submission that talked a little bit about—and I know this will be dear to Mr Mark’s heart—this whole idea of the portability of pensions. It was not addressed in this bill properly because it was kind of outside the terms of this bill. But since I have received some letters on this issue I have been asking the Minister for a briefing on it. I think it is something that needs to be further addressed and we will be looking to the Government to make some changes. 
Ron Mark 
: It is in the Labour - New Zealand First agreement! 
JUDY TURNER 
: Well things are hunky-dory—there is action! We would support that too. We think there is a real need to look at some flexible arrangements around the payment of pensions. So we are very happy to support this bill and we look forward to its speedy implementation.