Stewart Barbara: Social Security (Entitlement Cards) Amendment Bill — Second Reading 
Stewart Barbara: Social Security (Entitlement Cards) Amendment Bill — Second Reading 
[Volume:638;Page:8730] 
BARBARA STEWART (NZ First) 
: 
 On behalf of New Zealand First I am absolutely delighted to take a call on the second reading of the Social Security (Entitlement Cards) Amendment Bill. It is very interesting that National members are actually terrified to see that a group of people in society will be advantaged and will perhaps get more than they currently get. It is a shame that this group of people comprise National members’ mothers grandmothers and elderly parents. I have never seen such merchants of misery and doom making up fiction as they have gone along. I really wonder who put the venom in their Easter eggs. I can assure those members that Grey Power is extremely happy with the SuperGold card. It cannot wait to see the card become a reality for our senior citizens and veterans. 
As we have heard this measure is an extremely important part of New Zealand First’s supply and confidence agreement with the Government so we must acknowledge the Government’s part in ensuring that the SuperGold card has eventuated in a very prompt way particularly through the efforts of Minister Dyson. I think this initiative and the legislation actually emphasises the positive aspects of an MMP environment—an environment that the National Party is not happy with. We know we can work together in the best interests of New Zealanders if we all have the goodwill. This is an excellent example of MMP and how the MMP environment works. We know we can make a positive difference to the lives of our senior citizens and veterans. New Zealand First has always had that as one of its objectives. 
It is important that the most vulnerable people in our society—the very young and the seniors—are always looked after. In this instance the seniors are our focus and we have stayed very true to our election platform. We did not promise the moon and deliver dust; we have actually delivered on what we went out to the people on. In New Zealand First we have not forgotten the very young. We are going to continue to work on the issues that benefit them such as free medical care and oral health-care—all of those things that are very important to us in New Zealand First. 
The SuperGold card will provide negotiated discounts from participating businesses and I assure the National Party that those businesses are very keen to be part of this particular venture. We know that our seniors already know the value of this card. It operates in Australia and our seniors are keen to have the same benefits and advantages that are available across the Tasman. 
R Doug Woolerton 
: And it’s about time too. 
BARBARA STEWART 
: It is about time. After all is said and done if it can be done in Australia it can definitely be done here. It is long overdue. We know from the Australian experience that the gold card system over there has definitely got better as time has progressed. 
New Zealand First sees the benefits available through the SuperGold card as being complementary to the Grey Power card because the cards have a common objective of ensuring the best and most extensive use of the purchasing power of seniors’ incomes. We know that in many cases their incomes are limited. Basically the SuperGold card will concentrate on the provision of services to the widest possible number of seniors throughout New Zealand. We have heard about many of the benefits here today. There may very well be individual companies in less populous areas that can see advantages of being aligned with the SuperGold card and we will encourage those companies to do so. 
As has been said this card will be available from August 2007 and will enable seniors to access with ease the Government and local authority concessions entitlements and services. This type of approach will be of huge benefit to seniors. We do not want them to have hassles to get these particular discounts; we want it to happen easily and without stress and to ensure that they actually get what they are entitled to. 
R Doug Woolerton 
: Absolutely! 
BARBARA STEWART 
: Absolutely! We look forward to the time that the SuperGold card will be sent out to senior citizens who receive New Zealand superannuation or the veterans pension. We heard today that there will be a special version for veterans with war and emergency services. 
We do not want any hassles around the card. I was very delighted to hear that there will be a SuperGold card website. That is a great development for seniors. It is so pleasing to see that many of our seniors are getting onto the Internet and taking advantage of this particular technology. I know that SeniorNet computer classes are available in many communities throughout New Zealand. I know they are available in my home town of Cambridge. The seniors are taking full advantage of those particular classes. As with other discount cards the Internet will ensure that a printed directory with the range of available concessions and discounts can be updated very easily. 
It was very interesting to read in the report back to the House that there was some hesitation and resistance to the use of microchip technology which is future technology. Winston Peters has assured the House that our seniors have absolutely nothing to fear from this particular technology. Many of the seniors who use a passport are already aware that they also now contain a microchip. 
R Doug Woolerton 
: Ninety-nine percent of them have got it. 
BARBARA STEWART 
: As my honourable colleague Doug Woolerton said 99 percent of them have it. In Parliament we all have cards that use microchip technology. The magnetic strip technology that we have relied on for so long has now been made redundant. The use of microchip technology will not occur until the technology is widely available. The SuperGold card will not be an identity card as some of our National colleagues have said. On that point we do not even know yet whether National will support this particular bill. 
We are very aware in New Zealand First that our seniors face many many challenges to make their pensions stretch further so that they can enjoy the busy lives they lead. One senior said to me recently: “I am far busier now than when I was working. I am busy doing voluntary work in the community looking after grandchildren when they are sick so their parents can go to work and in between times trying to follow some of my own interests.” That makes seniors very very busy people. Our seniors do make very valuable contributions in so many ways and this particular card just recognises that. As my colleague has said National does not recognise their contribution. 
I visited the St John Ambulance Association recently in Cambridge and I was really impressed with the service that it offers. I was also very interested to see that many of the volunteers were our senior citizens. They were busy working and going out each day to the St John Ambulance service. Our seniors make a huge contribution to the community and to every New Zealand family. Where would we be without them? It is absolutely essential that we recognise the contribution that they make. 
New Zealand First supports the Social Security (Entitlement Cards) Amendment Bill totally. The party wants to have a very positive future for our seniors and our veterans. This legislation is a great development. I must give out the freephone number while I am here so that senior citizens who want to make inquiries can do so. The free phone number is 0800 254 565. We in New Zealand First believe our seniors have earned the SuperGold card. We look forward to this bill passing through the House.