Logie Jan: Social Assistance (Portability to Cook Islands Niue and Tokelau) Bill — Second ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeLogie Jan: Social Assistance (Portability to Cook Islands Niue and Tokelau) Bill — Second Reading[Sitting date: 05 May 2015. Volume:705;Page:3181. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]JAN LOGIE (Green): I rise to take a short call in this the second reading of the Social Assistance (Portability to Cook Islands Niue and Tokelau) Bill. The Green Party is supporting this bill as well as Supplementary Order Paper 71. That has been presented I understand by the Rt Hon Winston Peters to address the concerns raised by submitters—including most notably two heads of State—regarding the requirement of 5 years of residence post the age of 50 which has also been raised by other members of this House.For people listening this bill basically improves the access of people who live in the Realm of New Zealand to superannuation. The Realm countries are Niue Tokelau and the Cook Islands. This bill sits on the precipice of resolving long-outstanding concerns that I am sure many members of this House have had raised with them over many years. It will enable people from Realm States who are living in those States to access 100 percent of superannuation if they have spent 20 years in this country. It will enable them to access 50 percent if they have spent 10 to 20 years on these islands as long as—and this is our problem—5 of those years have been spent in New Zealand post the age of 50.Realm countries are part of our constitutional arrangements in this country. In Tokelau for example the New Zealand - appointed representative in Tokelau has the power to overturn rules that have been passed by their General Fono which is in effect their Parliament. The economy of Niue is funded significantly by the overseas development and aid budget from this country. They have a population of under 1600 people living on those islands whereas there are 24000-plus Niueans I understand living in this country. The Cook Islands obviously are in a different position but as with all Realm countries their past and future are inextricably linked with ours. As has been noted in this House earlier many men from the Cook Islands died in the First World War. We saw the crosses on the lawn in their remembrance recently. People from the Cook Islands contribute significantly to this House. People from all the island States have contributed to our economy and our society. Where I live in Porirua there are wonderful rare moments where we get to hear the Cook Island drums rousing us to action from the streets.The people covered by this bill have spent decades in this country providing labour wisdom and culture and paying tax. It should not be seen as an act of beneficence to ensure that they can access the fruits of those labours. The Government has skirted the real issue of justice and the long-held concerns in this bill sadly by keeping in that requirement for 5 years of residence in New Zealand post the age of 50. I think we see this most starkly in the presentations and the submissions that asked for that to be taken out including submissions from two heads of State.If we look at the example of Niue where there are fewer than 1600 people living on those islands there is a call for people to come home to be able to participate in the building and functioning of that country. This bill by requiring people to spend 5 years in New Zealand post 50 and break their participation if they have gone back earlier or just calling them out is not actually in the interests of Niue nor is it in the interests of this country and our overseas and development aid budget. There are good reasons for this but most of them I think are that people have paid and contributed through their taxes and years of work in this country. They are part of our Realm and they deserve the recognition of easy access to superannuation within the Realm countries.