INDEPENDENT NEWS

National Signs Up To Join Robbery Of Pensioners

Published: Tue 30 Nov 2004 09:59 AM
National Signs Up To Join Robbery Of Pensioners
New Zealand First deputy leader Peter Brown says National’s announcement that it will continue the Superannuation Fund in its current form means that Don Brash has committed to actually reducing superannuitants’ income by thirty-five dollars a week.
“Pensioners are being ripped off by the way universal superannuation is currently calculated, and National’s ‘me too’ attempts to match Labour on the issue will only result in the continued robbery of pensioners,” said Mr Brown.
“By changing the mechanism for calculating the rate of payment from the Consumer Price Index to the net average wage, the Government has made superannuitants thirty dollars a week worse off.
“In addition, another five dollars a week is being taken from pensioners because the Government has allowed the pension to fall below 65 percent of the net average wage.
“This is grossly unfair. Thirty five dollars a week on a fixed income is a significant amount.
“The Government knows about this anomaly and will not fix it, and now National has decided to join in, having in the past signed a super accord only to break it a few years later.
“The Government has breached its own law over superannuation levels and New Zealand First has asked the Auditor-General to investigate the anomaly.
“New Zealand First is the only party serious about addressing the current discrepancies. We will not let this serious anomaly and blatant cheating continue,” concluded Mr Brown.

Next in New Zealand politics

Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
By: New Zealand Government
GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan
By: New Zealand Government
New Zealand Provides Further Humanitarian Support To Gaza And The West Bank
By: New Zealand Government
High Court Judge Appointed
By: New Zealand Government
Parliamentary Network Breached By The PRC
By: New Zealand Government
Tax Cuts Now Even More Irresponsible
By: New Zealand Labour Party
View as: DESKTOP | MOBILE © Scoop Media