Rt Hon Winston Peters

New Zealand First Leader
8 SEPTEMBER 2014

Calling National to Account on Supergold Card Trickery

National is being sneaky and deceitful about its plans for SuperGold Card travel benefits, says New Zealand First.

“When New Zealand First exposed the threat to the SuperGold Card benefits Associate Minister of Transport Michael Woodhouse had the gall to deny this on TV One news, putting out a falsehood to thousands of Seniors,” says New Zealand First Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters.

“He is playing the same game of trickery that Steven Joyce played in 2010.

“Mr Joyce, the master of the school payroll disaster Novopay, was caught out making a similar denial and had to backtrack.

“Right now, Mr Woodhouse needs to explain to SuperGold Cardholders what is being discussed behind closed doors between the government and local body transport authorities.

“This looks suspiciously like a deliberate attempt to disguise the reality of cutbacks.

“New Zealand First is calling on National to announce details of changes it is making to the SuperGold Card benefits before the election.

“National has frozen travel benefits for over three years while they undertake a review.

“We know National wants to wind back the free travel component because they are only interested in the bottom line, yet its annual cost would be a third of Novopay which National let spiral out of control.

“SuperGold Card benefits 630,000 Seniors yet National completely ignores the social and psychological benefits.

"We should take nothing for granted with the SuperGold Card in National’s hands.

"New Zealand First will not let the Government mess around with SuperGold Card which we founded in 2007."

ENDS

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