Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Licence needed for work use Learn More

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | News Video | Crime | Employers | Housing | Immigration | Legal | Local Govt. | Maori | Welfare | Unions | Youth | Search

 

Grey Power Wants Immediate Action For Pensioners Stuck Overseas

The Grey Power NZ Federation supports calls by the Retirement Commissioner Jane Wrightson for an amnesty for all older people caught in the border closures in 2020 and 2021 and who now face the possibility of having to repay an overpaid pension because they were forced to stay out of the country over the 26 weeks limit, through no fault of their own.

Grey Power Federation president Jan Pentecost has called for an immediate halt to pension suspensions for all New Zealanders trapped anywhere overseas by Covid-19 travel restrictions.

“There is no acceptable reason why an amnesty should not immediately apply to anyone and everyone caught overseas beyond the twenty-six-week period for which they were entitled to receive their pension, and to rigidly apply the rules of the system was and is heartless and simply inappropriate during a global pandemic.

The government has spent millions of dollars to help all sectors of the community survive the pandemic and that is what we expect of them. Hitting pensioners stuck overseas through no fault of their own with large bills and loss of pension is contrary to that ethic; it is inhumane and totally unacceptable; an amnesty must happen now!” she said.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

Featured News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.