Political parties stay split on retirement age
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
A cross-party agreement on a seniors policy is unlikely to happen after this year’s general election.
Grey Power North Canterbury president Jan Pentecost challenged candidates, at an election meeting at the Rangiora RSA Club on Tuesday, September 5, whether they would be willing to enter into a cross-party agreement after the election so seniors did not "become a political football".
But the candidates from National, Labour, Act, New Zealand First and Democracy NZ indicated this was unlikely to happen.
National Party candidate Matt Doocey said he had experience with multi party agreements through the cross party working party on mental health he established with Labour, Green, Act and Te Pāti Māori MPs.
But he had his doubts about finding common ground on seniors policy.
"We would be open to these guys coming to us and supporting raising the retirement age to 67."
National remained committed to pegging the pension to 67 percent of the average wage.
Doocey said it was "paramount on any government to reduce the cost of living", while health care was also in his sights.
"It is heartbreaking to hear the stories of seniors and young parents will have health issues in the middle of the night and they have to drive past the Rangiora Health Hub and head into the city for emergency care."
Labour Party candidate Dan Rosewarne said MPs ignored the over-65s at their peril.
"In the future it will be one-in-three people over age 65 and you all tend to vote, so it would be silly for anyone to run counter to that."
But he said Labour did not support National’s policy to raise the retirement age.
Rosewarne said the winter energy payment, removal of $5 prescription charges and half price public transport were all saving money for pensioners.
Removing GST on fruit and vegetables would also leave more money in their back pockets, he said.
ACT Party candidate Ross Campbell said the government needed to be "prudent" about its spending.
"When I look around the room, I can see that people are living longer, so I don’t want to look people in the eye and tell them something I can’t promise."
He said ACT supported raising the retirement age.
New Zealand First candidate Mark Arneil said his party remained committed to keeping the retirement age at 65 years.
"We are the only party looking after you and we have consistently done that, so when I look at the other parties I can see that a cross-party agreement isn’t going to happen."
Democracy NZ candidate Gordon Malcolm said his party was willing to work any party on a seniors policy.
■ Public interest journalism funded through New Zealand on Air.
Secure your homes over summer
Police are reminding people to keep their homes secure during the summer months.
Inspector Glenda Barnaby, Christchurch Area Prevention manager, says daytime burglaries are just as common as nightime burglaries.
“Burglaries can be committed at any time of the day, and coming into warmer months there is more opportunity for thieves."
"Although a majority of burglaries involve forced entry through windows and doors, we are starting to see more incidents at insecure premises. Police deal with cases where burglaries are committed in broad daylight, sometimes even while the victim is at home. Good weather means open doors and windows, which makes homes more vulnerable to burglars.”
Inspector Barnaby says there’s a few things people can do to reduce their changes of a burglary being committed.
⚠️ If you’re going outside for gardening, relaxing in the sun, or working in the garage, take a moment to lock your doors and secure your windows first.
⚠️ Do the same at night when you go to bed - keep your doors and windows secure and close your curtains. Fitting window stays means you can get a breeze coming through, while keeping your windows secure.
⚠️ Get to know your neighbours - let them know if you’re going away and look out for one another.”
If you see any suspicious activity, people or vehicles in your neighbourhood, don't hesitate to contact Police.
If you witness or suspect any illegal activity, please call 111 if it is happening now, or make a report through 105 either online or over the phone, if it is after the fact.
Poll: Pedestrian access is being extended to the Ōtakaro Avon River - good idea?
Pedestrian access from one of Christchurch’s favourite streets is being extended all the way to the Ōtakaro Avon River. This new 12m-wide pathway will give you a direct, easy route from the street to the river promenade ... perfect for a stroll, a coffee run, or just soaking up the riverside vibes.
We want to know: In your view, what makes a city people-friendly?
What else should our urban areas be doing to support better community connections?
Curious about the full plans? You can check them out here.
-
90.2% Yes
-
9.8% No
Poll: Are our Kiwi summer holidays helping us recharge, or holding the economy back? ☀️🥝
There’s growing debate about whether New Zealand’s extended Christmas break (and the slowdown that comes with it) affects productivity.
Tracy Watkins has weighed in ... now it’s your turn. What’s your take? 🤔
-
72.7% We work hard, we deserve a break!
-
16.3% Hmm, maybe?
-
11% Yes!
Loading…
