SuperGold Card Third Reading Speech
The Social Security (Entitlement Cards) Amendment Bill is the next step in the process of making the SuperGold Card a reality.
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Social Security (Entitlement Cards) Amendment Bill
Third Reading Speech
Mr Speaker,
As the Right Honourable Winston Peters said in his speech to this house, the Social Security (Entitlement Cards) Amendment Bill is the next step in the process of making the SuperGold Card a reality.
Its purpose is to enable the full effect to be given to the government's intentions in regard to the delivery of the SuperGold Card.
Specifically, the amendments contained in the Bill will allow regulations to be made under the Social Security Act 1964 providing for implementation of a SuperGold Card:
· offering an optional cardholder photograph - useful for those who don't have a drivers licence or any other form of photo ID
· containing a barcode - which will help streamline the process by which businesses apply SuperGold Card discounts to cardholders when they present their Card at the point of sale
And in order to 'future-proof' the Card, the Bill will also allow regulations to be made providing for an embedded microchip in the Card, if and when this proves useful to cardholders at some stage in the future. Mr Speaker, as was always intended, the Card will be launched without a microchip in August this year.
Again as was always intended, but which the Bill now makes explicit, because of an amendment moved by Taito Philip Field, any move to use microchip technology in relation to the SuperGold Card, or in any other entitlement card, will not occur without consultation with the Privacy Commissioner and the State Services Commission.
The Bill will allow a barcode or microchip to only contain the information that can already be stored on a magnetic strip. I know Mr Speaker that some people have raised concerns about the information to be stored, but I say these concerns have been misunderstood and misrepresented for political point-scoring only, and the senior citizens of New Zealand will know that is the case, because the legislation makes it very clear what information can be stored. It does not allow anything in addition to what can already be stored on a magnetic strip. If a photograph is included-which is voluntary, as the Rt Hon Winston Peters outlined-that provides additional security.
Let me outline exactly what can be stored.
First is the cardholder's name. The strip can include an identifying number assigned by the department to the cardholder-the superannuation number. It can have a number or code indicating the cardholder's class of eligibility for the card. It can have an identifying number assigned to the card, the commencement and expiry dates of the card, and a code number for mailing purposes.
Mr Speaker, if members had bothered to read section 132A(2) of the Social Security Act, they would see in the law that is the limit of the information that can be stored without any further legislative amendment. There is no issue about breach of privacy. The legislation ensures that as future opportunities for discounts and concessions for senior citizens become available, and if they are available only through use of a microchip, we do not have to spend hours of time in this Parliament using up legislative opportunity to do something that the law already allows us to do.
This concern is just political point-scoring by National and ACT, to the detriment of over 550,000 New Zealanders who are interested in seeing the outcome of this legislation, rather than being scared by misunderstanding and misrepresentation.
I think the progress of this Bill through the House will be welcome news to all those senior citizens throughout the country. I know that having heard the entire debate, they will understand that their private information is not under threat. The sole intention of this measure is to ensure that as smart technology advances, they are able to access it at the earliest possible opportunity so that more concessions and more discounts can be added to the SuperGold card.
Finally, this Bill will also allow the Ministry of Social Development to obtain and use information from the Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages for the purposes of verifying a person's eligibility or continuing eligibility for the Card.
Mr Speaker this Labour-Progressive Government and New Zealand First are proud to have worked together to establish the SuperGold Card.
As well as providing access to discounts on goods and services from businesses around the country, the SuperGold Card - and the information services that support it - a website, directory and 0800 number - will help ensure seniors are able to easily access the range of services, entitlements, and concessions available to them from central and local government.
The SuperGold Card is the latest in a long list of policies and initiatives that our government has enacted to ensure seniors have more support to help them to live independent and healthy lives.
Like the SuperGold Card, as part of Labour's Confidence and Supply Agreement with New Zealand First, we have committed to adjust New Zealand Superannuation annually to a minimum of 66% of the average ordinary wage for a married couple - one percent higher than required by legislation. We first fulfilled this commitment in April last year.
On 1 April this year, we adjusted the New Zealand Super and Veteran's Pension rates again - raising them by 5 per cent.
More than 508,000 New Zealanders have been benefiting from extra money in their pockets since that time.
Since 1 July 2004, New Zealanders aged 65 and over have been eligible for lower cost GP visits and prescription charges through their local Primary Health Organisation. Two-thirds of SuperGold Card holders will have an identifier on their card that also indicates their entitlement to income-tested Community Services Card benefits. That means they will only have to carry one card instead of two.
In July of last year we increased income thresholds for the Rates Rebate Scheme to $20,000 per annum, up from $7,400 per annum making more people than ever before eligible for this assistance.
Couples whose only income is New Zealand Super will now receive some level of rebate if their annual rates bill is more than $1,150. As an example, a couple whose only income is New Zealand Super and who has a rates bill of $1900 is now eligible for the maximum rebate of $500.
We are also developing a code of practice for home equity conversion schemes, in order to ensure the financial interests of older people are protected.
The financial protection of older New Zealanders is also a focus of our work to amend the Protection of Personal and Property Rights Act 1998 to ensure that older New Zealanders (and others) have greater legal protection when setting up an enduring power of attorney.
And of course, we've recently made a number of changes to the licensing requirements for older drivers, doing away with mandatory age-based road tests.
For those older people who no longer drive, other forms of transport can provide the means to their independence. For example the Total Mobility Scheme provides a subsidised taxi service to people with serious mobility constraints. People who qualify receive taxi discount vouchers, usually of 50% off the normal taxi fare.
Last, but certainly not least, in 2001 we launched the New Zealand Positive Ageing Strategy. That Strategy provides a framework for integrating policies and programmes across the whole of government - at central, regional and local level - and ensures that government departments and agencies consider older people before making decisions.
The new SuperGold Card sits alongside, and complements, these Labour-led government initiatives. Importantly, it encourages the private sector to get involved in improving the lot of older New Zealanders.
Businesses around the country are able to sign up as a SuperGold Card 'business partner'. You might be tuned in listening to or watching Parliament this afternoon - I encourage all businesses who haven't already done so, to pick up the phone and call the SuperGold Card Business Partner Freephone: 0508 650 000.
Not only will you be giving something back to our senior citizens, you'll be doing yourself a favour. Older people are loyal customers, they value word of mouth recommendations, especially from their peers. And they are also a growing group.
There is also a contact phone number for cardholders: 0800 25 45 65. Come August, a website will also provide a wealth of information on the entitlements, services, concessions and discounts available to older New Zealanders.
The SuperGold Card honours the contribution older New Zealanders have made, and continue to make, to New Zealand society.
It is an acknowledgement of the respect they deserve. It will be a physical reminder of the Government's commitment to seniors and to veterans, and will improve their standard of living through the commercial discounts available through the card, and by helping them to access the range of services, entitlements, and concessions available.
This bill is a fine example of how modern-day government works. Co-operation, and delivering on promises and arrangements made-in this instance, a confidence and supply arrangement with New Zealand First-leads to something of this kind: the SuperGold card for our senior citizens, the first ever card of its kind in New Zealand.
Mr Speaker, I commend the perseverance of my colleague, Associate Minister for Senior Citizens, the Right Honourable Winston Peters, in making this Bill and the SuperGold Card a reality and I want to conclude by also acknowledging the officials and the Select Committee for their work.
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Social Security (Entitlement Cards) Amendment Bill
Third Reading Speech
Mr Speaker,
As the Right Honourable Winston Peters said in his speech to this house, the Social Security (Entitlement Cards) Amendment Bill is the next step in the process of making the SuperGold Card a reality.
Its purpose is to enable the full effect to be given to the government's intentions in regard to the delivery of the SuperGold Card.
Specifically, the amendments contained in the Bill will allow regulations to be made under the Social Security Act 1964 providing for implementation of a SuperGold Card:
· offering an optional cardholder photograph - useful for those who don't have a drivers licence or any other form of photo ID
· containing a barcode - which will help streamline the process by which businesses apply SuperGold Card discounts to cardholders when they present their Card at the point of sale
And in order to 'future-proof' the Card, the Bill will also allow regulations to be made providing for an embedded microchip in the Card, if and when this proves useful to cardholders at some stage in the future. Mr Speaker, as was always intended, the Card will be launched without a microchip in August this year.
Again as was always intended, but which the Bill now makes explicit, because of an amendment moved by Taito Philip Field, any move to use microchip technology in relation to the SuperGold Card, or in any other entitlement card, will not occur without consultation with the Privacy Commissioner and the State Services Commission.
The Bill will allow a barcode or microchip to only contain the information that can already be stored on a magnetic strip. I know Mr Speaker that some people have raised concerns about the information to be stored, but I say these concerns have been misunderstood and misrepresented for political point-scoring only, and the senior citizens of New Zealand will know that is the case, because the legislation makes it very clear what information can be stored. It does not allow anything in addition to what can already be stored on a magnetic strip. If a photograph is included-which is voluntary, as the Rt Hon Winston Peters outlined-that provides additional security.
Let me outline exactly what can be stored.
First is the cardholder's name. The strip can include an identifying number assigned by the department to the cardholder-the superannuation number. It can have a number or code indicating the cardholder's class of eligibility for the card. It can have an identifying number assigned to the card, the commencement and expiry dates of the card, and a code number for mailing purposes.
Mr Speaker, if members had bothered to read section 132A(2) of the Social Security Act, they would see in the law that is the limit of the information that can be stored without any further legislative amendment. There is no issue about breach of privacy. The legislation ensures that as future opportunities for discounts and concessions for senior citizens become available, and if they are available only through use of a microchip, we do not have to spend hours of time in this Parliament using up legislative opportunity to do something that the law already allows us to do.
This concern is just political point-scoring by National and ACT, to the detriment of over 550,000 New Zealanders who are interested in seeing the outcome of this legislation, rather than being scared by misunderstanding and misrepresentation.
I think the progress of this Bill through the House will be welcome news to all those senior citizens throughout the country. I know that having heard the entire debate, they will understand that their private information is not under threat. The sole intention of this measure is to ensure that as smart technology advances, they are able to access it at the earliest possible opportunity so that more concessions and more discounts can be added to the SuperGold card.
Finally, this Bill will also allow the Ministry of Social Development to obtain and use information from the Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages for the purposes of verifying a person's eligibility or continuing eligibility for the Card.
Mr Speaker this Labour-Progressive Government and New Zealand First are proud to have worked together to establish the SuperGold Card.
As well as providing access to discounts on goods and services from businesses around the country, the SuperGold Card - and the information services that support it - a website, directory and 0800 number - will help ensure seniors are able to easily access the range of services, entitlements, and concessions available to them from central and local government.
The SuperGold Card is the latest in a long list of policies and initiatives that our government has enacted to ensure seniors have more support to help them to live independent and healthy lives.
Like the SuperGold Card, as part of Labour's Confidence and Supply Agreement with New Zealand First, we have committed to adjust New Zealand Superannuation annually to a minimum of 66% of the average ordinary wage for a married couple - one percent higher than required by legislation. We first fulfilled this commitment in April last year.
On 1 April this year, we adjusted the New Zealand Super and Veteran's Pension rates again - raising them by 5 per cent.
More than 508,000 New Zealanders have been benefiting from extra money in their pockets since that time.
Since 1 July 2004, New Zealanders aged 65 and over have been eligible for lower cost GP visits and prescription charges through their local Primary Health Organisation. Two-thirds of SuperGold Card holders will have an identifier on their card that also indicates their entitlement to income-tested Community Services Card benefits. That means they will only have to carry one card instead of two.
In July of last year we increased income thresholds for the Rates Rebate Scheme to $20,000 per annum, up from $7,400 per annum making more people than ever before eligible for this assistance.
Couples whose only income is New Zealand Super will now receive some level of rebate if their annual rates bill is more than $1,150. As an example, a couple whose only income is New Zealand Super and who has a rates bill of $1900 is now eligible for the maximum rebate of $500.
We are also developing a code of practice for home equity conversion schemes, in order to ensure the financial interests of older people are protected.
The financial protection of older New Zealanders is also a focus of our work to amend the Protection of Personal and Property Rights Act 1998 to ensure that older New Zealanders (and others) have greater legal protection when setting up an enduring power of attorney.
And of course, we've recently made a number of changes to the licensing requirements for older drivers, doing away with mandatory age-based road tests.
For those older people who no longer drive, other forms of transport can provide the means to their independence. For example the Total Mobility Scheme provides a subsidised taxi service to people with serious mobility constraints. People who qualify receive taxi discount vouchers, usually of 50% off the normal taxi fare.
Last, but certainly not least, in 2001 we launched the New Zealand Positive Ageing Strategy. That Strategy provides a framework for integrating policies and programmes across the whole of government - at central, regional and local level - and ensures that government departments and agencies consider older people before making decisions.
The new SuperGold Card sits alongside, and complements, these Labour-led government initiatives. Importantly, it encourages the private sector to get involved in improving the lot of older New Zealanders.
Businesses around the country are able to sign up as a SuperGold Card 'business partner'. You might be tuned in listening to or watching Parliament this afternoon - I encourage all businesses who haven't already done so, to pick up the phone and call the SuperGold Card Business Partner Freephone: 0508 650 000.
Not only will you be giving something back to our senior citizens, you'll be doing yourself a favour. Older people are loyal customers, they value word of mouth recommendations, especially from their peers. And they are also a growing group.
There is also a contact phone number for cardholders: 0800 25 45 65. Come August, a website will also provide a wealth of information on the entitlements, services, concessions and discounts available to older New Zealanders.
The SuperGold Card honours the contribution older New Zealanders have made, and continue to make, to New Zealand society.
It is an acknowledgement of the respect they deserve. It will be a physical reminder of the Government's commitment to seniors and to veterans, and will improve their standard of living through the commercial discounts available through the card, and by helping them to access the range of services, entitlements, and concessions available.
This bill is a fine example of how modern-day government works. Co-operation, and delivering on promises and arrangements made-in this instance, a confidence and supply arrangement with New Zealand First-leads to something of this kind: the SuperGold card for our senior citizens, the first ever card of its kind in New Zealand.
Mr Speaker, I commend the perseverance of my colleague, Associate Minister for Senior Citizens, the Right Honourable Winston Peters, in making this Bill and the SuperGold Card a reality and I want to conclude by also acknowledging the officials and the Select Committee for their work.