October 23, 2018
Super restrictions threat to Māori
Auckland Action Against Poverty is warning a bill to raise the residency requirements for New Zealand Superannuation will hit many Māori and Pasifika whānau hard.
The bill proposed by New Zealand First MP Mark Patterson aims to raise the minimum residency requirements to get New Zealand superannuation from 10 years to 20 years after the age of 20.
AAAP spokesperson Kathleen Paraha says elederly poverty is increasing, with hardship grants for over 65's increasing by over 50 percent over the past five years as many struggle to meet the basic costs of living.
She says many Māori and Pasifika whānau living in Aotearoa have parents and grandparents in Australia and the Pacific Islands, and they should have the ability to be together to care for them in their twilight years.
The bill could damage their own prospects of superannuation.
She says whatever costs saved by restricting access to superannuation would be passed on to other government departments.
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