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.
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Fears motorway toll could leave North Canterbury town worse off
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
A community leader fears a toll on the proposed motorway extension could leave a North Canterbury town worse off.
Woodend-Sefton Community Board chairperson Shona Powell said she fears Woodend could face increased traffic without promised safety improvements, if a toll is introduced on the Belfast to Pegasus Motorway extension, which includes the proposed Woodend Bypass.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) last month announced consultation for a toll of $4.30 for light vehicles and $8.60 for heavy vehicles (including trucks) on the new 11km Manawatu Gorge Motorway, which will be completed next year.
It means commuters could be stung with paying an extra $43 a week in their travel costs.
The agency said the Belfast to Pegasus Motorway extension will be 9km, including the Woodend Bypass and the realignment and four laning south of Pineacres.
Woodend residents have been waiting for safety improvements since NZTA began consulting with the community eight years ago.
But the safety improvements have been placed on hold, pending the progress of the motorway extension.
‘‘My biggest concern is people will continue using the existing road through Woodend and will go through Kaiapoi or Tuahiwi to avoid paying the toll,’’ Powell said.
‘‘And Woodend may not get the safety improvements, so nothing changes.’’
Powell was also concerned the speed reduction from 100kph to 80kph on State Highway 1 between the Pegasus roundabout and Waikuku could be reversed, following changes to the Setting of Speed Limits rule being announced.
‘‘It was a speed limit requested by the community as a safety improvement.
‘‘To go back to having that fast speed limit for traffic coming from the north, it would just be disastrous.’’
NZTA director regional relationships James Caygill said the Government Policy Statement (GPS) on land transport requires the agency to consider tolling for new roads.
‘‘But it is too soon to discuss any potential tolling options until the scope and cost of this project has been confirmed’’.
Caygill was unable to confirm whether the 80kph speed limit between Pegasus and Waikuku would remain.
He said the agency will identify locations affected by the rule once it is finalised later in the year.
Transport Minister Simeon Brown said Waka Kotahi ‘‘is working at pace’’ to deliver the motorway extension.
‘‘NZTA’s project teams are reviewing the scope, design, cost, and timing of all Roads of National Significance projects to ensure consistency with expectations in the GPS on Land Transport 2024.’’
He said Government ‘‘will support any recommendation from NZTA to toll roads’’.
The Government was also committed to ‘‘reversing Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions’’, Brown said.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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