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BACK ON TRACKAutumn has brought with it the winds of change. Change that New Zealand First welcomes. The government has announced several changes that New Zealand First is proud to have played an active role in producing, New Zealand will benefit greatly, yet there is further to go. In early April the government announced that the minimum wage would rise to $12 an hour. This is something The minimum wage increase to $12.00 is something we have fought for since 2005, three years have passed since we set this figure, and as you all know the cost of living has increased quite dramatically since then. The simple fact is that it is not enough. We can not, and must not continue to make excuses for a low wage economy, while our friends across the ditch boast a $13.47AUD or around $16.57 NZD minimum wage, and open their doors to our fleeing educated and skilled population. New Zealand First is adamant the minimum wage should be raised to $15.00 an hour in the wake of rising food and petrol costs. There is no reason why a person trying to make a decent honest living should be fighting tooth and nail to stay above the breadline. In addition to New Zealand First’s steady progress in raising superannuation, we saw a great leap forward for senior citizens in late April. We announced that Budget 2008 will contain funding to ensure that SuperGold Card holders will travel free during off peak times. We also announced that we had secured a significant funding boost to ensure greater access to hearing aids in this year’s budget. New Zealand First has been instrumental in raising superannuation from 66 percent of the net average wage for a married couple, from the 63.28 percent it was on the last election night. We continue to endeavour to increase this to our target of 72.5% in incremental steps. Every dollar of superannuation counts, and while we work on getting the amount that seniors around the country deserve, it is left to the individual to make their dollars go as far as possible, and the SuperGold Card will help ensure this. The news about free public transport during off peak time for our valued seniors is merely a step on the path when it comes to the potential of the SuperGold Card. Nearly 800 businesses with 4000 outlets have come on board, now seniors need to start using the opportunities presented by the SuperGold Card. Seniors should know more about the many advantages this card holds, with the benefits increasing day by day. In addition to improving awareness of the current advantages, we will continue to keep pressure on the government in regard to new benefits that the SuperGold Card could have for seniors. The budget increase for hearing aids is another positive step. It is the view of New Zealand First that we need to take this further because we believe that hearing aids and spectacles should be free for all qualifying senior citizens. This is one of only several goals of New Zealand First. We will continue to strive to give seniors the support and benefits they deserve. In early May the Government bought back Toll New The challenge for New Zealand First in the future is to make sure that these assets stay in New Zealand hands, and that the mistakes of the past are not repeated. Now the rail and ferries are back in taxpayer hands, we must commit to ensuring that they are maintained and utilized to the ultimate benefit of all new Zealanders. We have embraced the changes that autumn has brought, but in anticipation of a long cold winter, we are preparing for further hard work to seek more gains and benefits for ordinary New Zealanders. While New Zealand First welcomes these developments so far, we see them only as stepping stones towards greater goals. ENDS |
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