Throughout its 33 year history, New Zealand First has stood firm that your Superannuation will be protected. There will be no means testing, there will be no increase in the age of eligibility.
Lately, there has been an influx of commentary on whether or not the superannuation eligibility age should change. No one makes the New Zealand First position clearer than Winston Peters himself: “We won’t allow Super to be hacked away from our seniors for any short-term gain.”
I have spent the last few weeks travelling the country promoting the Better Later Life Action Plan. Whether in large cities or small regional communities, the message is clear – the opportunity for solutions lies in fixing our economy, growing business, accommodating innovation, encouraging investment and freeing up access to our own natural resources.
The recently released NZIER 2026 Business of Ageing report highlights the enormous economic contribution by our over 65s – paid work now valued at $9 billion a year and a further $5 billion coming from self-employment.
Unpaid work, including volunteering, caring for others and supporting families and communities, is already valued at around $20 billion per year.
When we focus only on savings that can be made through changes to superannuation, we must be cognisant of the real impact as to who we are as a country.
That is why New Zealand First continues to be unwavering in our protection of the entitlements for our superannuants.
But our position does not ignore the impact of a struggling economy on the hard-working Kiwi battlers New Zealand First has always represented. We continue to deliver the practical solutions that improve productivity, in order to grow the economy.
This includes the Fast Track legislation to speed up infrastructure and construction, legislative changes which make it minor dwelling construction easier, and optimising the use of our own natural resources to increase economic self-sufficiency.
Superannuation currently sits at around 5% of New Zealand’s GDP – well below the OECD average. When we grow our GDP and recognise the significant contribution from our Kiwi seniors, New Zealand will be a better, stronger, more prosperous nation.
