One of the best parts of my job is getting around the country and talking to New Zealanders about what matters most to them. For many older Kiwis, the message is clear – you want to stay independent, live in safer communities, access healthcare when you need it, and know your finances will stretch a bit further.
Our primary focus has been to reduce inflation to bring the cost of living under control because we know living on a fixed income can be really tough. That’s why National is continuing the Winter Energy payment, free prescriptions for SuperGold Card holders, and delivering rates relief to 66,000 more SuperGold Cardholders by lifting the income abatement threshold to $45,000. From 2029, we’re also are capping rates increases at a maximum of 4 per cent a year.
We’re continuing to increase NZ Super every year. From April 1, a married couple who both qualify for NZ Super saw a rise of more than $50 a fortnight to $1,708 – an increase of more than $180 a fortnight since the 2023 election.
We’ve reduced hospital waiting times, we’re training more doctors and nurses, we’ve boosted Pharmac funding to deliver 66 additional medicines, including 33 new cancer medicines.
We’ve also delivered more than 16,000 additional elective procedures so far, including cataracts, hips and knees, expanded breast screening to women aged 70 to 74, and delivered 12-month prescriptions so people with stable, long-term conditions face fewer GP visits.
National introduced tougher sentences for criminals, bootcamps for young offenders, and cracked down on gangs so you can feel safer in your homes and communities. Getting tough on crime is working. We’ve had an 85% reduction in ram raids and now have 46,000 fewer victims of violent crime.
In education, we’re making sure your grandchildren are taught the basics brilliantly by requiring schools to teach an hour each of reading, writing and maths every day. We’re also introducing a free, optional photo-ID version of the SuperGold Card to make this easier for simple things such as proving your identity at a bank.
None of this solves every challenge overnight. But it does reflect a simple commitment: after a lifetime of contribution, seniors deserve respect, security, and practical support from a government focused on getting the basics right. Authorised by J de Joux, 41 Pipitea St, Wellington.
