More perks for SuperGold Card holders

Te Awamutu Supergold Card holders Doreen Kelly (right) and Phyllis Henderson discuss their options with GoBus driver Henry Hobson. Photo / NZME.

Senior citizens can now get discounts for services at a much greater number of health professionals and lawyers, Senior Citizens Minister Maggie Barry says.

A campaign to add to the businesses that are signed up to the SuperGold Card scheme ran earlier this year and more than 650 agreed to join.Among them are 60 dental practices and more than 40 legal firms.

"There is now even more opportunity for SuperGold Card holders to save money when they are considering setting up legal documents like updated wills and appointing trusted people to have Enduring Power of Attorney," Ms Barry said.

"I want the SuperGold Card to be more useful for our older people. I would like it to have a special focus on attracting businesses in traditional health categories that look after the eyes, ears and teeth, as well as legal services."

There are now more than 8000 businesses represented by 12,500 outlets offering discounts for SuperGold Card holders.

Meanwhile, a petition asking for the SuperGold Card scheme to be extended to Explore ferries to Waiheke has been tabled in Parliament.

The Explore Group had given those aged 65 and older free off-peak travel after starting ferry services to Waiheke late last year.

However, that was scrapped because the company could not get a Government subsidy, because of a 2010 moratorium preventing major new services entering the scheme.

The moratorium was brought in to ensure the costs of the SuperGold Card scheme do not get out of hand. A review of the scheme's sustainability is planned.

Yesterday a petition was presented to Parliament by Auckland Central MP Nikki Kaye and referred to the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee.

Organised by Daniel Silva on behalf of Ferry Users Group of Waiheke, the petition has almost 1560 signatures.

Labour's Jacinda Ardern welcomed the petition on Twitter. NZ First leader Winston Peters is another politician to call for Explore to be granted a share of the scheme's subsidy.

The SuperGold Card was part of the NZ First confidence and supply agreement with Labour after the 2005 election.

The scheme's annual cost of $18 million in 2008 has since risen to $26 million, of which Fullers receives a capped payment of $1.5 million.