Debbie Ngarewa-Packer: Ending poverty requires serious Govt approach

40 per cent of pensioners depend entirely on their $25,000 a year of superannuation to live.

OPINION:

This week I was visited by a large group of kaumatua (elderly), an upbeat group of 65 years to 80-year-olds. Made up of predominantly women and a couple of very doted-on males, they had been on an outing and excitedly chatted like a bunch of teenagers as they navigated their walking frames and walking sticks to our venue.

They proudly disclosed that they make up the regional kaumatua Olympics team, love dancing, and are hosting a ball, (clearly the idea I have of relaxing as I age is not a done thing). We shared our favourite second-hand shop finds and laughed loudly as they compared their gossip cautioning each other of what happens on tour stays on tour (not sure I would survive their tours). The topics of discussion ranged from grandchildren, recipes and gardening to widows looking for rich younger husbands. It was a buoyant meeting.

Then one kuia (elderly woman) raised how she was looking for accommodation and the mood in the room changed quickly from joy to wretchedness as they slowly shared their living crisis stories. Living in the dark to save power bills, not affording basic vegetables, fruit and meat, and trying to afford expensive rents. Quietly sharing the fear they may not have accommodation to host their precious mokopuna (grandchildren).

Before me were those who had committed years as community volunteers, marae supporters, swimming custodians, Māori wardens. Their future-proofing investment had been about ensuring the welfare of their communities.

It was the hopelessness of knowing that many of them came from labouring work and had no other opportunities for income options. This story is not uncommon - I look at all the volunteers in our communities, at church, hospitals, hospice etc - many are of the generation whose biggest investment was to their communities.

Twenty per cent of retired people in Aotearoa don’t own their own homes and 40 per cent of pensioners depend entirely on their $25,000 a year of superannuation to live. The retirement commission agency predicts a 100 per cent increase of elderly over 65 years renting and that by 2048, the 40 per cent reliant on their superannuation will equate to up to 600,000 people.

A recent story report highlighted cases of elderly without enough money to live off, with many having to rely on cheap, high-calorie foods instead of vegetables, fruits, meats, and fish, resulting in health issues. This is a generation who don’t access foodbanks, preferring to leave charity for the young families in need.

Last week we got asked by media if we support the National Party’s policy to raise the superannuation age by two years, to which we replied of course we don’t! Surely, they would introduce tax on wealth before dismantling our universal superannuation programme - before taking away that certainty many who grow older are expecting.

National intends to lift the age of eligibility from 65 to 67, and this is despite a recent report from the Retirement Commission recommending the age stays the same. The report states the commission had concerns that raising the age might disadvantage manual workers and groups with lower life expectancies, including Māori and Pasifika.

The National Party leader believes it’s not unreasonable because other countries have fully adopted 67 as a retirement age.

Act are critical that everyone is treated the same and they wouldn’t deal with anyone differently, but that’s not fact. Tangata whenua endure inequities that must not be ignored.

Many labouring jobs are not do-able after 65 and or even younger. Māori and Pasifika have a shorter life expectancy and we need to ensure there is ongoing support and certainty so that our elderly live with dignity.

We believe it is divisive to target superannuants. They need affordable housing and healthcare, and enough income to live well and participate in their whānau and communities.

National and Act should be ashamed of themselves for continuously attacking the vulnerable and denying the inequities that Māori and Pasifika experience.

What we need is political parties who will rise above gutter politics and anti-Māori rhetoric.

What we need is a government that will take a serious approach to addressing the real issue, which is ending poverty.

• Debbie Ngarewa-Packer is an MP and the co-leader of Te Pāti Māori.