Super age referendum part of any deal - Brash

Don Brash. Photo / Janna Dixon

Act would push for a referendum on raising the superannuation age to 67 as part of a confidence and supply agreement with National, leader Don Brash says.

In a speech yesterday in Hamilton, Dr Brash warned that the universal state-funded pension scheme was fiscally unsustainable over the long term.

Failure by Governments to face up to that, and costly policies being promoted by parties on the left meant rising Crown debt and the risk of the "Greecification" of New Zealand.

Dr Brash acknowledged that Labour's election policy to raise the age of superannuation eligibility from 65 to 67 gradually between 2020 and 2033 - in line with Retirement Commissioner Diana Crossan's recommendation - meant the issue was "in play with the New Zealand electorate".

But Act wanted the superannuation age to rise earlier and twice as quickly, beginning in 2017 and reaching 67 by 2023.

The "single biggest impediment to raising the age" was Prime Minister John Key's public declaration that he would rather resign than raise the age.

To put the issue on the post-election agenda, "Act will ask that the issue of raising the superannuation age be put to a public vote."

"In any negotiations over confidence and supply with the National Party next week, we will push for a referendum to be held on the retirement age in the coming year."