sitting day. I apologise, this bill
is set down for third reading next
sitting day. Order of the Day No. 2.
Social
Social Assistance (Residency Qualification) Legislation Bill.
Third reading.
Third reading. Madam Speaker, I move
Third reading. Qualification)
Third reading. Social Assistance (Residency
Qualification) Legislation Bill be read
read a third time. The Hon Carmel 16789 epuloni.
The Hon Carmel 16789 epuloni.
This bill reflects the Government's strengthening of the partnership
between New Zealand and our Pacific
neighbours. We want to recognise the
contributions with the Cook Islands
and others and the contributions
these continue to make to
New Zealand. This bill enhances
our
nations, by providing greater pension flexibility for people who
wish to live in the Cook Islands
Nuei and Tukalau, this is how
we want to work together towards
greater economic and social develop
N the Pacific. New
Zealands' superannuation and veterans'
pension are the main forms of income
support for older New
Zealanders. Superannuation is paid at age 65 to
any New Zealand citizen or resident
who is ordinarily
resident in New Zealand when he or she
applies and who has been resident and
present in New Zealand for ten years
over the age of 20 and also
five years over the age of 50. Veterans'
pension is the alternative pension for veterans
and their partners who qualifier
New Zealand superannuation
Zealand superannuation based on veterans equal operational service.
veterans equal operational service. Current pension portability
arrangements allow people to
take their New Zealand superannuation
or veterans' pension to one
of 22 Pacific countries and territories,
including the Cook Islands, Nuei and
Tukalau. This the provision the
special portability arrangement. Under the arrangesment New Zealand
superannuation and veterans
pension is paid at a minimum of
superannuation and veterans pension
ten years' residency in New Zealand, rising
ten years' residency in New Zealand,
be eligible under the portability arranges rangement a must
be resident and present in
New Zealand on the day of his or
her application. An amendment to the
special portability arrangements
special portability arrangements introduced in 2015 allows people
resident in the Cook Islands to
apply for
apply for superannuation or veterans' pension from the
islands rather than needing to be resident
and present in New Zealand
at the time of application.
and present in New Zealand at the time of application. The intent
was to move a disincentive for people to
return to the islands to
live T change has had a smaller
than expected. It is evident that the 2015 change, while
removing some incentive for people to return
to the Cook Islands, Nniue and To
lau did not achieve the
desired effect for people to remain in those
countries. The governments
of the Cook Islands, Niue have
expressed concerns that the five years over
age 50 residents' requirement was
the reason for the
age 50 residents' requirement was
the amendment made in 2015. They considered that the five
over 50 residents'
50 residents' requirement was deterring skilled people from
returning to and contributing to
their countries. They expressed
concern that the five years over
50 residence requirement may actually
induce some people to return to New
Zealand in order to ensure
that there will be able to claim
New Zealand superannuation
Zealand superannuation or veterans pension later on. Madam
Speaker, this bill will remedy these concerns
by allowing the requirement that
a person have five years residence and
presence in New Zealand over the age
of 50 years to be met instead with
residence and presence in either
New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Niue,
or Tokelau or any combination of
these countries. This government also
wants to ensure
that superannuants have as
have as many opportunities as possible as where they choose to
live by allowing people
to use residence over the age of 50 in New
Zealand, the Cook Islands,
Niue, Tokelau or any combination of these
countries to qualify for New Zealand
superannuation and
superannuation and veterans' pension. This bill
will achieve both these things. The change is for
the realm countries because this bill is
about recognising New Zealand's
close constitutional relationships with these Pacific islands, the Cook
Islands, Niue and Tokelau, which do
enjoy shared citizenship with
New Zealand,
Zealand, and unique legal arrangements.
Zealand, and unique legal arrangements. Tokelau is
a
the Cook Islands and Niue have adopted constitutions
adopted constitutions enabling
with New Zealand. Free association is a status distinct from that of
full independence and it allows the
Cook Islands and Niue to
maintain New Zealand
New Zealand citizenship while administering their own affairs. As
I mentioned earlier, this bill is
also about ensuring the economic
and social viability
social viability of the Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau.
Depopulation and its related social
and economic consequences is a
long standing issue for the Cook Islands,
Niue and Tokelau. The current
over 50 or five years over 50 in New Zealand requirement has
been described as a disincentive for Cook
Islander Niueans
Islander Niueans and Tokelauns established in New Zealand to return
home before 55. Removing this
disincentive would potentially help
move resource capacity
in these islands through an increased
return of experienced people able to apply
skills, acquired in
New Zealand, effectively in their
home communities.
communities. People returning in their 30s,
40s and 50s, would have the capacity
to contribute to 35 years in advance
of the age of qualification
for New Zealand's superannuation.
Zealand's superannuation. I want to acknowledge
the support from members of the House. I want to
acknowledge the support for
this bill from around
countries, particularly I want to
acknowledge the PM of the Cook Islands, who has
been a strong advocate for
this change to legislation and
was here with us in the first reading of this
bill in the House here. Can I
also acknowledge the honourable Winston
Peters who announced
this alongside myself and the PM in the Cook
Islanders, earlier this year, and I
really want to acknowledge
the opportunity that we had to announce
that there it there
in the Cook Islands a special announcement
given how many have been
fighting for this change over a long period of time.
I
I also want to acknowledge that this really is absolutely aligned with
this Government's commitment to a
Pacific reset, a reset that
us...
..and working with our Pacific Island neighbours as true partners
and this is indicative of that
given that this is a request put
to us, that we value the contribution that
Pacific people have made in New
Zealand, but we also
absolutely respect the contribution that they
should be supported to make in their
home island countries,
Madam Speaker, I want to acknowledge the
support for the bill across
the House. I'm pleased we can
come together to support this bill
and make positive changes for people in
our neighbouring Pacific nations.
Madam Speaker, I commend this bill
to the House. I call the Hon Alfred
Ngaro. Thank you, Madam Speaker,
I rise to take the call on the
third reading of
reading of the Social Assistance (Residency Qualification)
(Residency Qualification) Legislation Bill. It's a proud
day for myself being a descendant of the
Cook Islands and also I want
to acknowledge Poto
acknowledge Poto Williams, the assistant speaker who is a
descendant of the Cook Islands as
well. I want to acknowledge