Grey Power November 2018

28
NZ GREYPOWER MAGAZINE » NOVEMBER 2018
NATIONAL ADVISORY GROUP REPORTS - October 2018
From page 27
ing or Local Government, and liaise
with the Taxation and Superannuation
NAG on this.
• Continue to work with associations
on the use of the OPERAT assessment
tool by members to provide
evidence to support their and the
Federation’s advocacy.
Other activities
At the request of the President, I liaised
with NZ Land Search and Rescue
concerning their Wander Search
Programme. This programme is
concerned with the potential of persons
with cognitive impairment to go
missing, and appropriate measures to
both minimise risk and effect speedy
location. Grey Power was invited to
join a reference group to provide collective
leadership and guidance.
P. Matcham
Group Chair
RETIREMENT INCOME
AND TAXATION REPORT:
On this occasion the Report of the Retirement
Income and Taxation Advisory
Group will have more to do with
the work of others, both within the
membership of our board and external
to the Grey Power organisation.
Overseas Pension ‘abatement regime’.
I refer to a remit adopted at the 2018
Annual General Meeting and subsequently
promoted passionately by
at least one board member; recommending
the Federation advocate for
the removal from the Social Security
Act 1938 (Section 70 etc.) of the impact
of direct deduction provisions
(DDP) on the spouse/partner of a
recipient of New Zealand Superannuation
who has additional overseas
pension entitlements.
I need to emphasize I am not referring
to DDP per se. My recall of Grey
Power’s position on overseas pension
abatements is that the measure
is consistent with our concern that
people who have resided and worked
within the New Zealand economy for
the duration of their working lives are
not rendered inferior to other recipients
who have accumulated overseas
pension entitlements from a period of
employment elsewhere than in New
Zealand.
The recommendation to our Board
from our 2018 delegates was confined
to support for the growing ‘lobby’ by
organisations other than Grey Power,
for an end to the ‘spousal’ provisions
impacting on an otherwise fully dependent
individual. To this limited
degree I too am inclined to support
their claim for relief.
One of the more definitive reports
on this topic is Auckland University’s,
Retirement Policy and Research
Centre (RPRC) paper “New Zealand
Superannuation policy and Overseas
State Pensions.”
In the expectation that consideration
of the relevant remit might well
feature on the agenda of this month’s
board meeting I have appended a copy
of the RPRC paper; annotated with my
comments in the sections I anticipate
might be addressed in debate.
Interim Report of the Tax Working
Group:
Apart from a general reference to the
direction likely to be followed by the
further work of the taxation review
group, we are going to have to wait a
little longer for the emergence of specific
measures which might affect our
membership.
A useful commentary on the direction
any restructuring might follow,
is contained in the monthly economic
bulletin of the Council of Trade
Unions.
The Executive Summary of this
publication (complied by economist
Bill Rosenberg, himself an appointed
member of the review panel) is appended
to this Report.
Work in Progress (Advisory Group
initiated)
Lew Rohloff
Group Chair (Off Board)
SOCIAL SERVICES
REPORT:
Report on MSD consultation re Positive
Ageing Strategy
This second discussion was intended
to cover the results of consultations
around the country as well as the
submissions received, but the latter
(470) were so complex and numerous
that not all had been analysed.
The first session consisted of a presentation
of the main themes presented
by submitters so far and raised
the following questions:
• Typical patterns of expenditure in
retirement?
• End life care – what is it going to be?
• Retirement or unemployment?
• The philosophy of social investment
– does this disadvantage older
people?
• Media approach to ageism – provision
of media training packs
around this attitude?
• Government workshop – how often
are they about ageism?
• The second session was more
about content and how it should be
presented. Topics which came under
discussion included:
• The need for more population statistics
around retirement, unemployment,
structural ageing;
• The death rate vs. population ageing;
• A more interesting and challenging
title for the document which might
encourage people to read it;
• The problematisation of ageing –
terminology such as ‘silver tsunami’
and the like;
• Population itself does not age – it is
the people within the population;
• Ageing of the people a dividend to
NZ, not a problem;
• Accountability of responsible agencies
in dealing with the situation;
• Should the conclusions be placebased,
finance-based or people-based?
• The importance of funding – unless
agencies commit to policy and
receive specific resources, nothing
will happen.
K. de Lacy
Group Chair
Returns from 6.25% to 8% *
DIVE INTO LIFE TODAY!
Our unique investment model, with current returns
of 6.25% - 8%* (paid out monthly), will give you the
regular income you need to live life to the fullest. Take
charge by choosing a mortgage investment that suits
your financial strategy and is supported by a registered
mortgage over the borrower’s property.
If you’re looking for excellent returns** and a more flexible,
transparent way to use your capital, talk to us today.
Phone 0800 00 58 43
www.southerncrosspartners.co.nz
* Investment rate subject to change. Southern
Cross Partners Ltd is a licenced Peer to Peer lender
under the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013.
** Based on our current rates and performance.
To learn more about the risks associated with this
type of investment, visit our website set out above.