SuperGold Card

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SuperGold Card, a flagship policy by New Zealand First SuperGold Card image.png
SuperGold Card, a flagship policy by New Zealand First

The SuperGold Card is a discounts and concessions card for senior citizens and veterans in New Zealand. [1] It includes public transport benefits like free off-peak travel (funded by the government) and discounts from businesses and companies across thousands of outlets. [2] [3]

It was a major initiative of the political party New Zealand First, [4] which established a research team to design the SuperGold Card. [5] The party leader Winston Peters negotiated the scheme with then-Prime Minister Helen Clark, despite widespread opposition to the card on the grounds of high cost. [6] As a condition of the 2005 confidence and supply agreement [7] between New Zealand First and the Labour Government, Peters launched the SuperGold Card in August 2007. [8]

The card is available to all eligible New Zealanders over the age of 65. The card does not expire. [9] A Veterans' SuperGold Card also exists for those who have served in the New Zealand Defence Force in a recognised war or emergency. [10] The card provides over 600,000 [11] New Zealanders with access to a wide range of government and local authority services, business discounts, entitlements and concessions, such as hearing aid subsidies. [12] However, it was argued much of the extra costs were 'book entries'. For example, the Government subsidises much of public transport anyway, where buses and trains travel with empty seats during off-peak hours; SuperGold Card commuters are simply using buses and trains during off-peak times. [13]

SuperGold Card came under threat in 2010 [14] when National Minister Steven Joyce tried to terminate free SuperGold transport on some more expensive public transport services, including the Waiheke Island ferry and the Wairarapa Connection train. [15] The Minister retreated when he came under fire from senior citizens.[ citation needed ]

In October 2019, Peters announced a $7.7 million investment into the SuperGold Card scheme. The "upgrade" includes a new website, a mobile app, and 500 new partner businesses. [16]

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References

  1. ↑ "SuperGold Card (MSD website)". New Zealand Government (Ministry of Social Development). Archived from the original on 24 July 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  2. ↑ "What is the SuperGold card? ('busit' website)". Archived from the original on 7 May 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  3. ↑ "SuperGold Card directory updated (NZ Government website)". Archived from the original on 17 November 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  4. ↑ "SuperGold benefits for travel, hearing aids". beehive.govt.nz (Press release). New Zealand Government. 23 May 2008. Archived from the original on 8 February 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  5. ↑ "Update: The SuperGold Card (MSD website)". Archived from the original on 13 February 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  6. ↑ "Social Security (Entitlement Cards) Amendment Bill – Third Reading (HANSARD)" . Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  7. ↑ "Confidence and Supply Agreement with NZ First". NZ Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  8. ↑ "188 businesses add weight to SuperGold Card (NZ Government website)". Archived from the original on 8 February 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  9. ↑ "SuperGold Card". Work and Income . Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  10. ↑ "Veterans SuperGold Card (MSD website)". Archived from the original on 8 February 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  11. ↑ "SuperGold Card Why Join? (MSD website)". Archived from the original on 2 August 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  12. ↑ "Increased hearing aid subsidy for SuperGold Card (Scoop.co.nz)". Archived from the original on 3 January 2024. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  13. ↑ "Using your SuperGold Card on public transport". supergold.govt.nz. Archived from the original on 26 January 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  14. ↑ "Seniors' Super Gold Card could be clipped (kiwidollar.com blog 1-3-2010)". Archived from the original on 26 February 2014.
  15. ↑ "Hasty U-Turn Over SuperGold Card (Colin Espiner, The Press 15-3-2010)". 14 March 2010. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  16. ↑ Small, Zane (1 October 2019). "Winston Peters hails 'major' SuperGold Card upgrade including app, updated website". Newshub. Archived from the original on 20 July 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
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