Monday, June 11, 2012

A stupid promise John

John Key made a promise in the 2008 election campaign that he would not raise the age for eligibility for Superannuation. He drew a line in the sand saying that he would resign rather than do that. It may have sounded laudable at the time, but I believe his stance is going to come back to haunt him.
While he and his cohort are trying to make cuts in a wide range of Government services, he is ignoring a huge issue that simply will not go away. He says that NZ does not need to look at the superannuation issue yet and that we have time on our side.
Is he not listening to a range of commentators and indeed the N Z public who are saying that we must raise the age of eligibility for superannuation. A recent poll says that 63% of NZers are in favour of that, yet John Key stubbornly sticks to his guns.
John Key is only interested in maintaining power on a three year cycle. He must take a longer term view of NZ and make some difficult choices now. Hell, if the polls are correct, then what’s his problem? Here is a perfect chance for him to indulge in some consensus politics and reach out to his fellow parliamentarians and other interest groups and have a this important discussion. It won’t even hurt him politically, if that is his main concern.
NZ is at a crossroads. If we do nothing now, then ‘nothing’ is what we face down the road. There will be nothing to give to our aged if we don’t make allowances now. We have to play catch-up, like Australasia is doing. They are about to raise the contribution level to their super scheme to 12% and yet we are nowhere near that level. Time is running out. If we want to avoid a fiasco in the near future, then we need to put aside our stubbornness and reluctance to make real change---- and do it now. It is almost too late.
Come on John--- pull your head out!

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