What will candidates do for elderly?

In three weeks’ time the nation will have the chance to cast their vote in the general election. South Waikato News hits the streets to find out who residents will be voting for and why.

Power to the people has gone out the window according to Len Hardy, who hoped to see others voice their concerns leading up to the general election.

Ironically dressed in blue, the 69-year old Arapuni resident will wave the red flag come September 20.

As he clutched at a crumpled newspaper containing coverage on the election it was clear he wanted to have his say this year.

Hardy hoped his voice would be enough to get the ball rolling and encourage others to speak up.

But the nation has become ‘‘gutless’’, according to this retiree.

South Waikato News asked Hardy what issues the district faces.

‘‘They’ve [the Government] got nothing for the old people, they’ve got to start looking after them,’’ he said.

He said new government needs to focus on wages and working conditions using trade unionism.

‘‘ They’ve sold the working people down the drain,’’ he said.

Response from candidates in the Taupo and Te Tai Haua¯ uru electorates Jamie Strange – Labour Labour will establish an Aged Care Commissioner to investigate claims of elder abuse, neglect and financial mismanagement.

We would investigate funding the commissioner out of the $5.7 million annual budget of the Retirement Commissioner.

Labour will make GP visits and prescriptions free for people aged 65 and older.

Labour will extend and improve the Care Plus programme so that a further 250,000 New Zealanders with long-term health conditions can get free GP visits and a wellness plan.

We believe that workers need a strong platform of basic standards, including, a decent minimum wage, the right to negotiate collectively, health and safety protections, a Living Wage, as well as adequate holidays, rest breaks, and redundancy provisions. Louise Upston – National Under National, the age of eligibility for New Zealand Superannuation will remain at 65. National will also maintain the link between superannuation and 66 per cent of the average wage.

We will continue to expand the commercial benefits and discounts available and accessible to SuperGold card holders.

Seniors may be eligible for the Community Services cards or Prescription Subsidy Cards – for people who have a lot of prescriptions a year. The High Use Health Card is another card which gives a general practice a higher government subsidy for patients with high health needs.

National is progressing New Zealand’s biggest health and safety reforms in 20 years with our Health and Safety Reform Bill. The bill will play a major role in meeting our target to reduce New Zealand’s workplace injury and death toll by 25 per cent by 2020.

National has raised the minimum wage every year we’ve been in office. We believe setting the minimum wage represents a careful balance between protecting low-paid workers and ensuring jobs are not lost. Chris McKenzie – Ma¯ ori The Ma¯ ori Party has always advocated lowering the age of entitlement to New Zealand superannuation to 60 years

A lower entitlement age will allow more equitable uptake of superannuation for all citizens. All those who reach a certain asset threshold will be meanstested.

The Ma¯ ori Party would raise individual and collective living standards through promoting employer incentives to introduce a living wage of $18.80 plus CPI adjustments.