GreyPower calls out ‘shocking’ fraud

People illegally using SuperGold Cards should be fined and properly punished for the ‘‘shocking’’ act of fraud, an advocacy group says.

The comments from GreyPower national president Mac Welch come after a 35-year-old man on Wednesday tried to board a bus in Wellington using the card, which is generally reserved for people aged 65 or older.

People who receive a veteran’s pension, or who are married to someone 65 or older and earn less than a certain combined income, are also eligible for the card but must carry it with them to access free public transport.

The passenger was denied entry on to the bus after he failed to show the driver photo ID, resulting in the bus being held up for half-an-hour in central Wellington.

Welch said if the passenger had been using the card illegally, he should be reprimanded appropriately. ‘‘I think it is absolutely shocking. He should have to pay a substantial fine and be put on some sort of probation.’’

GreyPower, an advocacy group for people over 50, had lobbied the Government for several years to make photo ID compulsory on SuperGold Cards, Welch said.

That would help to stop fraudulent activity, and also make banking easier for people who no longer had another form of government ID.

Welch said he witnessed an incident recently in which a group of women each used the same card to access discounted travel on Auckland’s Waiheke Island ferry. Such fraudulent activity was not uncommon, he said.

Ministry of Social Development (MSD) figures show

95 (or 0.01 per cent) of the country’s almost 765,000 SuperGold Card holders are 39 or under.

Metlink bus drivers are entitled to ask people who look under 65 to provide a photo ID before letting them on a bus.

Minister for Seniors Tracey Martin said there were no plans to make photo IDs compulsory on SuperGold Cards.

People could voluntarily add a photo to their card at an Automobile Association (AA) office but that was often not practical for people over 65.

‘‘It also costs around 40 times more to have a photo on a card, so there is a cost to the Government.’’

The ministry had advised it did not see many cases of SuperGold Card fraud, said Martin.

‘‘Sometimes there are anecdotal cases, often involving transport like this latest story, but they can be cases where someone under 65 has the card legitimately.’’

Advocacy groups had also suggested removing spousal eligibility but that was not being considered, she said.

MSD’s client service support general manager, George van Ooyen, said partners of people over 65 who were applying for a card needed to provide an original marriage certificate.

‘‘The SuperGold card is provided to individuals in recognition of their contribution to New Zealand society. It is expected that recipients use the card responsibly and in accordance with its conditions of use. We expect this is the case for the vast majority of card holders.

‘‘For the SuperGold card free offpeak transport, which is government-funded, bus drivers are allowed to ask for another form of ID if they suspect any misuse.’’

Any decisions on changes to the card were a matter for the Government, van Ooyen said.