Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni. Photo: RNZ/ Samuel Rillstone
The Labour Party has confirmed it won't change the superannuation age, if re-elected in October.
Former party leader Jacinda Ardern made the same promise when she was Prime Minister, but her successor Chris Hipkins had not made the same commitment - until now.
Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni said a re-elected Labour government, led by Hipkins, would not raise the pension age from 65.
"New Zealand has one of the simplest superannuation schemes in the world. It is universal and generous," Sepuloni said.
Labour would also continue making contributions to the NZ Super Fund and dishing out the winter energy payment.
Treasury had warned the cost of the ageing population was on an "unsustainable" track but Sepuloni stressed not changing the age was affordable "as long as we keep paying into the Super Fund".
Labour was not kicking the can down the road, Sepuloni said.
"There's reasons why we are doing this. As I said, we are making decisions based on the evidence that we've got and what we believe is right."
She pointed to research by the Retirement Commission, which suggested the pension "remains of significant value to most New Zealanders aged over 65."
The commitment, Labour's first 2023 election policy, was made by Sepuloni at Labour's election year congress in Wellington.
Speaking to about 400 party faithful, Sepuloni attacked National and ACT's intentions to raise the superannuation age, claiming a 30-year-old earning an average fulltime wage would lose out on more than 51,000 by the time they turned 67.
Sepuloni confirmed Labour hadn't factored in how much people would save through National and ACT's promised tax cuts when calculating those numbers.
"In this election New Zealanders have a clear choice when it comes to support and security in retirement," Sepuloni said.
Labour Party conference Photo: Katie Scotcher
Earlier in the morning, Labour's Deputy Leader Kelvin Davis warned party members "everything is at stake" come October's election.
He described National and ACT as parties that are "disingenuous" and lack "authenticity."
"We know their world view is dominated by the cost of everything and the value of nothing.
"We know, whenever they are in government, the interests of those in real need go backwards, while the interests of their mates, the entitled, always improve."
Davis listed policies National and/or ACT had promised to scrap if elected, including free prescriptions and the clean car discount.
That would be the reality of Labour losing the upcoming election, Davis told party members.
Labour MP Grant Robertson continued to attack the Opposition.
Speaking at the congress, he took a dig at National's use of AI in its social media posts and suggested it was using the technology to create policy.
"A lot of us have felt that there was something just a bit off with Chris Luxon and his National Party. A bit out of touch, something not quite ringing true. Well at least now we know why.
"Every bad idea the National Party has ever had has been fed into Chat GPT, and it has spat out their leader, Captain Cliche himself. I haven't checked to see if he has six fingers on one hand, but I know he only has one policy on the other."
Like Davis, Robertson warned it would be a tight election and there was a lot on the line.
"Ultimately it will be a choice between carrying on the job we have started of giving every Kiwi opportunity and hope, or government by the Coalition of Cuts.
"They are like the most rubbish Marvel comic ever - Chris Luxon as Captain Cliche and his sidekick David Seymour as Reverse Robin Hood. Stealing from the poor to give to the rich."
Robertson stressed that was what Labour must "protect New Zealanders from."
When asked why Labour was spending so much of its election year congress talking about Opposition parties, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said they wanted to make clear the differences between the parties.
"New Zealanders deserve to know the choice they have at the election. It's an election year and it's going to be a contest of ideas, that means parties will challenge each other," Hipkins said.
Hipkins will deliver the keynote address to the Labour Party congress tomorrow.
National responds
"New Zealanders can't trust Labour to keep their retirement nest egg safe," National's Finance spokesperson Nicola Willis responded in a statement.
"Labour's lack of responsible financial planning to safeguard sustainable Super will leave a massive hole in the government's books.
"They will no doubt fill that hole by imposing large new taxes on working people and by loading even more debt on young New Zealanders. It's reckless, fiscally irresponsible, and simply dishonest."
Willis said that National "are committed to ensuring universal access to superannuation is protected and financially sustainable into the future, so the next generation of Kiwis can reap the same rewards".
"Our plan will gradually increase the age of eligibility to 67, with adjustments not beginning until 2044 - 20 years after the legislation has passed. This change wouldn't affect anyone born before 1979.
"Our plan to phase these changes in over time gives people time to plan and is the responsible thing to do.
"National is committed to ensuring universal access to superannuation is protected and financially sustainable into the future."