Grey Power (New Zealand)

Grey Power is a New Zealand-based lobby group formed to promote the interests of people over the age of 50.

History

Grey Power is a New Zealand organisation formed in February 1986[1] by a group of people over 50 years old, called superannuitants, in order to assert their rights by protesting against the New Zealand Government's proposal to apply a surcharge on their pension. The group was originally based only in Auckland and was known as the Auckland Superannuitants Association. The media attention which their meetings gathered raised awareness of the group and similar organisations formed in other areas. This led to the creation of the Grey Power New Zealand Federation. The scope of the organisation has since changed and the group is now involved with any matter concerning those over 50, such as health care and subsidies.[2]

Policies

Grey Power lobbies for a tax-funded superannuation to be given to every New Zealander starting at the age of 65. Grey Power believes the payment should not be means tested and should include provisions for those living alone. This policy caused the group to oppose suggestions by the Retirement Commissioner to increase the superannuation age[3] and led National Party then-leader John Key to promise to "resign as Prime Minister" if he lowered the amount while in office;[4]. Grey Power is also actively opposed to the sale of state owned enterprises and has vocally opposed any political party suggesting the idea.[5] It also lobbies for better health care and a stronger but fairer justice system.[6]

Grey Power has also opposed other political matters not strictly related to their policies, such as child discipline. Before it was passed into law, Grey Power was concerned about the effect of the Crimes (Substituted Section 59) Amendment Act 2007 on parents and caregivers.[7]

Influence

Grey Power is becoming an important counterbalance in New Zealand with the constant increase in its membership due to a high percentage of people who are more than 60 years old.[8] In addition, the voice of the elderly is widely heard due to around 76 associations throughout New Zealand, and increasingly it is taken into account by government.[9] Thus older New Zealanders have been successful in their fight against the pension surcharge, which led to a more general struggle encompassing the areas of health, electricity costs, human rights, advertising, social services, local agencies and law enforcement and justice.[10]

This successful fight should give ideas to others on a worldwide scale. Superannuation in Australia was a fight led by trade unions in order to assert the rights of superannuitants and resulted in the implementation of new legislation to protect their rights.[11]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "History of Grey power".
  2. ↑ "Representing the over 50s". Grey Power. Retrieved 2008-08-12.
  3. ↑ "Increasing super age 'needs to be debated'". New Zealand Herald. 2007-12-19. Retrieved 2008-08-12.
  4. ↑ "Key had pledged not to cut superannuation if he became PM". New Zealand Herald. 2008-04-23. Retrieved 2008-08-12.
  5. ↑ "Forget plan to sell assets, Grey Power tells National". New Zealand Herald. 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2008-08-12.
  6. ↑ "Grey Power Policy Summary". Grey Power. Retrieved 2008-08-12.
  7. ↑ "Elderly Concerned About Bradford's Bill". Scoop. 2007-03-20. Retrieved 2008-08-12.
  8. ↑ "Grey Power won't bully us, says Brash". New Zealand Herald. 2005-07-15. Retrieved 2008-08-12. ... an intense interest in the elderly vote - which ... is becoming larger ... Close to 600,000 voters are 60 years and over.
  9. ↑ "Larger power".
  10. ↑ "New domains linked to Grey Power".
  11. ↑ "Superannuation in Australia".
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