8. KATRINA SHANKS (National) Link to this
to the Minister for Social Development and Employment
What compensation to superannuitants will be available from 1 October?
Hon PAULA BENNETT (Minister for Social Development and Employment) Link to this
GST compensation will be made available to those receiving New Zealand superannuation and veterans pensions. Tax cuts will also see these payments increase. A typical single superannuitant living alone will receive an extra $31.26 a fortnight in GST compensation and tax cuts. Couples receiving superannuation will get an increase of about $42 a fortnight between them.
Hon PAULA BENNETT Link to this
Benefits will be going up to compensate for the rise in GST. These benefits include the unemployment benefit, the sickness benefit, the domestic purposes benefit, the widows benefit, and the invalids benefit. We are also compensating in terms of student allowances, the disability allowance, the child disability allowance, childcare subsidies, and Working for Families payments.
Hon PAULA BENNETT Link to this
I am aware that when GST was last raised in 1989 by the then Labour Government, from 10 percent to 12.5 percent, there was no compensation whatsoever for these groups of people.