Telephone benefits proposed in bill

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32430, 17 October 1970, Page 8

Telephone benefits proposed in bill

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, October 15. An Opposition private member’s bill introduced into Parliament today would enable social security means test beneficiaries to have half their annual telephone rental paid by the State. It would also enable those beneficiaries without telephones to have them installed free of charge.

The Social Security Amendment Bill (No. 3) was introduced by Mr B. G. Barclay (Lab., Christchurch Central). ; The Minister of Social Se- ■ curity (Mr McKay) immedi--1 ately attacked the bill, saying ; that beneficiaries could al- • ready have the full telephone rental paid under supplement- ; ary assistance. . Mr Barclay said that the : telephone was essential for ’ the elderly, sick and needy. ’ It was often their only con- ’ tact with the outside world. 1 He said he wanted to im- ! press upon the house that . “words should be turned into . actions.” The bill’s preamble stated : that social security means i test benefits had not kept ! pace with the cost of living, [ Mr McKay said the bill was unfair to some pensioners. It

ignored those who were on universal superannuation. The provisions for this bill’s measure were already available under existing legislation, and the Opposition’s move would only make social security beneficaries even further confused. The Opposition knew that the Government already planned to review social security benefits after the general wage order decision, Mr McKay said. In effect the bill sought to cut in half the telephone benefits already available. Mr McKay said that between December, 1960, and September, 1970, benefits for single beneficaries had increased by 45 per cent, married beneficaries had received 47 per cent more, and the consumer price index had increased by 43.4 per cent.