'No superannuation for many Maoris’

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33277, 14 July 1973, Page 16

'No superannuation for many Maoris’

(yew Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON. July 13

The average Maori would pay into the proposed Government superannuation scheme all his life and never get any superannuation, said the Deputy Leader of the Opposition (Mr Muldoon) in Parliament during the Budget debate.

Mr Muldoon said the incomes and which took scheme was based on a re- account of cost-of-living intiring age of 65, but the aver- creases.

age Maori male died at 64 and the average Maori female at 61. More than 25 per cent of the European population died before the age of 65 and they too would never draw one cent of a pension. The Minister must have regard for this fact when he brings in the bill,” Mr Muldoon said. The life expectancy of Polynesians in New Zealand was below even that of the indigenous Maori, and they would never, on average, draw a pension. Mr M. K. Moore (Lab., Eden), replied that Mr Muldoon would deny New Zea-

landers the right to a pen-

sion based on their previous

It was apparently satisfactory for M.P.s to have such a scheme, but not for workers. | Mr Moore accused Mr ■ Muldoon of having a “cold, cost-accounting Tory mind.” [Mr Muldoon’s Budget pre- ' diction of a 5 per cent rise jin petrol tax, 10 per cent ion cigarettes, and 9 per cent |on company tax had been untrue, and his predictions about the superannuation ■scheme would be no better.