SuperGold Card
The SuperGold Card (informally, the "Gold Card") is a concession card for senior citizens and veterans in New Zealand.[1] The card includes public transport benefits like free off-peak travel (funded by the government) and discounts from businesses and companies across thousands of outlets.[2][3]
Functions and purpose
[edit]The card is available to all eligible New Zealanders over the age of 65. The card does not expire.[4] A Veterans' SuperGold Card also exists for those who have served in the New Zealand Defence Force in a recognised war or emergency.[5] The card provides over 600,000[6] New Zealanders with access to a wide range of government and local authority services, business discounts, entitlements and concessions, such as hearing aid subsidies.[7] However, it was argued much of the extra costs were 'book entries'. For example, the Government subsidises much of public transport anyway, where buses and trains travel with empty seats during off-peak hours; SuperGold Card commuters are simply using buses and trains during off-peak times.[8]
History
[edit]It was a major initiative of the political party New Zealand First,[9] which established a research team to design the SuperGold Card.[10] The party leader Winston Peters negotiated the scheme with then-Prime Minister Helen Clark, despite widespread opposition to the card on the grounds of high cost.[11] As a condition of the 2005 confidence and supply agreement[12] between New Zealand First and the Labour Government, Peters launched the SuperGold Card in August 2007.[13]
SuperGold Card came under threat in 2010[14] when National Minister Steven Joyce tried to terminate free SuperGold transport on some more expensive public transport services, including the Waiheke Island ferry and the Wairarapa Connection train.[15] The Minister retreated when he came under fire from senior citizens.[16]
In October 2019, Peters announced a $7.7 million investment into the SuperGold Card scheme. The "upgrade" includes a new website, a mobile app, and 500 new partner businesses.[17]
In May 2026, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced that the New Zealand Government would allocate $36 million from the 2026 New Zealand budget to upgrading the SuperGold Card into a form of photo identification.[18]
References
[edit]- ↑ "SuperGold Card (MSD website)". New Zealand Government (Ministry of Social Development). Archived from the original on 24 July 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
- ↑ "What is the SuperGold card? ('busit' website)". Archived from the original on 7 May 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
- ↑ "SuperGold Card directory updated (NZ Government website)". Archived from the original on 17 November 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
- ↑ "SuperGold Card". Work and Income. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
- ↑ "Veterans SuperGold Card (MSD website)". Archived from the original on 8 February 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
- ↑ "SuperGold Card Why Join? (MSD website)". Archived from the original on 2 August 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
- ↑ "Increased hearing aid subsidy for SuperGold Card (Scoop.co.nz)". Archived from the original on 3 January 2024. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
- ↑ "Using your SuperGold Card on public transport". supergold.govt.nz. Archived from the original on 26 January 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
- ↑ "SuperGold benefits for travel, hearing aids". beehive.govt.nz (Press release). New Zealand Government. 23 May 2008. Archived from the original on 8 February 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
- ↑ "Update: The SuperGold Card (MSD website)". Archived from the original on 13 February 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
- ↑ "Social Security (Entitlement Cards) Amendment Bill – Third Reading (HANSARD)". Retrieved 1 July 2013.
- ↑ "Confidence and Supply Agreement with NZ First". NZ Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
- ↑ "188 businesses add weight to SuperGold Card (NZ Government website)". Archived from the original on 8 February 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
- ↑ "Seniors' Super Gold Card could be clipped (kiwidollar.com blog 1-3-2010)". Archived from the original on 26 February 2014.
- ↑ "Hasty U-Turn Over SuperGold Card (Colin Espiner, The Press 15-3-2010)". 14 March 2010. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
- ↑ "No cuts to SuperGold Card entitlements - Joyce". NewstalkZB. 13 March 2010. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
- ↑ Small, Zane (1 October 2019). "Winston Peters hails 'major' SuperGold Card upgrade including app, updated website". Newshub. Archived from the original on 20 July 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
- ↑ Willis, Nicola (28 May 2026). Budget 2026 - Budget at a Glance (PDF) (Report). New Zealand Government. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 May 2026. Retrieved 28 May 2026.