GEORGINA BEYER (Labour): What a pleasure and privilege it is to speak on the Social Security (Entitlement Cards) Amendment Bill. I acknowledge the fine oratory in the remarks of the Rt Hon Winston Peters as he introduced the bill for this first reading. This bill is a fine example—and may well the Opposition take note—of how modern-day Government works. Cooperation, and delivering on promises and arrangements made—in this instance, a confidence and supply arrangement with New Zealand First—leads to something of this kind: the golden age card for our elderly people. This card is obviously an acknowledgment of the fine contribution that elderly people have made to our nation, that they deserve, in many respects, to receive. It is a mark of respect.

Frankly, it does not matter precisely where the seed of the idea came from. Regarding our elderly well has always been something that we have tried to achieve in one form or another in New Zealand. Whether or not the idea is from Grey Power—all strength to them—the legislation has come through the vehicle of the New Zealand First Party and its leader Winston Peters. He has managed to bring the bill into this House by way of his arrangements with this Labour-led Government, which I am proud to be a part of.

I certainly hope that all parties in this House—as National has just remarked—will support this bill through an easy passage. It is not that long ago, and people will not have forgotten—in fact, I understand it is as recently as the publication of this Hollow Men book, which I have not actually had a chance to read—that there was apparently some natter amongst the National Party leadership of upping the age of entitlement to 68. Well, this rings true with a promise made to elderly people by Mr Bolger in a former National Party Government. So this nation needs to think about who will look after not only our young families but also our elderly.

Labour is on the path to looking after families young and old, and is building our economic capacity and ability in this country in order to deliver the services that we as a Labour-led Government care to support. The services provided for in this legislation are among those. This legislation will feed in very nicely to a suite of packages that this Government has been leading the way on, through this particular term and beforehand, in restoring faith for New Zealanders that we have a positive future to look forward to. The elderly who serve us overseas in emergency and other capacities will also be beneficiaries of this golden age card—as well as the 540,000 in our country—because they too deserve recognition; they put themselves out on a limb on this nation's behalf. This is a way of acknowledging the fine contribution they make to our country.

This legislation will be easy for people to understand. As has been alluded to, there are contact phone numbers for people who are interested in what this will offer, what exactly the entitlements will be, and how they can access the discounts and benefits. Also, there is a number worth noting that is for businesses that are interested in becoming involved. I will read these numbers out before I conclude my speech. Of course, I think those people in New Zealand who really would like to get behind this particular initiative—and businesses will be important here—should come forward, get hold of us, and get hold of the information by ringing 0508 650 000. Interested businesses should please call that number, find out what this is about, and get into it. Senior citizens of our country are a large demographic and they will be constantly good customers—one hopes—if they can see they will benefit because businesses are involved in this golden age card by way of discounts.

Concessions on local government services—and central government services too—are some of the advantages we will be able to provide for the beneficiaries who are able to use this card. These beneficiaries are those whom we value: our mothers, our fathers, our grandparents, our kuia, our kaumatua — people such as those. All of these people are part of our whanau, and that is who we support here. So I am doing an advertorial, in a way, for people to please get involved, because it is people who are dear to us all that we support here through this golden age card.

The card has been proven to be very successful in countries like Australia, and I think many people in New Zealand who have friends over there will note that they skite about it quite often. Now we will bring it in over here. This is very worthy, and I look forward to other positive contributions to this first reading debate from other members in the House. There is much to be said, and much has been covered already.

I will just give, as I said I would, the number that Sandra Goudie alluded to for people who are interested. The number is 0800 254 565. This is a freephone number set up for seniors to make inquiries about what the golden age card provides. That number, again, is 0800 254 565. With that, I hope we can look forward to some other speeches in support of this bill so that it may be dispatched to the Social Services Committee, which I happily chair. I look forward to it coming to us in that committee, because this will be a very pleasant bill to assist the House with.