Submissions

ACNZ strongly supports the Reserve Bank’s aim for New Zealand to have a reliable and efficient cash system that supports inclusion and innovation. We are motivated to support action to ensure older people have inclusive, accessible and reliable access to cash wherever they live in Aotearoa New Zealand

Age Concern New Zealand does not support the Amendment Bill and considers it is unnecessary. It disregards the rights of many New Zealanders and risks causing greater harm to the Rainbow and Takatāpui communities including ageing members of these populations. Existing laws already work well given the clear shared understanding of the terms woman and man. The Amendment Bill puts at risk the Government’s obligation to honour the human rights of New Zealanders who experience discrimination based on gender identity.

Age Concern New Zealand has strong interest in this Bill as it seeks to outline the purpose and operation of Disability Support Services into the future.

As an an organisation that promotes the value, dignity, and rights of older New Zealanders we are concered about the potential impact for people with disabilities and older carers. 

ACNZ strongly supports the establishment of a register of boarding houses and boarding house landlords. Boarding house tenants include some of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most vulnerable. However, the current low level of monitoring, registration, and regulation has resulted in unsafe, unhealthy, and dangerous housing some instances. 

Age Concern New Zealand does not support proposed changes to limit the persons who can object to a licence application through the process outlined in the Amendment Bill. Communities have the right to limit the number of liquor licenses in their neighbourhoods and their ability to influence policy should be protected.

Our feedback is specifically from the perspective of our mahi with older New Zealanders. Our expertise is not about the medications themselves but how to effectively engage with older New Zealanders and things to consider if changes are implemented. 

Age Concern New Zealand He Manaakitanga Kaumātua Aotearoa welcomes the opportunity to submit comments on the questions raised about violence against older women by the Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls.

In New Zealand elder abuse intervention services are delivered by community-based agencies within each locality through a funding contract with the Ministry of Social Development. These services offer support and education to older people, their families and those working with older people.

Our comments are based on all our years of involvement with elder abuse service provision and our data collection and insights over these years about the older people we work alongside who experience abuse.

Older New Zealanders have a disability rate of 35%, which reflects the trend for disability to increase with age. The high rate of disability amongst older people means the Total Mobility Scheme is a much valued and essential system to support those aged 65+ to live well in their neighbourhoods and communities. It enables them to access the goods and services they need to stay connected with friends and whānau. 

The outcome of this consultation is therefore very important to us as we work to ensure older people are valued, respected, have choices and can live with dignity.

Age Concern New Zealand is a member of the New Zealand Carers Alliance and supports the collaborative approach taken across this partnership of 61 not-for-profit organisations with a specific interest in the needs, wellbeing and contribution of carers across Aotearoa. As a member of the Carers Alliance, we support their submission. 

We make comment in our submission specifically from the perspective of our mahi with older New Zealanders. 

Age Concern New Zealand supports updating the legislation to guide our preparation, response and recovery from emergency events. Aotearoa has been experiencing severe weather events which are extremely challenging for people living in affected communities, as well as for all the organisations responsible for responding to those events. 

One of Age Concern New Zealand’s recommendations is to identify older people as one of the populations groups that is likely to be disproportionately affected by emergency events.

This Briefing is very relevant to Age Concern New Zealand and our mahi with older people. 

Age Concern New Zealand supports the approach and foci of the Long-term Insights Briefing. The document is detailed and provides an extensive summary of the trends, opportunities and challenges facing older New Zealanders and those who work with them. We support the four parts or topics in the briefing 1. Older people in New Zealand, 2. Poverty, hardship and disadvantage, 3. Trends in key drivers of disadvantage, and 4. Preventing and responding to hardship and disadvantage.

This Bill is relevant to all New Zealanders and to Age Concern New Zealand and its work with older people. We do not support the Bill in its current form.  We contend that long-term planning, promoting inclusiveness, acting in the public interest, encouraging the public to actively participate in democratic processes and achieving pay equity are basic functions of the Government, yet the Amendment Bill seeks to remove these concepts from the legislation.