Joyce backdown a win for seniors -- but beware of the small print
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Transport Minister Steven Joyce's forced reassurance today to senior citizens that subsidised off peak transport will "not be cut" appears clear cut, but the devil will be in the detail, Labour’s Transport spokesperson Darren Hughes said today.
Yesterday Steven Joyce announced a "review" of the SuperGold Card scheme, which strongly hinted at cost cutting, Darren Hughes said.
"Why else would you issue the statement two months before the Budget? We know this government's modus operandi is to float unpopular ideas in advance and see what happens.
"In this case, the feedback came thick and fast and was crystal clear.
“One day on, a rattled Mr Joyce now says cuts were never his intention and that he only wants to reduce the payments made to providers of public transport and not cut the entitlements of elderly.
“The real reason is more likely to be publicity of another of Prime Minister John Key's broken promises. In March 2009 Mr Key described SuperGold Card as 'a successful programme … and we will be funding the increase'.
“While senior citizens will be relieved that Mr Joyce has given an assurance he won’t be introducing co-payments for SuperGold Card holders, Mr Joyce still has not cleared up how much he will squeeze the "off peak" period.
“Mr Joyce is also deliberately vague on his plan to reduce the subsidies paid to public transport companies.
"Just like the GST hike 'money-go-round' the plan is just smoke and mirrors. All he would succeed in doing is to unload the cost of the subsidy onto local government for senior citizens to pay for through increased rates."
"Like many of the announcements by this government, Mr Joyce is hiding behind words like 'review', 'reshaping' and 'moving resources to the frontline'.
"If quality of service does not suffer as a result of these reviews then they are worthwhile, but Kiwis are increasingly seeing beyond the rhetoric and can sense National's true agenda," Darren Hughes said.
