Increase Super to say 70% of the average wage. but those who have put money aside for retirement have that entitlement directly indexed to their income, so that for every dollar earned over and above that threashold, 50 cents of that super is withheld.

A retired person earning the average wage through a combination of superannuation and investments would therefore get 85% of the superannuation.

A person who has a residual income equivalent to the average wage would still get 20% of the super, and a person would need to be on an income of 140% of the average wage before the entitlement to government super was dropped altogether.

Or look at as follows.

Assuming an average wage of 40k, a person who has made no provision for retirement would get 28K

A person who has made some provision with a latent income of 12k a year would get 34k per year

A person who has a latent income of 40K would get 48k per year

and a person earning over 56k would get no government assistance.

Such a system would enable more funds to go to those who need it, and less funds going to those who are more financially self sufficient.

The idea of universal untested super is something that this country cannot afford. Those who provide for their own retirement should be congratulated for doing so, but don’t expect the following generation to providea subsidy for you in the way you provided for your parents. There are too few of us and too many of you and we have our own retirements to worry about.

all she was doing was pointing out why WFF is important
children are very important to the economy
sheesh

Are you blaming Helen Clark for their upbringing?

Speaking for myself, Jum, I’m blaming Helen Clark for her own public comments which (in my view) were unwise, and fairly or not, feed the perception that she’s putting political pressure on the Police. As I’ve said repeatedly both here and elsewhere, I have my doubts that the weak prosecution case against Chris Kahui would have been brought in the first place without the drum beat of media and political commentary that charges had to be laid against someone, anyone NOW. There are times when it is better that a case be done right, rather than done right now. A lesson Miss Clark appears not to have learned.

To a certain extent I would blame Clark for their up bringing. She joined the conspiracy back in the 70′s with Wilson, Goodyer and others who thought the old idea of families was no longer appropriate and worked to break it down with fault free divorce, easy welfare to solo mothers, the family court etc.

It is a well known fact that children in NZ are up to 80 times more likely to be abused when in solo parent homes. So yes, she deliberately put policies in place that lead many families down this kamikaze course and the blood of many children is on her hands. She damn well should be blamed and castigated for it.

Are you blaming Helen Clark for their upbringing?

No, I wanted to make these points:
1. She appeared to be directing the police to follow a certain path in their investigations;
2. She does not favour close police scrutiny when she or her cronies are in the gun;
3. This underclass is able to exist because, although her government might throw over $1,000 a week at such a household, it really does nothing in the long run to give them a “hand up”.

Still, nice to see Clark also big-noting over the Kahui case.

It was completely inappropriate for her to intrude into the matter.

And grossly hypocritical. She favours a half-hearted investigation into Paintergate, the Motorcade, Taito Philip Field, and the Pledge Card; but meanwhile is happy to direct the Police to return to a case which has already passed through the justice system.

Her comments were pure “ambulance at the bottom of the cliff” stuff. Not to say that she personally could have saved the twins, but after nine years of her government there are still people leading nasty, vicious little lives with no hope of anything better. Where was her helping hand *before* these children were murdered?

Clark’s involvement now, four months out from an election, smacks of depressing and cynical opportunism.

If people are fit and able, and want to keep working, why should the taxpayer give them extra support?

Still, nice to see Clark also big-noting over the Kahui case. Guess it’s so much easier when senior Police can’t turn around and tell her to STFU until she knows what the hell she’s talking about.

Whether it is through the welfare state or private provision or private savings is something quite worthy of debate. Play the ball.

[DPF: If Helen is stupid enough to refer to the fact that she thinks other people's children will pay for her pension, then it is a fair topic. Personally I think it is an appalling attitude for any PM to have, regardless of whether they have children or not]

I am stunned that Cullen has increased the pension – how many super schemes do we need? National Super, Kiwisaver, Cullen fund…

People are living longer and costing more. We need to ween people off the state, not encourage them.

Unfortunate that touching super is political death. Another cost for my generation.

What strikes me is that our Dear Leader appears a touch nervous these days.