6 Mar 2017

Politics with Matthew Hooton and Stephen Mills

From Nine To Noon, 11:06 am on 6 March 2017

Prime Minister Bill English has indicated the retirement age will likely become an election year matter. Is there room for a "reset" around super and how is it being received by the public?

Political commentators Matthew Hooton and Stephen Mills discuss the “third rail” topic of super and Labour’s new deputy Jacinda Ardern.  

Stephen Mills, left, and Matthew Hooton.

Stephen Mills, left, and Matthew Hooton. Photo: RNZ/Dru Faulkner

“It’s an interesting thing for him to do, I don’t think it’s going to be a disaster for him if it is managed properly.

“Whatever the government does it needs to save a reasonable chunk of money or it’s not worth doing. Superannuation when you look at the data is not the overwhelming fiscal challenge that some people think it is.” - Matthew Hooton.

“Andrew Little has been very clear under a Labour government there wouldn’t be any change to the age of entitlement and there wouldn’t be any change to the entitlement itself. A complete flip around from 2011 and 2014.” – Stephen Mills

“I think Bill English understands the benefits to him if it’s done carefully someone who’s prepared to be statesman-like looking into the future and he’ll try to contrast that, he’ll say Labour’s got their head in the sand and I’m the statesman-like PM looking into the future.” Hooton

“The contrast it sets with John Key it makes him his own man and a different style John Key was absolutely governing for the next opinion poll Bill English could be projecting that he is different that he is governing for the future.

“His interviews are still terrible his only real option is to be the serious statesman.” - Mills

“There are only two things that count for Labour forming a government: one is getting people who are currently non-voters, who tend to be young, to vote and we’re told Jacinda Ardern can do that or twice as valuable is getting someone to switch from National to Labour and frankly if neither of those things happen this [Ardern’s appointment] will have been a mistake. “ - Hooton.