Winston and Helen's Super Gold Card!

[oldrider]

There has been a lot of media talk about us oldies over subscribing the Super Gold Card account!

Let me tell you that I have had one of these cards since it's inception and never had one occasion where I could take it out of my wallet, let alone use it! :shutup:

It is bloody useless as far as I (or any other card holder known to me) am concerned, so please don't tell me that I am burdening the taxpayer with it!

Apparently it has more benefit if I was in Australia! :mellow:

So who is oversubscribing the budgeted figure and where? I must be subsidising them too! :yes:

[Genie]

My mother has one and she hasn't used it but does use her Grey Power Card.....is that like Black Power.

I saw a thing on the news and not many had used their cards either.

NOt much you get for all those years of hard work is there?

[Toaster]

Amuses me how they look to cut back this card usage but never seem to cut back on all the MP perks.

Come on Government put our money where your mouth is and give some back - LEAD by example and take some perk cuts or even a pay cut.

[JimO]

There has been a lot of media talk about us oldies over subscribing the Super Gold Card account!

Let me tell you that I have had one of these cards since it's inception and never had one occasion where I could take it out of my wallet, let alone use it! :shutup:

It is bloody useless as far as I (or any other card holder known to me) am concerned, so please don't tell me that I am burdening the taxpayer with it!

Apparently it has more benefit if I was in Australia! :mellow:

So who is oversubscribing the budgeted figure and where? I must be subsidising them too! :yes:

isnt there a ferry in Otematata you could use??

[oldrider]

isnt there a ferry in Otematata you could use??

The holiday season brings a couple of "fairies" around that could be on offer (if I was that way inclined) but I don't think the card qualifies for that either! :sick:

The only thing the card does for any pensioners that I know, is that we have had a bit of a laugh over how useless it is! :yes:

No business or service ever seems even know what it does, it's an embarrassment to even present or ask about the card, so it just sits in the wallet! :doh:

I think it is supposed to work like the old PSIS membership card, where participating businesses and services gave members discount but this card doesn't seem to have any participants. :shifty:

[AllanB]

Bet you'd use it if it gave you a 25% discount off tyres and oil!

Probably secure your vote too!

[Pixie]

My mother has one and she hasn't used it but does use her Grey Power Card.....is that like Black Power.



Yes and no.Black Power will stand over you and extort money out of you.Grey Power will bail you up and make you listen to their boring life stories -much worse.

[PrincessBandit]

Amuses me how they look to cut back this card usage but never seem to cut back on all the MP perks.

Come on Government put our money where your mouth is and give some back - LEAD by example and take some perk cuts or even a pay cut.

Aaaargh, you must spread more rep around before.....blah blah blah. Excellent point! Many of the "oldies" in our society today have paid mega in taxes through their lives and if they can't have some "perks" now (even if they don't get much opportunity to use them, sorry John!) then it's a bit pathetic. When I watched the article on the news the other night (the ferry one) the first thing that came to mind was "ffs, the ferries would still be sailing and making the crossings with or without these passengers on board"; well, that was my understanding given that buses and trains are meant to do the same....What are they losing by having some passengers on board who haven't had to pay?
We hear all the time about the elderly freezing in their own homes because they can't afford to pay for power, the cost of living and groceries just keeps increasing cutting even further what money they have to go round. Surely the opportunity to get out and about, keeping active in society rather than stuck at home because they can't afford to go out (and having young ones complain about them being a menace on the road!) is something they should have every right to enjoy as much as the next person.

Oh and I did so enjoy watching Winnie's interview with walrus whiskers.

[FJRider]

So who is oversubscribing the budgeted figure and where? I must be subsidising them too! :yes:

I guess the "city kids" get all the perk's ... maybe a move to Christchurch ... ???

[oldrider]

I guess the "city kids" get all the perk's ... maybe a move to Christchurch ... ???

I'm not moaning about it, there is a lot of talk about it being over subscribed but everyone I know who has it, including me, has never used it!

Must be a small band of people giving it heaps!

[FJRider]

Must be a small band of people giving it heaps!

ALWAYS IS .... :yes:

[DougB]

The free bus rides are good. My sister in law goes from Hamilton to Raglan stays a night and comes back and the Gold Card makes it free. (At the right time of day)
I have used it for free bus travel in Hamilton. It does have some uses.

[Mully]

My Grandparents didn't even bother getting the things.

As I understand it, the issue is more use than they budgetted for. Oldies get the bus and the Gummint pays the fare, correct?

When they showed it on the news, oldies were just jumping on the bus and showing the cards - there was no swiping or electronic monitoring of the card.

Any possibiity the transport companies are just rorting the system?
And any reason why the Gummint couldn't hammer out better reimbursement rates from the transporters before launching the card?

[Coldrider]

The tv article I saw the oldies were on a cruise to Waiheke Island on a ferry.

[avgas]

isnt there a ferry in Otematata you could use??
There is - its a DAM shame it doesn't go anywhere.

[Swoop]

It is pleasing to see that the older generation are being thanked for paying their taxes during their working lives & getting something that assists them get around. A neighbour of my mum spends loads of time on local busses pootling around.


Any possibiity the transport companies are just rorting the system?
And any reason why the Gummint couldn't hammer out better reimbursement rates from the transporters before launching the card?
The cost that was being reported to the gubbinment was being called into question, rather than the entitlements of cardholders... thankfully.
What are the chances of Winnie/Heilen actually coming up with anything that wasn't seriously flawed and open to abuse/rorting?

No baubles to see here. Move along now.

[oldrider]

My Grandparents didn't even bother getting the things.

As I understand it, the issue is more use than they budgetted for. Oldies get the bus and the Gummint pays the fare, correct?

When they showed it on the news, oldies were just jumping on the bus and showing the cards - there was no swiping or electronic monitoring of the card.

Any possibiity the transport companies are just rorting the system?
And any reason why the Gummint couldn't hammer out better reimbursement rates from the transporters before launching the card?

You can't "not" have them, they come in the mail with a fanfare of paper and ceremony with a little book of discount stores!

The discounts are mostly available on things that don't sell well, or that you are never likely to buy just because of the discount anyway!

We have never had a shop or business acknowledge participation yet!

Can't be bothered arguing with shop assistants over such trivia either, might be OK on the inter-island ferries but haven't been on them for a while!

They used (the Inter Islander) to give a bloody good pensioner discount before the card came into being anyway.
(I used to use that a fair bit)