CI Times Weekly | Current Issue 264 | 18 August 2008
Pensioners the answer to depopulation?
Elderly New Zealanders may be encouraged to retire on Pacific islands under a proposal to make some of the world’s smallest countries viable.
Luxury hospitals and retirement homes could be built on islands such as Niue, Tokelau and the Cook Islands to build up their economies and prevent population decline, the Pacific Co-operation Foundation says.
Chief executive Vince McBride made the suggestions last week in testimony to the parliamentary foreign affairs, defence and trade select committee, which is conducting an inquiry into New Zealand's relationships in the South Pacific.
MPs on the committee had asked what could be done to help residents of tiny islands in the "realm of New Zealand".
McBride said new forms of investment were required. "To give you one example, Niue has a population which keeps going out the door," he said.
"There may be scope for Niue to talk to one of the international medical hospital organisations to invite someone to come in and establish a hospital in Niue with top-class facilities.
"New Zealanders who need non-urgent surgery could go over and have their surgery and their convalescence in a nice, warm environment."
McBride said similar schemes could be run for pensioners.
He said superannuation rules could be eased to allow more New Zealanders to retire in Pacific nations and enjoy the better weather.
"Superannuation could be made portable to the region," McBride said. "I'm not saying thousands are going to leap at this kind of idea, but some may like to go and spend their retirement somewhere warm."
The committee chairman, Labour MP Martin Gallagher, ordered officials to report back to the committee on the suggestions.
"We are certainly going to ask our advisers just to clarify the facts around the whole issue of superannuation portability," he said.
"Certainly one of the issues we are starting to move in on is the issue around New Zealanders from retirement age having a right to potentially retire in our three countries."
Labour MP Ross Robertson said the scheme would require agreements between Pacific Island states and New Zealand.