Grey Power Endorses Commissioner’s Call for Cross-Party Accord on NZ Super
Grey Power Federation (GPF) earlier in the year submitted its views to the Retirement Commissioner as part of the 2025 Triennial Review of Retirement Income Policies, signalling strong support for maintaining the settings and universality of NZ Super.
The need for long-term political consensus features prominently in the Commissioner’s report, which warns that ageing demographics, diverse retirement experiences, and shifting economic conditions demand coordinated and durable policy responses. The review emphasises that the retirement system must be “guided by evidence and long-term thinking,” and highlights the importance of cross-party dialogue to preserve public trust in NZS.
Grey Power said such an accord is essential to help New Zealanders plan with confidence for their financial security in later life. With more than one million New Zealanders expected to be aged 65 or over within the next two decades, the organisation argues that retirees and future retirees need assurance that NZS will remain a universal, stable foundation of income support.
Grey Power Federation also expressed strong support for the review’s recommended improvements to KiwiSaver. The Retirement Commissioner’s analysis points to persistent savings gaps—particularly for women, Māori, Pacific Peoples, temporary visa holders, and the self-employed—and outlines targeted reforms to make the scheme fairer and more accessible. These include strengthening government contributions for low-income earners, extending support during parental leave, improving administrative processes, and exploring new tools such as emergency sidecar savings accounts.
Grey Power’s submission welcomes these proposals, noting that better KiwiSaver outcomes will help more New Zealanders enter retirement with meaningful financial reserves.
Grey Power also takes the opportunity to recognise the leadership of outgoing Retirement Commissioner Jane Wrightson, whose term has been marked by a sustained emphasis on evidence-based policy development. Wrightson’s tenure included the 2022 Review, the 2024 Super Summit, and significant engagement on KiwiSaver settings. In her foreword to the 2025 Review, Wrightson reaffirms her long-held belief that retirement income policy must be grounded in stability, dignity, and long-term stewardship, and calls for Parliament to commit to a 10-year roadmap for the retirement system.
Grey Power congratulates Wrightson for her “clear and principled advocacy,” particularly her consistent defence of NZ Super as a universal, non-means-tested benefit indexed annually and available from age 65—principles the organisation has championed for decades.
With its submission, Grey Power joins a growing chorus of voices supporting stronger political cooperation on retirement income issues. As the Government considers the review’s 12 recommendations, the Federation says the priority must be preserving certainty for older people while ensuring that younger generations can look forward to a fair and sustainable system.
“Retirement policy should not be subject to constant political change,” the submission notes. “What New Zealanders need—now and in the future—is a stable, trusted framework that guarantees dignity in retirement.”
Source: Review of Retirement Income Policies 2025
