Seniors tackle NZ First on rates

New Zealand First is coming under intense pressure from one of its core constituencies to back legislation that would limit rates rises.

Grey Power members are bombarding New Zealand First MPs with emails and postcards urging them to vote for Act leader Rodney Hide's bill capping rate rises at the level of inflation plus 2 per cent in any year.

New Zealand First's seven MPs hold the balance of power at the bill's first reading next week, but they do not plan to let it go to a select committee.

The party's leader, Winston Peters, is instead trying to convince Prime Minister Helen Clark that there should be an independent commission of inquiry into local government funding.

Grey Power's national vice-president, Don Chapman, yesterday promised there would be consequences for New Zealand First's MPs if they did not vote for the bill.

"To use a term that the RSA uses - we will remember them," Mr Chapman said.

"We will make it known, you can rest assured about that ... that we didn't get the support."

Senior citizens were one of New Zealand First's five policy priorities at the last election, and the party openly courts older people when it is campaigning.

In its confidence and supply agreement with Labour after the last election New Zealand First negotiated several measures for seniors, including one ensuring that the rate of New Zealand Superannuation is set at 66 per cent of the average ordinary-time weekly earnings from April 1 this year.

But Mr Chapman said Grey Power felt that the party would be "letting us down" by not voting for Mr Hide's rates bill.

There was concern throughout the group's 95,000 members about rates rises, he said, and people were struggling to remain in their homes while paying the rapidly increasing charges.

"We are disappointed in him [Mr Peters] and his group," Mr Chapman said.

"We feel that while the bill is not a silver bullet, it is an opportunity to bring it out into the public arena to enable submissions to be made."

Mr Chapman said Grey Power had requested a meeting with Mr Peters.

New Zealand First's deputy leader, Peter Brown, last night indicated the party would not be swayed by Grey Power.

New Zealand First was concerned that a select committee considering Mr Hide's bill would be too confined in what it could look into.

Mr Brown said the NZ First caucus had discussed Grey Power's calls to back the bill and understands the group's concerns.