New Zealand's ageing population poses many economic challenges. The Retirement Policy and Research Centre is an academically focused centre specialising in the economic issues of demographic change. The centre's sphere of interest includes: - public provision of retirement income (New Zealand Superannuation)
- private provision (including KiwiSaver)
- the accumulation and decumulation phases of retirement saving
- accident compensation
- tax and transfer policy.
The Retirement Policy and Research Centre (RPRC) contributes to public debate in regular breakfast briefings, submissions, working papers and articles as outlined in regular newsletters. The Centre hosts PensionReforms, a website that fosters international debate on public and private pensions, tax, compulsory saving regimes, employment patterns and decumulation issues. Abstracts and commentaries on leading academic pension papers provide a searchable, sortable resource for researchers. PensionReforms is supported by a panel of international contributing editors. Latest news RPRC UpdateRPRC Update Volume 3 Issue 2, June 2010 is now available here. Highlights include information about upcoming RPRC events, as well as conference presentations, forums, media reports, submissions and summaries of the latest PensionBriefings. Welfare forum: Rethinking welfare for the twenty-first centuryCo-hosted by The University of Auckland's Retirement Policy and Research Centre, Public Policy Group and Departments of Economics and Sociology, and by Child Poverty Action Group.
| Date: |
Friday 10 September 2010 |
| Time: |
8.30am to 5.15pm |
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Refreshments will be served from 5.15pm |
| Venue: |
The University of Auckland Business School, Room OGGB5, Level 0, Owen G Glenn Building, 12 Grafton Road, Auckland |
| RSVP: |
To register, please complete the registration form before Tuesday 7 September 2010 and email it to Tressy Menezes (with cheque or credit card payment) |
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Standard registration $50; Student registration $30 (includes morning and afternoon teas, and lunch). Places are limited and registration is essential. |
BackgroundThe Government appointed a Welfare Working Group in April 2010 to conduct a wide-ranging and fundamental review of New Zealand's welfare system, and make practical recommendations to improve the economic and social outcomes for beneficiaries and New Zealand as a whole. The first report of the Welfare Working Group is available here. The aim of this Welfare Forum is to move beyond the narrow terms of reference of the Welfare Working Group, and make recommendations that recognise the current economic climate, and foreground the needs of children. The forum programme is available here (29KB). Overseas Pension Forum: New Zealand Superannuation and Overseas Pensions – Issues and Principles for ReformThe Retirement Policy and Research Centre (RPRC), in association with the Human Rights Commission (HRC), the Centre for Accounting, Governance and Taxation Research (CAGTR), and Victoria University of Wellington present: "New Zealand superannuation and overseas pensions: Issues and principles for reform."
| Date: |
Wednesday 25 August 2010 |
| Time: |
1pm to 5.30pm |
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Refreshments will be served from 5pm, the event will conclude at 6.30pm |
| Venue: |
Victoria University of Wellington, Lecture Theatre 1, Law School Courtyard, Goverment Buildings, 15 Lambton Quay, Wellington |
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For directions, please view map here |
| RSVP: |
To register, please complete the registration form and email it to Dr M Claire Dale |
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Attendance is free, however places are limited – registration is essential. |
BackgroundMany immigrants to New Zealand have expressed distress regarding abatement of their overseas pensions. With help from the HRC, the RPRC produced three Working Papers (WPs) documenting the historical and current legislative and policy framework surrounding entitlement to New Zealand Superannuation for immigrants and emigrants. More equitable and enduring policies given rapid ageing of the population and increased integration into the global economy were canvassed. Two possible policy solutions for the treatment of overseas pensions were debated at the first Overseas Pensions Forum in Auckland in February 2010, and will be debated again at this forum on 25 August in Wellington. A background paper from CAGTR's Andrew Smith, RPRC's Working Papers, and the February forum presentations are available here. The programme for the Wellington forum in August is available here. For further information, email Dr M Claire Dale. Investment and tax rules - 2010 Budget a small stepThe 2010 Budget has changed tax rates, but there is still much to be done if equity is treated as a guiding principle for the tax treatment of collective investment vehicles. Changes are also needed on the income-welfare interface. The latest PensionBriefing is available here. New Zealanders have less in housing than many suggestFive years of data on what New Zealand households own and owe (2001-2006) show that there is much less in total housing assets than many suggest. The net value of homes, baches and rental investments ranged between 35-45% of total net assets. The PensionBriefing on the subject is available here. Postgraduate research resourcesView the resource page for pensions and retirement issues in the University's library. |