Just recently Tauranga's Mary Brooks wrote a letter to a Sunday newspaper denigrating Winston Peters, then continuing thus – 'Peters tried to woo the senior vote with his pathetic GoldCard, which is practically useless unless you are heavily into chainsaws or tyres. I returned mine to him with a few choice words as to what he could do with it.”
What sort of ignorant comment is that! This lady must be the only senior person who has found the GoldCard ‘useless'. In fact, seniors everywhere are finding it of ever increasing value eg free local bus travel, free ferry travel (Waiheke Island) discount in big stores such as Palmers, Mitre 10, many cafes, John's Photo Pharmacy, and countless more retailers who often ask customers ‘do you have a GoldCard?' then offer a reduction to the surprise and delight of the customer. One person has just had a huge GoldCard reduction at a dentist, while friends just back from Queensland's Sunshine Coast found they got a 50% discount on the local buses on production of their New Zealand GoldCard! Benefits are increasing all the time.
By returning your card you have cut off your nose to spite your face, Mary Brooks, but perhaps you are a millionaire with no need of discounts. We seniors are only too grateful for the benefits of the GoldCard. Even small reductions at places where we all shop at least from time to time add up, as does the money saved on bus fares. Pathetic? Useless? Definitely not, as thousands will testify. Check your facts before writing vitriolic nonsense, Mary Brooks. And thank you once again, Winston; the GoldCard was one of your many political achievements.
Maureen Guy, Otumoetai.