Should New Zealand raise the age of NZ Super? episode artwork

EPISODE · May 13, 2026 · 18 MIN

Should New Zealand raise the age of NZ Super?

from The SME Stream · host iHeartRadio NZ

On paper, New Zealand Super is one of the simplest parts of our welfare system.  Most people become eligible at 65, it’s not means tested, and for decades it’s been treated as a kind of social contract: work hard, reach retirement, and the state will be there. But that contract is under growing pressure. As our population ages and governments look for ways to contain long-term costs, the debate keeps returning. Should we raise the age of eligibility, and if we do, who pays the price? Today on The Front Page, Auckland University Business School associate professor Susan St John is with us to talk about the future of superannuation, the arguments for and against raising the retirement age, and why this debate never stays settled for long. Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network. Host: Chelsea DanielsEditor/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Jane YeeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Should New Zealand raise the age of NZ Super?

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This episode was published on May 13, 2026.

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On paper, New Zealand Super is one of the simplest parts of our welfare system.  Most people become eligible at 65, it’s not means tested, and for decades it’s been treated as a kind of social contract: work hard, reach retirement, and the state...

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