Our Chief Economist Eric Crampton joined Sean Plunket on The Platform to unpack New Zealand First's policy to bar non-citizens from receiving superannuation.

Eric pushed back on the claim that New Zealand is an outlier internationally, noting that superannuation-style pensions in Canada, the UK, and across much of Europe are typically based on residency rather than citizenship, much like New Zealand's own system, which already requires 10 to 20 years of residence depending on birth year. He also flagged a practical problem: New Zealand has social security agreements with 11 jurisdictions, including Australia, Canada, and the UK, guaranteeing reciprocal treatment of each other's citizens. Unilaterally cutting off non-citizens would breach those agreements and risk retaliatory measures against New Zealanders living abroad, what he described as a potential "superannuation tit-for-tat" between allied countries.