Rates Rebate Amendment Bill
This bill gives older New Zealanders who hold a SuperGold Card a better chance of getting a rates rebate — a discount on their council rates bill. Right now, many couples living only on New Zealand Superannuation earn too much to get the full discount. The bill raises the income limit for SuperGold Card holders from around $32,210 to $45,000, meaning more of them will qualify for a rebate. The change kicks in from 1 July 2025.
What this affects
Tap a topic to see how this bill touches it, and the parts of the text that show it.
SuperGold Card holders will be able to earn up to $45,000 before their rates discount starts to reduce, instead of the current $32,210 limit that applies to everyone else.
The Bill provides a separate income abatement threshold of $45,000 for SuperGold Card cardholders, effective as of 1 July 2025.
a ratepayer's income abatement threshold is— (a) $45,000 for a ratepayer who, at the time the ratepayer applies for the rebate, is a SuperGold Card cardholder; or (b) $32,210 for any other ratepayer.
Those households face significant rates bills that are on average rising at a higher rate than increases to New Zealand superannuation.
Progress through Parliament
Have your say
Submissions open once a bill reaches the select committee stage and the committee calls for them. In the meantime, you can write to your local MP about it.
Bill text sourced from legislation.govt.nz (Parliamentary Counsel Office). Arapono’s summary and breakdown are drafted with AI grounded in that official text and reviewed by an Arapono editor for accuracy and neutrality before publishing. Arapono is non-partisan and takes no position on this bill.