The NZ Pension Abuse website is a pioneer work in the protest against, and the exposure of, Sections 187-191 (formerly Section 70) of the Social Security Act and still is a fantastic resource for research on the topic. It has reached quite some popularity, and is even known to New Zealand's major politicians - who, however, have tried to discredit it by claiming some information on the website was not correct. *

You might ask why we started another website instead of joining forces with the already existing one.

Well...

For a start, both websites do not compete with but rather complement each other. On NZ Pension Abuse, for example, you find some original reports like the top secret 2005 report on the treatment of overseas pensions presented to the Ministers of Finance and Social Development. This report was first suppressed from public view because it clearly addressed the inequities and unfairness of Sections 187-191 (a long time before Section 70 was renumbered). It also stated that any change to the Social Security Act would cost money the (then Labour) Government was not willing to spend in the name of justice and better international relations.

A treasure trove

Interestingly enough this Government report describes the direct deduction of overseas pensions as payments of foreign governments into New Zealand. And it clearly states that Tier 2 earnings-related pensions have little similarity to NZ Super.

These are only a few examples of the treasure trove the NZ Pension Abuse website is. It also has detailed reports on court cases, and historical reviews.

Without NZ Pension Abuse we would probably not have found out about New Zealand's pension rip-off until our respective retirements, and would have suffered the same shock as so many pensioners in New Zealand.

We are journalists and PR people and therefore felt the need for a website with a modern, fresh and appealing look that has the potential to attract and interest people who are not directly affected by Direct Deduction and Spousal Provision (which was finally abolished in 2020).

We also wanted to deliver specific information for Germans in German, as we have our roots there and, as newcomers, would have struggled with the subject and all those technical terms. Legal texts are already hard enough to understand in your first language.

Joint forces in different places

Our website is easy to navigate, easy to read (although our English might not be perfect at all times...), and puts emphasis on the personal stories of the people affected, the shattering effect Spousal Provision had and the Direct Deduction Policy still has on their lives, simply the human touch.

At the same time our website does not neglect the important facts: the legislation, the various reviews of the law, and the Government agencies involved in administering the pension system.

It provides links to more detailed information and offers first aid - although we are not able to pay you out the money the New Zealand government takes off you by deducting your overseas pension from NZ Super...

When starting this website we were hoping that it would become a platform for discussion and further contributions from people outside the editorial department - and now in 2021, eleven years after the launch, we can clearly say that we have reached this goal. And by answering emails and questions, and just listening, we have also reached the goal to create a space where affected people find companions in distress and feel that they are not alone in their fight.

By linking this website to interactive internet sites we hope to multiply the number of followers and raise awareness in the wider community.

NZ Pension Abuse has been the first step in making the New Zealand government's pension rip-off public. Our approach is the second step. We think we can walk together and also grow stronger together. Joint forces in different places.

While NZ Pension Abuse is not updated any longer, as the author sadly and suddenly died on 31 December 2022, this website is updated regularly and is offering a newsletter service. We post and mail out important news. In late 2021 NZ Pension Protest has been relaunched in a more modern look, and every single page has been updated by author and administrator Sissi Stein-Abel. She has been running the website as a one-woman band for many years now after co-founder Maria Kaufmann retired from co-authoring the website and ventured into other projects.

* The NZ Pension Abuse website states that 25% of New Zealanders have their NZ Super drastically reduced, whereas the critics claim only 11% are affected. NZ Pension Abuse say their critics (the Government) are deliberately leaving out those New Zealanders denied NZ Superannuation because they were not legally resident in the country when they were 65.