The New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English has promised to treat pension portability for Cook Islanders, Niueans and Tokelauans as a priority if he is re-elected in September.
New Zealand prime minister Bill English speaks to media in the Cook Islands, June 2017. Photo: RNZ / Koroi Hawkins
The Cook Islands Prime Minister Henry Puna has long pushed for more flexibility on the issue.
Several years ago New Zealand changed the rules so people from the realm countries living in New Zealand and wanting to return home could do so but had to continue living here for five years after the age of 50.
The New Zealand government had expected this to be costly but that has not been the case, and speaking in the Cook Islands on Wednesday Mr English said his government plans to look at it again.
"If we are re-elected in September, as part of executing commitments we have already made about changes to eligibility to National Super, we will take into account this request from the Cook Islands government," he said.
"So I think as long as we have got a common sense of purpose and continue down the track we are then I think you might see some longer term shifts."
