Morgan’s pension polling

High-profile economist and entrepreneur Gareth Morgan is about to get $20,000 of taxpayers’ money but he doesn’t want it.

The former leader of the Opportunities Party (Top) turned 65 yesterday and wants Kiwis to decide what to do with the superannuation allowance he’s now entitled to.

Morgan has set up a poll asking whether he should use his pension to buy a new motorcycle every year or two, give it to charity, let the Government keep it or some other option.

Top campaigned in the leadup to last year’s election to means-test New Zealand superannuation.

The money saved would be redirected to a ‘‘Thriving Families’’ policy, giving all families with children under 3 $10,000 per year.

Morgan said he had reached that ‘‘golden age when all the benefits drop from the sky into my lap’’.

‘‘I actually don’t need anything but, from today, I joined that generation with their hands out, those wide-mouthed frogs who will take everything you give us.

‘‘There’s not just New Zealand super – I also get Winston [Peters’] Gold Card, which is really golplated,’’ he said in a video being promoted on the party’s website.

‘‘Maybe I’ll just go across town and watch all the young mums and dads with their kiddies having to pay full fare, while I get across for nothing.’’

Morgan said he was also getting an energy discount now that he was 65, when some people ‘‘can’t even afford their own housing’’.

Superannuation isn’t affordable and with an ‘‘ageing population and modern medicine keeping us alive longer, it’s only going to get worse’’, he said.