National has today launched a petition so that people can continue to pay Inland Revenue and other Government departments by cheque, National's Revenue spokesperson Andrew Bayly says.
"Inland Revenue will stop accepting cheques this Sunday. Since it has announced this, I've been inundated by complaints from people who have no other way to make payments.
"Many older New Zealanders don't know how to use internet banking, or don't want to because they're concerned about scams. People in rural New Zealand don't necessarily have access to good internet and some people simply don't own a computer.
"I've had one man approach me who is dyslexic. He won't use internet banking in case he enters the wrong amount and feels safer writing a cheque where he has more control.
"Revenue Minister Stuart Nash needs step up and help these people. His office has told me that in the past financial year Inland Revenue received more than 400,000 payments by cheque. That's 6.8 per cent of all payments made in the last financial year.
"This issue might seem trivial to Mr Nash but it's causing distress to many New Zealanders, some of them are our most vulnerable citizens.
"I'm calling on Inland Revenue and Stuart Nash to take a common sense approach this and put the needs of New Zealanders ahead of what's convenient for them."
Here is a link to our petition: https://andrewbayly.national.org.nz/cheque_petition
