Grey Power New Zealand has appointed a new national president as the organisation looks to strengthen its advocacy for older Kiwis.

Katikati-based David Marshall was elected to the role at the organisation’s annual meeting after more than a decade of involvement.

Before retiring to the Bay of Plenty, Marshall worked in education, healthcare marketing and consulting, including roles overseas.

He joined the Bay of Plenty zone in 2015 and served as vice-president for more than seven years before being elected to the national board in 2020. In 2023, he became national vice-president.

Marshall currently leads Grey Power’s retirement income and taxation work, chairs its marketing committee, and is involved in developing a pilot aimed at helping older home owners who are unable to downsize because of a lack of bridging finance.

Speaking about the challenges facing older New Zealanders, he said there were a “few”, including support for those wanting to stay in their homes.

“There’s definitely insufficient quality of support to enable people to age in their own homes, rather than having to go into an institution, to be as independent as possible.”

There was also an increasing need for accessible homes, which he described as a “significant area” requiring urgent attention.

Access to healthcare, particularly elective surgery, was another major concern.

“Regardless of age, although it becomes more important with increasing age, is the timely availability of elective surgery for people.”

He pointed to inequities in access to procedures such as cataract surgery.

“For example, with cataracts, we’ve got parts of the country where, before you have to stop driving, you’re eligible to have your cataracts done.

“In other areas, you lose your licence and then may be eligible to get your cataracts done.”

He said the cost of living remained a frequent concern raised by Grey Power members, with about 40% reliant solely on New Zealand Super.

Rising inflation was placing pressure on many, particularly tenants.

“That’s what they’re struggling with day to day. It’s really those most vulnerable, particularly those who have to rent, who are using a lot of that income, 50% or even more on their rent.

“There’s not much left for anything else, and we’re seeing more older people having to use foodbanks, which they would have never considered in their lives before.”

David Marshall currently chairs Grey Power's retirement income and taxation portfolio and the organisation's marketing committee. Photo / Kelly O'Hara

Marshall said his initial involvement in Grey Power was driven by his passion for advocacy.

“If I can make a difference for people who are struggling, that’s what really motivates me.”

He described stepping into the presidency as a challenge he had not initially sought.

“I’m a get-on-and-get-the-job-done-quietly kind of person, and I’ll support people along the way, but if I can create a team to spread the load, that’s exactly what I’ll do.”

Looking ahead, he aims to focus on improving understanding of the challenges facing older New Zealanders, while pushing for solutions.

“I don’t tend to give up on things unless I know they’re a total lost cause. If I see a way through, I like trying to keep exploring it.”

As Marshall steps into his new role ahead of the election, he said the key policy areas he wanted political parties to prioritise were superannuation and healthcare.

“We want certainty and want to know that whatever is planned is cross-party agreed and the consequences are being looked at.

.

“People may be living in a house that looks good from the outside, but they go to bed early in winter to use an electric blanket because they can’t afford to heat their house.

“Then they skimp on meals, just because it’s so challenging to survive, so we want some assurance that super is done correctly.”

Marshall said the healthcare system was under “so much pressure”, citing issues across homecare support, access to surgery, and difficulty seeing GPs for preventative care.

As national president, he said strengthening Grey Power’s influence and growing its membership were key priorities.

“We will work as hard as we can with the energy that we’ve got at our age to make things happen on behalf of older people.”

He said the organisation could not afford to “drop the ball” on its advocacy as it transitioned to a newly structured board.

“You may see us as a board like ducks on a pond, but I can tell you those feet are paddling very hard.

“We need succession, and we’d love to see that in a stronger organisation.”